Learn more about Jessica Andrade's UFC history, fighter facts, and Q&A below.
Fighter Facts
- Nickname is translated to “piledriver” in English
- Origin of nickname: “I got the nickname after I did a piledriver in a BJJ competition when I first started. The maneuver is illegal in jiu-jitsu so I got disqualified for it. It was my first tournament and I got caught in a bad spot and, not knowing what to do, my instant reaction was to pick the girl up and throw her on the ground... but that is an illegal move and got me removed from the competition. Of course, all my teammates and friends thought that was amusing that I did that and got myself DQed so everybody started calling me "Piledriver". And you know how it is...if you don’t like being called something, that is what is going to stick.”
- Pro since 2011
- Seven wins by submission (6 guillotine, RNC), eight by knockout – has finished all but six of her wins
- Has won five of her last eight
- Nine first round finishes
- Title fight against Shevchenko was second UFC flyweight bout (1-1)
- Ten fights at strawweight (7-3)
UFC History
UFC 261 (4/24/21) Andrade was stopped by Valentina Shevchenko via strikes at 3:19 of the second round in the UFC women's flyweight title fight
UFC Fight Night (10/18/20) Andrade stopped Katlyn Chookagian via strikes at 4:55 of the first round
UFC 251 (7/12/20) Andrade lost a three round split decision to Rose Namajunas
UFC Fight Night (8/31/19) Andrade was stopped by Zhang Weili via strikes at :42 of the first round, losing her UFC women’s strawweight title
UFC 237 (5/11/19) Andrade knocked out Rose Namajunas at 2:58 of the second round to win the UFC women’s strawweight title
UFC 228 (9/8/18) Andrade knocked out Karolina Kowalkiewicz at 1:58 of the first round
UFC on FOX (2/24/18) Andrade won a three round unanimous decision over Tecia Torres
UFC Fight Night (9/23/17) Andrade won a three round unanimous decision over Claudia Gadelha
UFC 211 (5/13/17) Andrade lost a five round unanimous decision to Joanna Jedrzejczyk in a fight for the UFC women’s strawweight title
UFC Fight Night (2/4/17) Andrade won a three round unanimous decision over Angela Hill
UFC 203 (9/10/16) Andrade submitted Joanne Calderwood via guillotine choke at 4:38 of the first round
UFC 199 (6/4/16) Andrade stopped Jessica Penne via strikes at 2:56 of the second round
UFC 191 (9/5/15) Andrade was submitted by Raquel Pennington via rear naked choke at 4:58 of the second round
UFC Fight Night (7/15/15) Andrade won a three round unanimous decision over Sarah Moras
UFC Fight Night (2/22/15) Andrade was submitted by Marion Reneau via triangle choke at 1:54 of the first round
UFC Fight Night (9/13/14) Andrade submitted Larissa Pacheco via guillotine choke at 4:33 of the first round
UFC 171 (3/15/14) Andrade won a three round split decision over Raquel Pennington
UFC Fight Night (10/26/13) Andrade won a three round unanimous decision over Rosi Sexton
UFC on FOX (7/27/13) Andrade was stopped by Liz Carmouche via strikes at 3:57 of the second round
Q&A
TRAINING: I wake up every day and do cardio workout from 9am to 10am. Then I have lunch, rest for a little bit and go back to the gym. From 3pm to 5:30pm I have one training session, and then another one from 6pm to 7pm. We work on different things every day, and all the girls from our gym are there with me and we do our best helping each other at some moments and then beating each other as if it was fight day to be prepared for any situation.
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 black belt in jiu-jitsu and a light blue rank in Muay Thai
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.
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
