The MMA Daily

A pair of ranked women in the Flyweight division lock horns, as Jessica Eyes takes on Maycee Barber. Hoping 2022 brings about better fortune, Eye will look to put a halt to a three-fight losing streak. A former Bellator Champion and UFC title contender, Eye is going to need to turn around things quickly. Otherwise, her time in the sun may have past. Meanwhile, Barber has rebounded nicely since her two-fight losing streak. Winning back-to-back fights, Barber finds herself in the top fifteen of the division. With Eye checking in at tenth in the division, a victory would assuredly catapult Barber into the top ten.

In fighting, often we see an old lion need to fend off a younger one. This fight is exactly that. Eye is a veteran of twelve years in the game, and has climbed to the top. With three straight losses though, her career may hang in the balance. An active striker, Eye looks to pepper opponents over the course of the fight. Not one to wrestle much, Eye is averaging roughly half a takedown per fifteen minutes. Perhaps a mistake throughout Eye’s career, is not developing that aspect of her game to compliment her already sharp striking abilities. On the other hand, Barber can wrestle and strike. Preferring to be on the feet, Barber has a rare blend of volume and power. The latter being a huge asset, given the division lacks fighters who can stop opponents via strikes.

As for a prediction, I have Barber winning. Eye is going through a tough stretch and is tasked to rejuvenate her career against a well rounded and rising talent in Barber. A fight that quite frankly is Barber’s to lose. Being the more active, accurate and powerful striker alone gives her an edge. Throw in her wrestling against Eye’s mediocre takedown defense and this should in essence be a dominant performance by Barber. However, given Eye’s toughness, I don’t see a finish. I see Barber winning via decision.