After fighting professionally since 2009, Jessica ”Evil" Eye (15–11 MMA, 5–10 UFC) is hanging it up.
Stephen R. Sylvanie/USA TODAY Sports
LAS VEGAS – Jessica Eye is done with her professional fighting career.
The 35-year-old Ohio native announced her retirement following a decision loss to fellow women's flyweight Maycee Barber at Saturday's UFC 276 event at T-Mobile Arena.
"I think it's time," Eye told in-cage interviewer Joe Rogan.
Fighting professionally since 2009, "Evil" Eye (15–11 MMA, 5–10 UFC) made her UFC debut in 2013 in the women's bantamweight division. She would end up fighting for the organization some 15 times.
Eye moved down to the 125-pound division in 2018 and rattled off three consecutive wins over Kalindra Faria, Jessica-Rose Clark and Katlyn Chookagian to earn a shot at women's flyweight champion Valaentina Shevchenko. The two clashed at UFC 238 in June 2019, though Shevchenko proved victorious via knockout.
Eye rebounded with a 2019 win over Viviane Araujo, though she then dropped her final four fights against ranked contenders Cynthia Calvillo, Joanne Wood, Jennifer Maia and Barber.
Following Saturday's result, Eye shared a story of first meeting Barber in 2018 and befriending the young prospect to help her feel welcome to the promotion, then encouraged more unity among MMA athletes.
"If I could give anything back in this sport, it's we need to stop separating ourselves and help each other as fighters protect ourselves in so many ways," Eye said. "I've won inside the octagon, I've lost, but I've spent my entire 20s and most of my 30s—I'd like to see what the rest of the world looks like."
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