Cynthia Calvillo will take her first shot at fighting in the flyweight division on Saturday when she battles No. 1 contender Jessica Eye in the main event of Saturday’s UFC Fight Night card at the Apex facility in Las Vegas.
While Saturday’s card lacks star power, Eye and Calvillo appear to be evenly matched in the main event.
Calvillo Moves Up After Weight Trouble
Calvillo comes into the bout as a slight -116 favorite over Eye (-106), according to FanDuel Sportsbook. That may come as a surprise to some, as Calvillo normally fights at strawweight, while Eye has won four of her past five fights, with the one loss coming to champion Valentina Shevchenko last June.
That’s a tough assignment for someone potentially undersized in the 125-pound division. But Calvillo (8-1-1) had been considering a move up after missing weight in two of her past three fights. When she requested a fight, the lack of options made her decision easier.
UFC Fight Night Odds
- Jessica Eye (-106) vs. Cynthia Calvillo (-116)
- Karl Roberson (+196) vs. Marvin Vettori (-245)
- Merab Dvalishvili (-600) vs. Ray Borg (+410)
- Andre Fili (-230) vs. Charles Jourdain (+184)
- Jordan Espinosa (-170) vs. Mark De La Rosa (+138)
Odds via FanDuel Sportsbook
“I talked to them and told them I wanted to fight in July, and then I was watching everybody in the flyweight division – you know, in the top 10 – getting booked for fights, and I’m like, ‘Man, dude, like if I don’t get up on this and try to get a fight, then I’m going to be left out,†Calvillo told MMA Junkie. “So I noticed that there were probably like two fighters that hadn’t been matched up, which was Jessica Eye and Jennifer Maia. But Jennifer Maia, of course, she’s in Brazil, and I didn’t know how the restrictions were going to be. So I was like, ‘Well, Jessica Eye. Let’s go for it.’â€
Eye Believes Size Advantage Could Prove Decisive
Calvillo is currently ranked No. 10 in the strawweight division, but believes she’ll perform better at 125 pounds, as it has become difficult for her to make weight in the strawweight division. Eye (15-7) is skeptical, saying that it’s not always easy to move up a weight class, even if it feels right.
“I am jacked about how much I know my size will play into a factor with this. I remember going up a weight class and thinking that, ‘Oh, I can hang with them,’†Eye told MMA Junkie. “You know what I mean? ‘It’s hard to make flyweight, but I can hang with bantamweights’ – and that’s not true. That wasn’t true. It really wasn’t.â€
Eye should get the most out of her size advantage on her feet, where she should prove to be a superior striker. However, Calvillo has the edge if she can secure a takedown and use her wrestling skills. Either way, this fight will likely go to the cards, with the judges ultimately choosing a winner.
Middleweights Marvin Vettori (14-4-1) and Karl Roberson (9-2) will square off in the co-main event. Vettori (-245) has a better all-around game despite Roberson’s (+196) knockout power, and comes into the bout as a clear favorite.
