LAS VEGAS – Nearly six years after her UFC debut, Jessica Eye finally has a title shot, but it certainly didn’t come without its challenges.
Right from the start.
Eye’s UFC tenure as a bantamweight seemingly kicked off well when she won a split decision against Sarah Kaufman in October 2013 – only the decision was later overturned after Eye tested positive for marijuana. Eye would go 1-5 in her next six fights, including a devastating four-fight losing streak, but she avoided being cut.
Now, Eye has found new life as a flyweight. On the heels of a three-fight winning streak, she gets her shot at UFC gold when she meets champion Valentina Shevchenko on June 8 at UFC 238 in Chicago.
Eye recently spent time with MMA Junkie at the UFC Performance Institute and opened up about her journey to this pivotal moment in her career, including the death of her father, her decision to leave Strong Style MMA in Cleveland, and much more.
“To obtain a UFC world title, it’s the highest accolade I could ever give myself,” Eye said. “And maybe that’ll change one day. Maybe something else will be it. But for right now in life, this is all that I’ve ever wanted for me,” Eye said. “For people who have been down and out, the kind of people that have lost, lost, lost then won and just kept winning from that moment, this title means everything to me. It’s for the losers who never thought they would win. It’s for the winners who really see what winning does for other people, the kind of winner that gives their win to everyone else and shares it with the rest.
“I feel like I’m kind of that person. I feel like I’ve taken the lead on being the person that goes through all the crappy things to come out ahead.”
To hear more from Eye and the rest of her team, watch the video above.
For more on UFC 238, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.
