Forget flashy cars and fancy clothes, UFC 211's Jessica Andrade is all about giving back

RIO DE JANEIRO – From driving trucks in the fields of Southern Brazil to the bright lights of the UFC octagon, Jessica Andrade has been on quite the ride.

Andrade’s (16-5 MMA, 7-3 UFC) unlikely path to success reaches a pivotal point this Saturday at UFC 211, when she challenges undefeated champion Joanna Jedrzejczyk (13-0 MMA, 7-0 UFC) for the strawweight title. Andrade’s life, as it stands, has already changed from the days of doing deliveries for a local drugstore. But succeeding in her upcoming mission would certainly mean some added bank for the 25-year-old.

A growing bank account has been known to prompt some to go on shopping sprees, purchase flashy cars or embark on luxurious trips. For Andrade, however, the goal is simply to secure a roof over her head and repay those who have helped her get here.

“I always told my mom that one day I would be very, very rich,” Andrade said during a media lunch in Rio de Janeiro last week. “But I said I was going to be the poorest rich person ever, because I’ll want to help everyone out. My biggest dreams are to help my family. And my only ostentation would be buying a house, having a place I could call mine. Then I can rest knowing that, no matter what, I have a place to live.

“(I want to) help my mom, too. Get her a house. Help my master’s (Andrade’s longtime coach, Gilliard Parana) mom, who I call grandma, because she’s always supported me.”

While Andrade moved to Rio long ago to focus on training, her family stayed behind, tending to the small farm where she grew up. Now, she proudly says she’s bringing her mother, brother and sister to live with her. The idea is to provide them with better life opportunities – and, who knows, maybe even add a second Andrade to the UFC roster.

“(My mother) is worried about bringing her stuff, and I told her, ‘Mom, don’t worry, we’ll get you new things here,'” Andrade said. “I want to do this for her. My mom has been through a lot, in the fields. The money she made didn’t go to her; she bought things for us. Her happiness was seeing us happy. And now my happiness will be complete when I have her next to me. Because then I’ll be able to make her happy the same way she made me, as best she could.

“And my little sister, get her a better school, get her to study English. She’s very studious, and she’ll also be a fighter. My master already said he’s going to train her. She’s very strong. They’ll only help me grow even more. I’ll be even better mentally and physically.”

Other than her blood relatives, Andrade makes sure to give credit to the family she chose for herself: her longtime coach, Parana, and Fernanda Gomes, her wife. Both were with her during the lengthy chat with reporters in Rio, nodding in agreement, laughing along and often being pulled into the conversation by the ever-smiley Andrade.

Andrade also proudly carries the flag of her PRVT training grounds at all times; she even has it tattooed on her forearm. Her latest investment in the team was the purchase of a UFC-sized octagon – made possible by the win over Angela Hill at UFC Fight Night 104 and its accompanying $50,000 “Fight of the Night” bonus.

“For this camp, we invested in the gym,” Andrade said. “I got people to do mitt work, to help out with the training. I help the girls there. But the main thing was the cage we bought with the same measurements as the UFC, so I can have an idea of how I can fight in there. I got people who had a game plan similar to Joanna’s, put them in there, and we trained. I did very well, and I think that was the main thing.”

Fim de mais um treino, MMA foi pra conta com meu Head coach @gilliardparana e meus irmãos prvtanos…. E com a presença dos amigos do UFC @ufc_brasil ….. Heyyyyyyy #prvtnoufc #prvt #prvtgirls #ufc211 #vemcinturao

A post shared by Jessica Andrade (@jessicammapro) on Mar 23, 2017 at 1:23pm PDT

Andrade meets Jedrzejczyk on the co-main event of Saturday’s pay-per-view main card at American Airlines Center in Dallas. If she comes out on top, she will join 135-pound titleholder Amanda Nunes as Brazil’s only female UFC champions in history.

The fellow countrywomen already have a few things in common: both were octagon pioneers, both came from humble beginnings in Brazil, both once dreamed of being soccer players, and both are openly gay. That means, much like what happened with Nunes when she obtained UFC gold, Andrade may end up in the sometimes tricky position of being embraced as a role model.

But, also like Nunes, Andrade doesn’t shy away from it, because in some ways, she’s fulfilled her entire life.

“I think we’re examples in everything we do,” Andrade said. “Even without the UFC belt, I’ve always been an example for many people, as a person. Also because of my sexual orientation, by not being ashamed of being happy and being who I am. Our options are either to be happy or not be happy. As much as people talk about a bunch of crap and things you don’t like, you are not obligated to make people understand who you are, but to show you’re happy.

“I think by winning the belt I can make a difference, as an example. I already do, not just for my team, but for those who know me. And it’s priceless, being an example and seeing other people saying they want to be like you when they grow up, and being able to tell the person not to give up on their dreams. Don’t give up. Will it be hard? Yes. Will there be a bunch of people to drag you down? Yeah, there are a lot of them.

“But cling to those who stand by you, who love you – your master, your teammates, your dad, your mom, and keep going. If I have so many people by my side, why can’t I make it? Believe it and keep going. I think that’s my legacy in the world: being happy and showing happiness to other people. Showing that they can all be a little happy, no matter what way that is.”

Being a UFC champion would, of course, crown a lifetime of efforts made by Andrade and those around her. But it would also mean making good on the last bit of a longtime promise that, for the most part, she’s been able to keep.

“Since I was a kid, I always told my mom I was going to be on television,” Andrade said. “(I said) that I was going to appear on ‘Malhacao’ (Brazilian telenovela), that I was going to play soccer like Marta – I wanted to play ball, I didn’t even think about fighting. Now I look at her, and I can say, ‘Mom, now I’m on television. Now I make you proud.’ I appeared on ‘Malhacao.’

“And now I can be the best in the world, but in MMA. And I will be the best in the world. I’ll be that multiple times. It’s a dream. I’ve wanted that since I was a kid, and now I see I’ve been accomplishing every dream I’ve had. (It’s about) dreaming, believing and moving forward.”

To hear more from Andrade, check out the video above.

And for more on UFC 211, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.

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