This is the UFC on ESPN 10 live blog for Jessica Eye vs. Cynthia Calvillo, the flyweight headliner for Saturday’s fight card at UFC APEX in Las Vegas.
Eye hopes to earn her second consecutive win after a decision over Viviane Araujo at UFC 245, which put her back on the right foot after a knockout loss to champ Valentina Shevchenko. She missed weight by 0.25 pounds for the fight with Calvillo, who makes her flyweight octagon debut after several misses at the scale as a strawweight.
Round 1: Eye looks far, far bigger than Calvillo as they square off. Calvillo sticks a nice right after the first exchange. Another right hook glances off Eye. So far, Calvillo’s speed is paying dividends. Eye moves to the jab and connects with a follow-up right. Eye starts adding volume and connects. Reach is definitely on her side, but Calvillo slaps her upside the head with a kick. Eye fighting tall and firing down at Calvillo as she approaches. Eye is beginning to shift momentum, doing her best work on the back end of Calvillo’s punches. Another head kick is caught by Eye, who can’t convert to a useful counter. Eye works her jab and comes in with a combo. Calvillo finds luck inside as they clinch up briefly. Eye goes chasing after catching a right hand and whiffs as time runs out.
MMA Fighting scores the frame 10-9 for Eye.
Round 2: Eye back on her jab as Calvillo advances. Nice combo from Calvillo, and she lands inside on the follow-up. Eye stings her back in the next exchange. Calvillo ducks under and takes a knee, but redoubles her efforts and gets the single leg. She wraps Eye’s head at the cage edge, and the action stalls. Eye begins to sit up as Calvillo pistons her right hand. Eye stands and defends the back-take from Calvillo, who has a leg wrapped around her foe. Eye working to control the choke arm, and Calvillo hops on the back in transition. Eye takes a knee, allowing Calvillo to adjust. Eye trying to get out the back door with one arm secured. Not much room to work against the fence. Calvillo struggles to free that arm, but she has the body triangle. Less than one minute to work. She frees an arm and punches away with her right. Eye tries to stand and can’t get free, and Calvillo continues to soften her up with punches. Eye tries to roll away, and Calvillo loses the back as time expires.
MMA Fighting scores the round 10-9 for Calvillo, and it’s even at 19-19.
Round 3: Eye back on the jab, and Calvillo adjusts her gloves. Eye is more gunshy with her shots, and Calvillo is getting in and out with ease, attacking the body. She goes upstairs on the next combo, and Eye retorts with a jab. Now Calvillo adds leg kicks. A spinning backfist from Calvillo, and she continues to loosen up. Eye is slow to react and isn’t having much luck with her jab. Calvillo’s left on exchanges is regularly landing. Calvillo taking over the round. She’s putting Eye at the end of her punches, throwing more variety to keep her opponent guessing. Less than two minutes to go. Eye taking easy opportunities as Calvillo charges in, but she’s largely defensive. Another duck-under from Calvillo, and Eye hits the mat. Immediately Calvillo attacks the neck in half-guard. Eye fights the hands and works to stand up, turning to her hands and knees. Calvillo takes the back and triangles the body. Again, Eye works to turn out into guard, controlling an arm to prevent the choke. Calvillo pounds with hammerfists as time expires.
MMA Fighting scores the frame 10-9 for Calvillo, and it’s 29-28 Calvillo.
Round 4: Eye closes distances and immediately mixes it up with Calvillo, who circles off and then suddenly counters a kick with a takedown. Again, Calvillo wraps the head and takes the back when Eye tries to roll to right herself. Calvillo pounds away with her right hand as Eye tries to get out the back door again. Eye tries to turn out of back control and momentarily frees a leg. Calvillo adjusts, however, and stays on top as the round hits the midway pound. More punches and elbows from Calvillo. Eye explodes to her feet and wraps the head before breaking off. Eye in pursuit and mixes it up again. Eye stops a takedown attempt and seeks punching opportunities. Calvillo looks tired, and she takes a hard right. Eye pushing Calvillo backward and forcing her to engage. Calvillo gets a second wind and starts firing back with better accuracy. Eye ends the frame in pursuit.
MMA Fighting scores the frame 10-9 for Calvillo, who’s up 39-37.
Round 5: They trade a flurry of jabs at close range, and Calvillo gets around Eye’s guard with a series of power punches. Eye pumping that jab, and her uppercut is intercepted with a jab. Calvillo’s volume and speed still looking better than Eye, whose power and timing has diminished over the rounds. Eye comes out charging in open range, and Calvillo shrugs it off. Calvillo connects with a huge right hand and dodges Eye like a matador. Hands down, Calvillo’s boxing is just far more on point than the one-time flyweight contender. She’s feinting and faking out Eye before darting in with combos. Eye is connecting with her right hand on one out of every three punches or so that she takes. Calvillo mostly is able to get out of range before Eye can time a good shot. Spinning backfist just short for Calvillo. Eye comes charging, trying to initiate a slugfest, and she connects with a nice right hand. Calvillo ducks under again and gets the takedown. Hammerfists slam into Eye up top, and Calvillo stands overhead. Eye pitches up, and Calvillo goes for a Peruvian necktie. When Eye rises, Calvillo hits the knee and backs off. Eye in pursuit, but she needs a homerun. Right hand misses, and that’s a wrap.
MMA Fighting scores the frame 10-9 for Calvillo, who gets the 49-46 score.
Official result: Cynthia Calvillo def. Jessica Eye via unanimous decision (49-46, 49-46, 48-47)