Cynthia Calvillo talks during pre-fight media scrum at UFC on ESPN 10 in June 2020.
Calvillo still “not cool” with how Eye handled weigh-ins, prior to UFC on ESPN 10 victory
Cynthia Calvillo had a few choice words for Jessica Eye, after defeating “Evil” by unanimous decision at UFC on ESPN 10 Saturday, June 13.
In the post-fight press conference, Calvillo shared her feelings on how her opponent carried herself after missing weight by .25 pounds on Friday, June 12. Calvillo revealed her manager allegedly received texts from Eye’s coach prior to weigh-ins, stating Eye was in fact 3.5 pounds over the flyweight limit.
Eye took to social media after the failed cut and said “I am extremely proud” of missing the mark by just .25 pounds. Missing weight is one thing, but lying is another according to Calvillo.
“We have the texts from her coach, messaging my manager saying she was 129.6, 30 minutes before she weighed in. She magically took three pounds off? I don’t think so. It’s not going to fly,” Calvillo said.
“But then she goes online, you know. Then she’s like, ‘You know guys, I only missed by point two, I should have peed.’ Man, if it was that easy maybe you would have peed, maybe you would have cut your hair too… I’m cool with Jessica, but just the way she handled the whole weight cut was not cool.”
Exactly also a 115 coming up who has also miss weight in class on a much higher level . See you just want to be a hater and rude. .25 of pound I am extremely proud https://t.co/IePDNxRzHd
— Jessica Eye (@jessicaevileye) June 12, 2020
Up a class
After stepping on the scale at 126.25 pounds, Eye said “I’m done, I don’t think I can stand guys. I’m sorry.”
It is the second consecutive failed weight cut for Eye. The former title challenger came in five pounds ahead of her UFC 245 bout with Vivian Araujo in December 2019.
Eye fought her first seven UFC bouts at bantamweight, before returning to 125 pounds in January 2018.
Calvillo received 25 percent of Eye’s purse following the failed weight cut. In her UFC flyweight debut, Calvillo dominated Eye, especially with her wrestling and grappling.
“She showed up, she held the towel and got away with it. That’s why she was so proud after she weighed in and was so happy. She was like, “Oh, I only missed it by two points.’ No, she went into this fight a lot heavier than I did. So not only did I move up a weight class, I got somebody who was a bantamweight going in there. Not fighting as a flyweight,” Calvillo said. “I was like, ‘Yeah, don’t worry about it,’ because I knew I was going to go in and show her up the next day.”
Flyweights!
You have a new contender! 👏 #UFCVegas2 pic.twitter.com/caXFHk2XgU
— UFC (@ufc) June 14, 2020
Been there before
Calvillo knows about missing weight. It’’s why she moved to flyweight in the first place.
She came in 4.5 pounds over the strawweight limit ahead of a majority decision against Marina Rodriguez at UFC on ESPN 7 in December 2019. According to Calvillo, her and Eye reacted to missing weight in different ways.
“I’m a fighter and missed weight before too and everybody accepted the fight too. I fought people who missed weight too, but it’s all about how you carry yourself outside when you miss weight,” Calvillo said. “When I missed weight, I locked myself in the hotel and fricken cried for hours.”
The 32-year-old leaves Las Vegas with a win over the current No. 1 flyweight contender. Calvillo returned to the division for the first time since her professional debut back in August 2016.
Calvillo also holds victories over Montana De La Rosa and Joanne Calderwood at strawweight. Both women currently fight at flyweight.
Calderwood was even scheduled to challenge Valentina Shevchenko for the belt at UFC 251 in June, but Shevchenko pulled out due to an injury. Calderwood still remains next in line to fight the champion.
Calvillo also defeated Gillian Robertson in a 120 pound-catchweight bout as well, who is currently in the UFC flyweight division.
The lead up to her return to flyweight came with drama, but Calvillo leaves with a victory nonetheless. Calvillo followed through on her end.
“At the end of the day, I like Jessica and stuff like that, but just the way that ordeal with the weight happened, it wasn’t cool,” Calvillo said. “But I knew it was my job and I was going to show up.”
