Jessica Andrade

TRAINING: Training is going very well. I start my day at 10am with jiu-jitsu practice, at 12 I go to do strength and conditioning, then at 4:30 we start MMA practice and we finish the day at 9:30 with Muay Thai practice. Twice a week we change the morning schedule a bit, but it’s basically the same. A couple of times a week we do strength and conditioning on the beach, which is always interesting.

Thoughts on opponent, Raquel Pennington? My new opponent is very strong and has great boxing. I think she is as good as I am in the striking department, so that should make for a great fight.

When and why did you start training for fighting? I used to do judo in school, and when I was finishing high school I was invited to start training jiu-jitsu. Eight months after my first jiu-jitsu class I had my first pro fight, I loved it and had to keep on doing it. That was back in 2011.

What ranks and titles have you held? I’m a blue belt in jiu-jitsu and a red kruang in Muay Thai (in Brazil they have a "belt system" for Muay Thai, and red is the third graduation level).

Do you have any heroes? My family and my master are my heroes.

What does it mean for you to fight in the UFC? It’s a dream come true. There is no way of denying that fighting in the UFC is an objective every MMA fighter must strive to achieve.

Did you go to college and if so what degree did you earn? No, I got into MMA straight out of high school.

What was your job before you started fighting? I worked on a few jobs here and there. For five years I worked on a "Pesque e Pague" (a place with lakes where people can catch fish and pay for the fish they catch), I worked in a pharmacy for a few months, and also worked as a truck driver at a farm.

Specific accomplishments in amateur competition? Nothing major, but I do have a few trophies for futsal (five a side) soccer.

Favorite grappling technique: Rear naked choke

Favorite striking technique: Overhand