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Report: Jessica Andrade vs Jessica Eye scheduled for October 17
Former strawweight champion Jessica Andrade is reportedly moving divisions and will be taking on a former flyweight title challenger. According to Brett Okamoto of ESPN, Andrade will move up from strawweight to the 125-pound flyweight division and face Jessica Eye on October 17.
Breaking: UFC targeting a flyweight bout between former 115-pound champ Jessica Andrade (@jessicammapro) and Jessica Eye (@jessicaevileye) for Oct. 17. Feeling around Andrade's team this could actually prove to be her best weight class. Has fought at 135 and 115 in UFC.
— Brett Okamoto (@bokamotoESPN) July 31, 2020
This will be Andrade’s flyweight division debut after she has previously competed in both the strawweight (115) and bantamweight (135) divisions. Andrade is also the former strawweight champion, a title she won from Rose Namajunas back at UFC 237 in May of 2019. After capturing the title, Andrade lost to current reigning champion Weili Zhang and then had a rematch with Namajunas back at UFC 251, which she lost by split decision. During her time in the strawweight division, Andrade went 7-3 in the division with the one title victory.
Jessica Eye is a former flyweight title challenger and has been at the top of the 125-pound division since making the move down from bantamweight. In her last fight, Eye was defeated by division newcomer Cynthia Calvillo back in June. This will be the second division newcomer that Eye faces in a row, as she looks to continue to establish her place in a ever-changing flyweight division.
Eye lost to champion Valentina Shevchenko back at UFC 238 in June of 2019 and bounced back at UFC 245 with an impressive decision win over Viviane Araujo. Shevchenko was supposed to defend her title against Joanne Calderwood but the fight was delayed after the champion was removed due to injury.
With the champion out, Calderwood accepted a short-notice fight this weekend against Jennifer Maia, and there’s no guarantee that she will be next in line for the title fight she was scheduled for. With Calvilo and Andrade making the move to the flyweight division, their are possible new contenders who could challenge Shevchenko for the title.
A win over Eye for Andrade would immediately put her in conversation for a title shot, along with Calvillo and Calderwood. A win for Eye would keep her right at the top of the division as she looks to get another shot at the champion.
