In an entertaining main-event, Cynthia Calvillo would edge out Jessica Eye, and make a statement at flyweight.
When Jessica Eye struggled off the scale Friday morning after just barely missing weight for her UFC on ESPN 10 main event against Cynthia Calvillo, the focus shifted. Suddenly, weight cutting was back in the spotlight. The practice is never easy, not at the best of times. The main event players, two fighters who knew that all too well.
It’s why Calvillo was moving up to flyweight on Saturday. But for Eye, it was the second straight miss. Her reasoning the last time was understandable enough. Her menstrual cycle threw a wrench in the works. That wouldn’t be an issue this week, she had assured the media.
Yet there she was, stepping off the scale Friday shaky, saying she wasn’t sure she could stand. A clearly drained fighter, sowing seeds of doubt about whether she’d be compromised in Saturday’s main event.
Eye put Calvillo on the back foot early, pumping out her jab and trying to utilize her reach. Eye was very crisp with her boxing early on, landing the right cross a few times. Calvillo looked for a head kick that was caught and Eye landed some shots after catching the kick. Eye was countering with the right hand well early and seemed to be landing the harder shots. Calvillo landed a head kick the second time she threw it, but Eye did catch it on the way down again and threw Calvillo down. The round would come to a close after a hard right hand by Calvillo, Eye looked to respond with a right of her own but Calvillo would slip right out of the way.
Calvillo seemed to be more urgent to open round two, and tried putting pressure on Eye to start. However, Eye would quickly put Calvillo on the back foot once again after landing some decent shots. Calvillo would shoot in for a takedown that was initially stuffed but would get after a good second effort. Calvillo would end up on top from half guard and would land some shots near the cage. Eye would burst up to her feet, but Calvillo would get her back in the process. Calvillo would drag her down and get the body triangle. Calvillo started landing some ground and pound and would end a dominant second round with some big punches.
Jessica Eye started firing her jab to start the third round and put Calvillo on the outside once again. Calvillo would land a 1-2 and land a stiff leg kick; Eye would step in with a right hand but would eat a spinning back fist for her troubles. Calvillo began working her own jab, and Eye began to land some decent check hooks anytime Calvillo came into range. Calvillo would miss with a superman punch, and Eye responded with a hard right hand. Eye would land a hard right hand, and Calvillo would level change into a big takedown with about a minute remaining. Calvillo would secure the back once again, but couldn’t do much due to it being the end of the round.
Eye would open the next round with a leg kick that would be caught by Calvillo, and Calvillo would get a big takedown. Calvillo would transition to the back once again, and start landing ground and pound. Calvillo would get the body triangle and start sapping Jessica Eye’s energy. Halfway through the round, Eye would spin out and get back to the feet. Calvillo would look for a takedown once again but would end up stuffed this time. Eye would land some decent shots at range, and Calvillo seemed to have trouble getting back into her fighting range. Jessica Eye would do a good job of getting back into the fight and heading into the fifth, it was a close fight.
Calvillo would land some clean jabs to start the fifth round. Eye would land a nice 1-2 as Calvillo was moving in, and it seemed that Calvillo seemed to be the fresher fighter early in the fifth round. She was putting on the pressure and landing a nice combination moving in on Eye. Calvillo landed a step-in elbow as Eye moved in, and it seemed Calvillo was starting to get confident as she put her hands down. Eye’s right hand was landing, but her strikes seemed much more labored compared to Calvillo. Calvillo would get a huge takedown with about a minute remaining in the fifth round. Eye would fight back to her feet and would end the fight standing.
Flyweights!
You have a new contender! 👏 #UFCVegas2 pic.twitter.com/caXFHk2XgU
— UFC (@ufc) June 14, 2020
Official Result: Cynthia Calvillo def. Jessica Eye by unanimous decision (49-46, 49-46, 48-47)
