UFC flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko has looked unbeatable during her four-fight title reign, but the division is still full of challengers working toward their shot at the belt.
That list includes former title challenger Jessica Eye (15-7) and Cynthia Calvillo (8-1-1), who will meet in the main event of Saturday’s UFC Fight Night inside the UFC’s Apex facility in Las Vegas. Eye already came up short against Shevchenko in June 2019, but is still ranked just below her in the UFC’s rankings. Calvillo is a former strawweight, making her 125-pound debut.
Shevchenko is expected to face Joanne Calderwood in her next title defense, but the dominant champ has repeatedly said she’d like to remain active — and if she continues going through opponents with the ease she has thus far, she’s always going to be in need of a “next in line.”
Eye and Calvillo will each look to build their case for a future shot on Saturday, although Eye’s chances might have already taken a hit as she missed weight for a second consecutive time during Friday’s official weigh-ins.
The co-main event may turn out to capture the fight-of-the-night bonus as Marvin Vettori battles Karl Roberson in a middleweight bout fueled by bad blood. The two were supposed to fight twice before, but the first time was canceled by the coronavirus pandemic and the second by a bad weight cut by Roberson, who had to be hospitalized. Vettori confronted Roberson in the host hotel in Jacksonville after the second cancelation and the fight almost took place in the lobby. Roberson missed weight once again, but it won’t prevent this fight from happening.
Brett Okamoto and Marc Raimondi recap the action as it plays out in Las Vegas.
Fight in progress:
Welterweight: Christian Aguilera (13-6, 0-0 UFC, +170) vs. Anthony Ivy (8-2, 0-0 UFC, -190)
Still to come:
Women’s flyweight: Jessica Eye (15-7 1NC, 5-6 1NC UFC, -110) vs. Cynthia Calvillo (8-1-1, 5-1-1 UFC, -110)
Middleweight: Karl Roberson (9-2, 4-2 UFC, +180) vs. Marvin Vettori (14-4-1, 4-2-1 UFC, -210)
Catchweight (140 pounds): Merab Dvalishvili (10-4, 3-2 UFC, -380) vs. Gustavo Lopez (4-3, 0-0 UFC, +310)
Men’s featherweight: Andre Fili (20-7, 8-6 UFC, -220) vs. Charles Jourdain (10-2, 1-1 UFC, +185)
Men’s bantamweight: Jordan Espinosa (14-7, 1-2 UFC, -165) vs. Mark De La Rosa (11-4, 2-4 UFC, +145)
Women’s flyweight: Mariya Agapova (8-1, 0-0 UFC, -300) vs. Hannah Cifers (10-5, 2-3 UFC, +250)
Lightweight: Charles Rosa (12-4, 3-4 UFC, +160) vs. Kevin Aguilar (17-3, 2-2 UFC, -180)
Women’s bantamweight: Julia Avila 7-1, 1-0 UFC, -520) vs. Gina Mazany (6-3, 1-3 UFC, +410)
Men’s flyweight: Zarrukh Adashev (3-1, 0-0 UFC. +100) vs. Tyson Nam (18-11-1, 0-2 UFC, -120)