Jessica Eye has her desired date and location to challenge Valentina Shevchenko for the UFC women’s flyweight title.
Shevchenko (16-3 MMA, 5-2 UFC), who won the vacant belt this past December, will attempt to make her first title defense when she meets Eye (14-6 MMA, 4-5 UFC) at UFC 238 in June.
UFC officials today announced the 125-pound title contest.
UFC 238 takes place June 8 at United Center in Chicago. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and UFC Fight Pass.
After Shevchenko claimed the vacant belt with a dominant win over Joanna Jedrzejczyk at UFC 231, she said she wants to be an active champion, which the weight class didn’t have in previous titleholder Nicco Montano. “Bullet” said she was even ready to accept a fight date in February. But it didn’t materialize, and she had to wait for UFC 238.
After losing four straight fights under the UFC banner, Eye moved down a weight class in January 2018, and it altered the course of her career. Three consecutive wins have landed Eye – No. 5 in the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMAjunkie MMA women’s flyweight rankings – a chance to fight No. 1-ranked Shevchenko for the belt.
The latest UFC 238 lineup now includes:
- Valentina Shevchenko vs. Jessica Eye – for women’s flyweight title
- Nina Ansaroff vs. Tatiana Suarez
- Joanne Calderwood vs. Katlyn Chookagian
For more on UFC 238, check out the MMA Rumors section of the site.
