Jessica Eye is ready to make her case for a shot at the UFC women's bantamweight crown, and she plans to do that at the expense of Miesha Tate at UFC on Fox 16.
The scrappy Ohio native began campaigning for a title opportunity following her lopsided victory over Leslie Smith at UFC 180 last November, in a fight where her crisp striking literally forced her opponent's left ear to explode.
Granted, the visual effects of her work were a gruesome mess, but the talents she showed en route to her win in Mexico City started a groundswell of buzz that the proud Cleveland representative was ready for much bigger things in the women's 135-collective.
While the opportunity to face dominant champion Ronda Rousey would eventually go to Bethe Correia in the main event at UFC 190, "Evil" found herself rewarded with a high-profile bout of her own. The 28-year-old Strong Style fighter will face perennial contender Miesha Tate in the co-main event at UFC on Fox 16 in Chicago on July 25, in a high-stakes tilt that is highly likely to generate the next threat to the women's bantamweight crown.
Where UFC gold is undoubtedly Eye's ultimate goal, she sees her upcoming fight against the former Strikeforce women's bantamweight champion as an even bigger opportunity than what a potential bout against Rousey could have provided. She feels overlooked and underrated by the passionate MMA fanbase, and that is a condition she intends to change when she steps into the Octagon against Tate.
Eye admits there is no shortage of motivation for her heading into the bout and plans to bring more than her opponent and the MMA community ever thought she was capable of.
“This fight is important to me on so many levels," Eye told Bleacher Report. "A win over Miesha [Tate] will put me next in line for a title shot, but I also believe it will prove what I’m capable of. I think a lot of fans and media look at my record, and they just don’t realize what I can do in there. They look at my record, but I'm not sure many of them have actually sat down and watched those fights.
"I don’t think they know what to expect from me. This fight against Miesha for me is actually bigger than fighting Ronda Rousey because it’s going to solidify what my abilities are in the eyes of fight fans. It’s going to solidify the fact that I’m an amazing fighter and a top contender."
There will be plenty on the line in regard to the race for title contention in the tilt between Eye and Tate at UFC on Fox 16, but the fight also presents an interesting matchup on the stylistic side of things.
Where the Washington state native has primarily relied on her grappling pedigree to find success throughout her career, Eye's versatile striking skills have been the key to her success inside the cage. Aggression is an attribute both women have in large supply, and those combinations have the makings for an exciting tilt at the top of the women's bantamweight fold.
That said, while Tate may have more experience in high-profile tilts on her resume, Eye is confident she will present problems the former women's 135-pound title challenger has never faced under the bright lights of the sport's biggest stage. Eye believes her striking is simply on another level and that—in addition to the strength of her all-around game—will be too much for Tate to handle on fight night.
"I don’t think there is anyone in the UFC women’s bantamweight division that is using MMA striking the way I do," Eye said. "Strawweight champion Joanna Jedrzejczyk definitely uses it and uses it well, but I’m talking about MMA striking in my division.
"I'm not talking about basic boxing and keeping a narrow stance, but about MMA boxing and being able to use it as it’s needed. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone else in my division with the ability to throw hands the way I can in addition to throwing my kicks the way that I do.
“I don’t think anyone else has that ability, and I don’t think Miesha has ever fought anyone like me. Maybe in her head she thinks she has, but there isn’t another fighter who fights the way I fight right now in the women’s bantamweight division. There just isn’t. Ronda is the only one out there pulling off these crazy armbars, and she gets to claim that, just as I’m claiming to be the best at what I do in there.
“I’m very excited for the fans to see this fight," she added. "I don’t care who she is as a person in or outside of the cage; the only thing on my mind is going in there and collecting a paycheck and giving my fans a reason to smile. I think a win in this fight gets me the next shot at the title, and that's exactly where I want to be."
Duane Finley is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report. All quotes are obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise.
