Despite the pressure of having lost two consecutive fights at strawweight (52,2kg), Jessica Andrade He decided to venture into the flyweight class (56,7kg) to revitalize his career and was successful. At UFC Ilha da Luta 6, an event held on Saturday (17), in Abu Dhabi, the Brazilian impressed by knocking out Katlyn chookagian in the first round and is already on a collision course with Valentina Shevchenko, number one in the category.
Radiant for debuting in the new category, defeating a highly rated athlete and for having won one of the show's performance bonuses, 'Bate-Estaca', in an exclusive interview with channel SUPER FIGHTS, revealed what the strategy would be to 'shock the world' and beat Valentina, analyzed the confrontation between her and Jennifer maia, valid by UFC 255, and chose the best fighters in the history of the sport.
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Surprising performance
Even though she was a former UFC champion, many had doubts about Jéssica's performance in the fight against Chookagian, as the American is a much taller athlete and was also expecting a difficult fight. So much so that she admitted she was surprised to have ended the duel in the first round and thanked her coach, Gilliard Paraná, for giving her a valuable tip.
“I expected the fight to end by knockout or submission, but not in the first round. My intention was to grab and make Chookagian tired, but it ended up being different and it worked out better than I imagined. In the locker room, my master had asked me to adjust her waistline, because it was weakened due to the weight cut. I didn't imagine the fight would end in the first round. I think I managed to show my evolution and impress the UFC,” she said.
Uncertain weight
The success of her flyweight debut does not mean that Jéssica has forgotten about strawweights. However, the Brazilian confirmed that she was struggling to reach her ideal weight and that this was affecting her performance.
“The change is not definitive. I might go back to the strawweight division to fight for the belt. Anything could happen. What made me move up a category was the issue of weight loss. As you get older, it's difficult to lose weight. I am also a person who loves to eat. Of course I'm serious and I follow a diet, but I suffered a lot in the last two fights and it affected my mental health. I was already getting tired, I didn’t have time to rest and I felt like my body was asking for a break,” she explained.
Valentina or Jennifer?
After knocking out Chookagian, a former title challenger, it is natural that Jéssica is close to competing for the flyweight belt, but before that, there is the fight between Valentina and Jennifer maia, valid by UFC 255. 'Bate-Estaca' surprised by saying that he has history with both and doesn't think it will be so easy for the champion to confirm her favoritism.
“As Jennifer is going to fight Valentina, I have to wait and see what will happen. Before arriving in the UFC, I faced Jennifer, I lost and a rematch would be cool if she manages to become champion. I was also going to fight Valentina before the UFC, but I was hired and that fight didn't happen. Who knows, maybe I'll have that opportunity now, especially for the belt? I think this fight between them will be very interesting. Jennifer is fully capable of winning, but she has to play the right game,” she revealed.
Positive and negative points against Valentina
Imagining a possible clash against the flyweight champion, the former number one strawweight champion did not hide her excitement and listed her advantages and disadvantages for the superfight.
“The advantage I have is that I have a very hard chin. My opponents have a hard time knocking me out. I always wanted to fight Valentina, because, in my mind, she is the best. Joanna won and I think Amanda also won. She is one of the most dangerous fighters in the UFC! I believe that fighting her will be the pinnacle of my career. I always wanted to face the best and she is the best. Valentina is excellent on her feet and on the ground. To this day, I haven't seen a fighter capable of putting her down, controlling her and working her ground and pound. This is a strong point of mine, a difference that would give me the chance to win the fight, in addition to the aggressiveness I have. I don't give my opponents room to breathe. Valentina won't have space to think about what she's going to do. I have to pay attention to Valentina's kicks and improve my dodges and grappling. She’s very fast, great at fighting standing up and on the ground,” she analyzed.
Best fighter in history
In addition to impressing with her power in the octagon, Jéssica also does the same outside, showing sincerity and humility. When asked who would be the best fighter in the history of women's MMA, the Brazilian did not hesitate when mentioning Chris Cyborg and placed herself behind several professional colleagues.
“For me, the best of all time is Cyborg. She has several belts and in different organizations. This proves that she is not just good at one place but the best at everything she does! She is the best in history. Next comes Valentina and then Amanda. Joanna is also a fighter who made history. I believe Rose even did more than me. She beat Joanna, who was unbeatable at the time. I'm very humble. I think I'm even behind Zhang Weili. Little by little I’m conquering my space and, soon, I’ll get there”, she listed.
Final message
At 29 years old, Jéssica made herself available to the UFC to return to acting and, excited about the future, sent a message to the other fighters.
“I'm alive and don't sit back in your seats, because at any moment I could take your place. Train a lot. I will be everywhere”, he concluded.
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