MMA News

Tag: Jessica Eye

  • Former UFC Title Challenger Ends Retirement, Signs With BKFC

    Former UFC Title Challenger Ends Retirement, Signs With BKFC

    A veteran of the UFC is returning from a combat sports retirement, but not to re-commence her career inside the Octagon.

    Jessica Eye competed 16 times on mixed martial arts’ biggest stage after signing in 2013, recording victories over the likes of Katlyn Cerminara and Viviane Araújo.

    Her peak came in 2019 when she challenged Valentina Shevchenko for the women’s flyweight title. Eye ultimately ended up securing a spot on “Bullet’s” highlight reel after being knocked out by a brutal head kick at UFC 238.

    A four-fight losing skid soon followed, and after a decision setback to Maycee Barber in mid-2022, “Evil” Eye called time on her career.

    Three years later, the now 38-year-old is set to resume her stint in combat sports under a new banner — Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship.

    During an appearance on Tuesday’s episode of The Ariel Helwani Show on Uncrowned, Eye announced her new venture while taking a dig at the UFC, who she said did not ‘take care’ of her.

    “After a long time of negotiation, I am signing with Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship,” Eye said. “I started out boxing… They finally came financially correct and motivated me enough to be like, you know what? Maybe these guys will take care of me in a way that I wasn’t taken care of in my UFC fights and that’s financially rewarding.”

    With that, Eye marks the latest in a slew of notable UFC names to cross over to the world of bare-knuckle boxing. Prominent MMA figures like Mike Perry, Luke Rockhold, Eddie Alvarez, Ben Rothwell, Chad Mendes, and Paige VanZant have also appeared in the BKFC ring.

  • UFC Veteran Jessica Eye Wants A Future With All Elite Wrestling

    Jessica Eye has revealed that she wants to wrestle in All Elite Wrestling.

    A little over a week until UFC 272 and Jessica already has her “Evil” eye on another athletic venture.

    Eye will face Manon Fiorot on March 5 in an early preliminary bout. Her French opponent is currently on a dominant eight-fight win streak, suffering only one loss via split decision–at the start of her professional MMA career.

    Jessica’s last bout was in 2021 against Jennifer Maia at UFC 264. After losing the match, Eye had an opportunity for redemption a few months later. However, the bout was canceled due to Eye being hospitalized for an illness.

    It will be Eye’s 30th professional match at UFC 272. And after several back-to-back losses, it will be her chance to get back in the winner’s circle.

    However, win or lose, she wants a slice of All Elite Wrestling.

    Recently, on February 21, Jessica Eye made a statement in regards to AEW.

    “I want to wrestle in AEW,” tweeted Jessica.

    Short and sweet. And with a long list of other MMA fighters that have jumped on the AEW bandwagon, Eye would fit perfectly.

    She will join Paige Vanzant, Junior Dos Santos, Kayla Harrison, and many others that made cameos on the professional wrestling show. Even the BMF champ Jorge Masvidal got the AEW audience riled up when he made an appearance.

    With fighter pay still an ongoing issue within the UFC, many of the promotion’s fighters have branched out, or retired, to acquire money elsewhere. Eye, currently 15 wins, 10 losses, and 1 No Contest, maybe another addition to that growing list.

    Her possible transition to AEW begs the question: face or heel? The nickname “Evil” may prompt fans to push for the latter.

    What are your thoughts on Jessica Eye wanting to wrestle in AEW?