Jessica Andrade

Jessica Andrade Bio

Jéssica Fernanda da Costa Andrade, widely known as Jessica Andrade, is a Brazilian professional mixed martial artist who has competed at the highest levels of the sport. Born on September 25, 1991, in Umuarama, Paraná, Brazil, she currently fights in the women’s Strawweight and Flyweight divisions of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). A former UFC Women’s Strawweight Champion, Andrade has built a reputation for explosive finishes and relentless pressure inside the octagon. She began her professional career in 2011 and continues to be an active and respected competitor on the global stage.

Early Life and Background

Andrade was raised in Umuarama, Paraná, by her parents, Julio and Neusa Andrade, who worked as farmers. She grew up alongside her older brother Fernando, and the two helped their parents on the family plantation throughout their childhood until underage labor was prohibited. After the farm was municipalized, Andrade took on other jobs, working at a local fish-and-pay pond and later delivering medicine for a drug store. She is of Native Brazilian descent through her great-grandmother, a heritage she has spoken about with pride.

During her youth, Andrade was an accomplished soccer and futsal player, and her talent eventually earned her an offer to play for a club in São Paulo. Her parents, however, did not allow her to relocate, which redirected her path toward combat sports. While still in school, she began training judo and soon transitioned into Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in 2011. Her early grappling coaches and teammates noticed her aggressive style, and after a memorable moment in an amateur BJJ competition, they gave her the nickname “Bate Estaca,” a Brazilian term for a piledriver body slam that has followed her throughout her career.

Path to MMA

Andrade made her professional mixed martial arts debut on September 6, 2011, training out of Gracie Humaita in Umuarama for her first six bouts. After defeating Duda Yankovich, she relocated to Niterói to join the Paraná Vale Tudo camp, where she refined her striking and grappling under more experienced coaches. She won eight of her first ten professional fights, with most of those early contests taking place in her native Brazil.

Her first appearance outside Brazil came on April 14, 2013, when she submitted Milana Dudieva at ProFC 47: Russia vs. Europe in Rostov-on-Don, Russia. The win helped raise her profile and positioned her for a move to the world’s largest MMA organization later that same year.

Jessica Andrade Career

Early UFC Career (2013–2015)

Andrade made her UFC debut on July 23, 2013, at UFC on Fox: Johnson vs. Morague, stepping in as a replacement for Miesha Tate to face Liz Carmouche. The bout marked the first time two openly gay fighters met inside the UFC, and although Andrade lost by technical knockout in the second round, the performance announced her arrival on the global stage. She bounced back later that year with a dominant unanimous decision win over Rosi Sexton at UFC Fight Night 30.

Over the following two years, Andrade compiled a mixed but promising record inside the octagon, including split-decision wins over Raquel Pennington and a first-round submission of Larissa Pacheco. Losses to Marion Reneau and a rematch with Pennington, however, prompted her to reassess her trajectory. In October 2015, she announced her decision to drop to the strawweight division, a move that would soon change the course of her career.

Strawweight Breakthrough and Championship (2016–2019)

Andrade’s strawweight debut came on June 4, 2016, at UFC 199, where she dispatched former title challenger Jessica Penne via second-round TKO. She followed that with a first-round submission of Joanne Calderwood at UFC 203, then earned a Fight of the Night bonus for a unanimous decision win over Maryna Moroz in early 2017. Her first shot at UFC gold came on May 13, 2017, at UFC 211 in Dallas, where she challenged champion Joanna Jędrzejczyk but lost by unanimous decision.

After setbacks, Andrade strung together a series of impressive victories, including unanimous decision wins over Cláudia Gadelha and Tecia Torres, as well as a first-round knockout of Karolina Kowalkiewicz at UFC 228. The defining moment of her career arrived on May 11, 2019, in the main event of UFC 237, when she knocked out Rose Namajunas with a second-round slam to capture the UFC Women’s Strawweight Championship. The win earned her both Fight of the Night and Performance of the Night honors, cementing her status as one of the most dangerous fighters in the division.

Flyweight Move and Recent Years (2019–Present)

In her first title defense, Andrade lost the strawweight belt to Zhang Weili via first-round TKO at UFC on ESPN+ 15 in August 2019. A scheduled rematch with Namajunas fell apart due to the COVID-19 pandemic but was eventually rescheduled for UFC 251 in July 2020, where Andrade dropped a split decision. Looking for a fresh start, she moved up to flyweight in October 2020 and scored a first-round technical knockout of Katlyn Chookagian, becoming the first woman in UFC history to earn victories in three different weight classes.

