Outside Source
The UFC women’s flyweight division is still a work-in-progress, but it appears the promotion has its next challenger lined up for reigning champion Valentina Shevchenko.
Dana White revealed during Saturday’s post-fight press conference following UFC Fight Night 143 in Brooklyn, N.Y., that Jessica Eye will likely be next for Shevchenko.
“I think we did [decide who would face Shevchenko next],” the UFC president said. “Off the top of my head we said we were going to do a fight with Jessica Eye. I think Eye is next, yeah.”
Eye had her struggles competing at bantamweight in the Octagon and seemed to be on her way out of the Las Vegas-based promotion following her fourth consecutive defeat in September 2016. After the UFC introduced the 125-pound division, the Ohio native has reeled off successive triumphs over Kalindra Faria, Jessica Rose-Clark and Katlyn Chookagian to establish herself as a contender in her natural weight class.
Shevchenko, a former bantamweight title challenger, claimed the vacant 125-pound belt with a five-round verdict over ex-strawweight queen Joanna Jedrzjeczyk at UFC 231. Before moving to flyweight, “Bullet” went 3-2 at 135 pounds, earning wins over Holly Holm, Julianna Pena and Sarah Kaufman.
While the division currently appears to be thin, another contender appeared to emerge at UFC Brooklyn when Joanne Calderwood captured a convincing unanimous verdict against former KSW champion Ariane Lipski in a preliminary 125-pound contest. The effort did not go unnoticed.
“Lipski, coming off a nine-fight win streak, a world champion in another organization with tons of hype behind her, and we put her in with a crafty, nasty veteran,” White said. “[Calderwood] came out and she looked awesome tonight. ‘Jojo’ looked incredible; she fought the perfect fight.”
This article first appeared at Recent News on Sherdog.com
