UFC APEX – UFC flyweight Jessica Andrade welcomed a fight camp as she’s been going through some difficult things in her personal life, but now she’s fully focused on Natalia Silva at UFC Vegas 97 on Saturday night.
“I was in a prison before. I feel that there is levity right now,” Andrade told reporters through a translator on Wednesday.
“I feel like a weight was lifted off my back.”
Andrade (26-12) recently revealed that a former coach, who was also her manager, allegedly embezzled $2 million from her. She has sued to try and get the money back, but the suit is still ongoing.
The matchup with Silva is a welcome distraction for Andrade who used the time in training camp to be around people that cared about her. With camp behind her now she sets her sights on Silva.
“I think this is great matchmaking. Our styles of fighting are pretty good. When the name came up we thought about a main event in August. As it turns out it gave enough time for both of us,” she said.
“For both of us would have been (a) hard weight cut. My walking weight, I needed extra weeks to get that out. I’ve seen her since she’s come to the UFC. I followed her. I’ve cheered her on ever since she’s come here. I think it’s going to be a good fight for everybody.”
UFC hall of famer Joanna Jedrzejczyk recently told Cageside Press that’d she be down to fight for a BMF belt. Andrade said she’d be more than happy to be her dance partner in a potential women’s BMF title fight.
“I think, if that fight happened, it would be amazing. Would love the opportunity. I think, first of all, there are hard asses fighting in this game. They’re not just all male,” she said.
“There are many female badasses out there. There should be a BMF. It’s a new opportunity that we’re opening up for MMA.”
Watch the entire media day scrum with Jessica Andrade above. She takes on Natalia Silva at UFC Vegas 97.
