Jessica Eye never felt she was truly done fighting after retiring in the UFC in 2022.
The former UFC title challenger left her gloves in the Octagon at UFC 290 following a decision loss to top contender Maycee Barber, signifying her retirement.
Eye entered the UFC back in 2013 and fought under the banner 16 times.
After nearly three years away, the gloves are staying off for Eye as she is set for her BKFC debut at BKFC Texas this Saturday in the same state she made her UFC debut.
Praised by Conor McGregor for her ‘magnificent’ physique, Eye will meet a fellow UFC veteran in Mariya Agapova in a flyweight matchup.
Eye, 38, sees her comeback fight as a ‘full-circle moment’, returning to her roots in boxing after experiencing the worst depression of her life post-retirement.
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Jessica Eye fighting to show you can ‘never give up on yourself’
Eye had a feeling she wasn’t done fighting following her UFC retirement.
However, before that could happen, Eye says she hit ‘rock bottom’ outside of the Octagon, taking the last couple of years to find herself. Eye packed her bags and moved to Florida, where she found a brand new team of coaches to eventually rise again.
“I was never really fully done,” Eye told Bloody Elbow on Wednesday.
“But, I needed to go get healthy. I needed to go rebuild my body, rebuild my mind. When you retire, you think like, oh, life is gonna be peachy, all these great things…
“I went into the most serious depression,” Eye revealed.
“I got in tons of trouble with the law. I found the worst version of myself. But I also found myself in that time. Around 2023, I really started focusing on my mental health, rebuilding my body.”
Eye was asked what she’s fighting for at this stage of her career.
“I’m fighting for just me, to show myself that no matter what, you never give up on yourself,” Eye answered.
“During some of those darkest moments, intrusive thoughts almost broke me, you know? I feel like sometimes you can be such a strong person. You get so strong in those negative thoughts.
“For me to be where I am right now, I’m like, I can do anything. I would literally almost give up on myself… I can do anything. I can literally do anything I put my mind to.”
Jessica Eye on signing with BKFC: ‘There’s a place for me’
Deciding to fight again, Eye got the BKFC call last November.
Eye is brutally honest on why she opted to go the bareknuckle boxing route after 27 fights in MMA.
“The UFC is never gonna take me back,” Eye continued.
“And to be very honest, I don’t wanna get kicked again. I don’t wanna wrestle again. Like, boxing is where I originally started. I had five boxing matches before I ever even had my first MMA amateur fight. So, started training again.
“My manager [Julian Gregorio] gave me a call and he said, ‘Jessica, BKFC is interested. What would it take to get you in in their ring?’
“I was like, I don’t know. Let me think about it. But I was so overwhelmed. I’m getting chills even thinking about it. Like, oh my gosh. Like, there’s a place for me. I could do this. Like, why not BKFC?
“I’ve been head butted in the forehead and had seventeen stitches across my forehead. Like, I can do this. BKFC rolled out a really amazing plan for me, potentially, after we get past this first one, we’ll see where we go next.
“But it kinda came full circle. Hit rock bottom, found myself, and rose myself back up to this part. Peaks and valleys are always gonna happen in life. But, I’m more equipped to deal with them, and I think that goes in with me when I go into the fight.”
Watch Jessica Eye’s BKFC debut against Mariya Agapova on the main card of BKFC 76 on Saturday, live from Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas.