Jessice Eye makes bare knuckle debut against fellow UFC veteran at BKFC 76

Former UFC flyweight title challenger Jessica Eye is set to make her bare knuckle debut at BKFC 76 on June 21. Her opponent on the card, which will go down in Fort Worth, Texas, will be fellow UFC veteran Mariya Agapova.

BKFC officials announced the matchup to MMA Fighting on May. 14.

Jessica Eye, 38, debuted with the UFC in 2013. She began her time with the promotion as a bantamweight, but dropped down to flyweight when the UFC introduced the division. She picked up a handful of notable wins during her time on the roster, beating Leslie Smith, Jessica-Rose Clark, Katlyn Cerminara and Viviane Araujo. However, she lost the bulk of her UFC fights, most notably suffering a brutal head-kick KO defeat 2019 title fight with champion Valentina Shevchenko. Following a string of losses to Cynthia Calvillo, Joanne Wood, Jennifer Maia and Maycee Barber, she parted ways with the UFC with a 6-10 (1 NC) overall record in 2022.

Eye, who also fought in Bellator early in her career, has not fought since leaving the UFC. That will soon change, when she takes on Kazakhstan’s Agapova.

Who is Jessica Eye fighting in BKFC?

Agapova, 28, spent much less time in the UFC than her upcoming BKFC opponent. After a successful run in all-female promotion Invicta, she signed with the UFC in 2020, defeating Hannah Cifers in her debut. That looked like a good indication that she could make some waves in the Octagon, but she went a tough 1-4 from there. She was released by the promotion around this time last year, and closed out 2024 with a pair of boxing matches. Her first, against Nicole Schaefer, ended with a draw. The second saw her lose a decision to Stacia Suttles.

Like Eye, Agapova will be making her bare knuckle debut at BKFC 76 this June in Fort Worth.

Andrei Arlovski, another experienced UFC veteran, will also make his BKFC debut on the card — in a very tough matchup. The main event will see lightweight champion Franco Tenaglia defend his title against Tony Soto.