Joanne Calderwood did all she could do to get in line for a flyweight title shot, but Dana White says that will go to Jessica Eye next.
Joanne Calderwood went out at the first UFC ESPN show and completely delivered. But that’s not going to get her a 125-pound title shot yet, according to Dana White.
Calderwood turned in the best performance of her UFC career in her dispatching Ariane Lipski by unanimous decision on Saturday night, and politely asked for her shot at the title or current top contender, Jessica Eye, in her post-fight interview. However, it appears that Eye has already been tapped for a title fight with champion Valentina Shevchenko. Here’s what White had to say at the post-fight press conference about it (via MMA Fighting):
“Lipski, coming off a nine-fight win streak, a world champion in another organization with tons of hype behind her, we put her in with a crafty, nasty veteran,” said White. “[Calderwood] came out and she looked awesome tonight… ‘Jojo’ looked incredible, she fought the perfect fight.”
“I think we did,” White replied when asked if the UFC had decided who would face Shevchenko in her first flyweight title defense. “Off the top of my head we said we were going to do a fight with Jessica Eye. I think Eye is next… yeah.”
That doesn’t sound like it’s exactly written in stone, but it’s hardly surprising. Eye (14-6, 1 NC, 4-5, 1 NC UFC) has looked excellent since dropping to 125 pounds, winning three bouts in a row. Her last W came over fellow contender Katlyn Chookagian in December. Calderwood has won two straight since moving back up to flyweight, and has three UFC wins in the division overall.
Shevchenko picked up the vacant title when she defeated Joanna Jedrzejczyk in December.