Andrade then challenged Valentina Shevchenko for the UFC Women’s Flyweight Championship at UFC 261 in April 2021 but was stopped in the second round. She responded with a string of strong performances, including a historic standing arm-triangle choke of Amanda Lemos in 2022, which marked the first such submission in UFC history. Subsequent wins over Lauren Murphy, Mackenzie Dern, and Marina Rodriguez kept her ranked among the top strawweights, while losses to Erin Blanchfield, Yan Xiaonan, Tatiana Suarez, Natália Silva, Jasmine Jasudavicius, and Loopy Godinez tested her resolve. As of mid-2025, she remains a ranked contender and one of the most decorated active women in the sport.

Driving Style and Strengths

Andrade is known for her aggressive, pressure-based fighting style, combining heavy hands with a dangerous Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu game. She holds a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and has finished opponents with knockouts, submissions, and strikes from top position. Her ability to land fight-altering slams and short-range power punches has made her one of the most fan-friendly competitors in women’s MMA.

Notable Events and Milestones

Her second-round slam of Rose Namajunas at UFC 237 stands as one of the most iconic knockouts in women’s title-fight history. She also made history as the first UFC woman to win in three different weight divisions and landed the first standing arm-triangle choke in UFC history against Amanda Lemos. With multiple Performance of the Night and Fight of the Night bonuses to her name, Andrade holds a leading position among female UFC award winners.

Jessica Andrade Career Wins

Throughout her professional career, Jessica Andrade has compiled an extensive resume of victories across multiple promotions and weight classes. In the UFC alone, she has earned wins over fighters such as Rosi Sexton, Raquel Pennington, Jessica Penne, Joanne Calderwood, Maryna Moroz, Cláudia Gadelha, Tecia Torres, Karolina Kowalkiewicz, Rose Namajunas, Katlyn Chookagian, Amanda Lemos, Lauren Murphy, Mackenzie Dern, and Marina Rodriguez, showcasing her ability to finish opponents in a variety of ways.

UFC Performance Highlights

Andrade’s UFC journey began with a debut against Liz Carmouche in 2013 and has since produced memorable wins, including her strawweight title victory over Rose Namajunas in 2019. More recent victories over Mackenzie Dern at UFC 295 and Marina Rodriguez at UFC 300 demonstrated her continued relevance in the strawweight division. She has consistently earned post-fight bonuses for her performances, including multiple Performance of the Night and Fight of the Night awards.

Other Wins and Performances

Before joining the UFC, Andrade built her record on the Brazilian regional circuit, winning eight of her first ten professional bouts. Her first international win came at ProFC 47 against Milana Dudieva, and she has also competed in promotions such as Invicta FC events during her development years. These early experiences helped shape her into the well-rounded fighter she is today.

Jessica Andrade Family

Family Background and Personal Life

Jessica Andrade was born to Julio and Neusa Andrade, who worked as farmers in Umuarama, Paraná. She has an older brother named Fernando, with whom she spent much of her childhood helping on the family farm. The hard-working values instilled by her parents shaped her discipline and toughness, traits that have defined her fighting career.

In her personal life, Andrade married her longtime partner Fernanda Gomes in 2019. The couple later divorced in 2023. In 2024, she filed a lawsuit in the United States against her former coach and manager, Gilliard Paranal, alleging embezzlement during his time managing her career from 2012 to 2024. She currently resides in Las Vegas, Nevada, where she continues to train and compete at the highest level.

2025 Season Performance

Jessica Andrade entered 2025 as a veteran presence in the UFC’s strawweight and flyweight divisions, still ranked among the top contenders. Her first appearance of the year came on May 10, 2025, at UFC 315, where she faced Jasmine Jasudavicius and was submitted via rear-naked choke in the first round. The loss briefly knocked her down the rankings, but her experience and name value kept her firmly in the mix of notable names.

Her second outing of the season came on August 16, 2025, at UFC 319 against Loopy Godinez, a former LFA Women’s Strawweight Champion. Andrade dropped a unanimous decision in a closely contested bout that once again earned her a Fight of the Night bonus, highlighting her continued ability to deliver fan-friendly performances even in defeat.

As the year progresses, Andrade remains focused on climbing back into title contention in the strawweight division, where her history of finishes makes her a dangerous opponent for any ranked fighter. With a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and decades of experience, she continues to be a respected figure in women’s MMA and a frequent fan-favorite attraction on UFC cards.