The sports and entertainment world always seem to mix, and in combat sports, fighters can truly show another side of themselves by the music they choose to walk out to. At UFC 245, flyweight Jessica Eye walked out too ‘You Should See Me In A Crown’ by Billie Eilish, and that was a message being sent to the entire division, but it was also much more than that.
During her interview with BJPENN.com, Eye discussed why she chose that song for her walkout, how she got introduced to Eilish’s music, and how Eilish as an artist is a motivation not only for Eye’s career, but her personal life as well.
It was Eye’s Brazilian jiu-jitsu coach who initially turned her attention to Eilish’s music and she says she felt an instant connection.
“You Should See Me In A Crown is a warning shot to the entire division, that’s my crown. I know how my story ends & how I’m going to make sure I write it. I feel like that’s what Billie does.”-@jessicaevileye on influence of @billieeilishhttps://t.co/ehDjXePrR9 pic.twitter.com/srawSqFdX4
— Mike Pendleton (@MP2310) April 4, 2020
“Darren my Brazilian jiu-jitsu coach who is 38 and absolutely loves Billie [Eilish], because that’s how I found out about Billie. He brought her to me and he’s like ‘Jessica have you ever heard this girl? She reminds me of you.’ That’s when my love of music for her grew, she was doing different things, she was changing the way music was being looked at in that particular genre, she just did an amazing job. Everybody walks out to the same walkout song, but for me every song has a different feeling for what’s going on in my life. Usually the lyrics reflect who I am or what I’m going through. After the drug test debacle, I came out to Don Henley’s ‘Dirty Laundry’ so I always come out to crazy songs.”
As for her specific song choice back at UFC 245, Eye doesn’t just feel she was sending a message to the division, but a message to herself about the confidence and belief she has within herself to be successful.
“‘You Should See Me In A Crown is basically just another warning shot to the entire division and everybody like that’s my crown. I believe it wholeheartedly, I have said that since moving to 125 and even before then, this world knew who I was and my journey has been nothing less than entertaining to everybody for good and bad reasons. I know how my story ends and how I’m going to make sure I write it. I felt like that’s kind of what Billie does and that’s what her music was speaking to me on so ‘You Should See Me In A Crown’ was just perfect fitting, I’ve never wanted to fight someone more after hearing that song.”
Having a connection and motivation to her music is one thing, but Jessica Eye also believes that Billie Eilish is a symbol for women, especially younger women, looking to do great things in their life.
“I’m like a huge Billie fan, even going into that fight week [UFC 245] my outfit was Billie-inspired, and I adore her. We need more girls like her in this world for our younger generation of women and it’s just girls who stand for themselves no matter what the impression is. Same with fighting, I might have gotten knocked out my last fight [UFC 238] but that is the only time I’ve ever been knocked out and that is just one time, that doesn’t mean you get to sit there and judge me all the time.”
There’s a clear message and connection between Jessica Eye and Billie Eilish’s music, and as fighters always look for an extra push, “Evil” seems to have found hers in music.
This article first appeared on BJPenn.com on 4/6/2020