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The UFC returns to Chicago this weekend with one of the deepest cards that it has put on network TV, as UFC on FOX 16 features a headliner with the UFC bantamweight championship on the line. T.J. Dillashaw will look to defend his title against former champion Renan Barao, as the two meet for the first time in over a year after a pair of previous rematches were scrapped at the last minute due to injury.
But UFC on FOX 16 also features a wealth of talent from the Ohio Valley region, as four fighters with ties to states that we cover here at BluegrassMMA will be in action.
UFC on FOX 16 takes place at the United Center in Chicago, with the Fight Pass prelims starting at 4:15 p.m. ET, the prelims on FOX at 6 p.m., and the main card on FOX at 8 p.m.
Check out the Ohio Valley fighters below who will be in actioin this Saturday, and stay tuned to BluegrassMMA.com for a full recap of UFC on FOX 16. [/tps_header]
[tps_title]Jessica Eye[/tps_title]
Female bantamweight Jessica Eye (11-2, 1-1 UFC) will be in the second highest profile bout of the night, as she takes on former 135-pound Strikeforce champion Miesha Tate (16-5, 3-2 UFC) for a likely shot at Ronda Rousey’s UFC title.
The Cleveland native Eye started out her UFC career with a win over another former Strikeforce champion in Sarah Kaufman (but the bout was eventually overturned to a no contest after Eye failed her post-fight drug test), and then came up short in in a hard-fought split decision loss to Alexis Davis last summer.
But “Evil” rebounded with a dominant win over Leslie Smith at UFC 180 in Mexico City last November. Now, the No. 5 ranked female bantamweight will take on No. 2 ranked Tate for a crack at the unbeaten champ Rousey.
Tate is on a three-fight winning streak after losing her first two UFC bouts. She has posted decision wins over Liz Carmouche, Rin Nikai, and Sara McMann in the last 15 months to climb back near the top of the UFC rankings.