The UFC has finalized a big time matchup in the women’s flyweight division. ESPN’s Brett Okamoto was the first to report earlier today that the promotion had finalized a matchup between “King” Casey O’Neill (9-0) and Jessica “Evil” Eye (15-10).
The matchup will take place at UFC 276 which is scheduled for International Fight Week on July 2nd. This is a big fight for Jessica Eye who will enter the July contest still ranked 10th in the flyweight division.
Despite the fringe top ten ranking, it’s been a rough stretch for Jessica Eye. She will enter UFC 276 on a three-fight losing streak. Jessica Eye really struggled out of the gate competing in the bantamweight division.
Eye was just 1-5, 1 NC in seven fights with the UFC before they started the flyweight division. Upon that division opening up, Eye moved down and looked great. Three straight wins earned her a title shot against Valentina Shevchenko.
She was brutally knocked out in that fight, but she bounced back nicely with a win over Viviane Araujo. However, that win over Araujo at UFC 245 was her latest win as she’s dropped three straight since.
UFC’s Top Prospect
This matchup in July is the next logical step up for “King” Casey O’Neill. Arguably the UFC’s top female prospect, O’Neill will be searching for her fifth win inside the octagon when she takes on the former title challenger.
We just saw O’Neill compete back at UFC 271 when she took on Roxanne Modafferi in Modafferi’s retirement fight. Modafferi put O’Neill proved to be too much and won by split decision. However, the fight was clearly a win for O’Neill in my book.
That was her first real test in the octagon as she had ran through all of her previous competition. Top UFC prospects need a fight like that which truly shows off their toughness and grit.
Now that she’s won that type of fight, this is a golden chance for her to show off her dominance again. However, Jessica Eye won’t go down without a fight and I expect her to bring everything she has given her three-fight losing streak. Should be a good one in July.