Brazilian phenom Jessica Andrade is challenging UFC Women’s Strawweight Champion Joanna Jedrzejczyk for the gold at UFC 211.
The fighter isn’t just interested in becoming the champion, but is also interested in giving back to her community.
“I always told my mom that one day I would be very, very rich,” Andrade said at a UFC 211 media lunch in. “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.”
If Andrade were to win the gold at UFC 211, then she would become only the third women’s strawweight champion in UFC history.
Two people who have benefited from the help provided by Andrade is her mother and sister.
“(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.”
UFC 211 takes place on Saturday, May 13 from the American Airlines Arena in Dallas, Texas with Stipe Miocic and Junior Dos Santos headlining. Fightful is providing live coverage of the event, with a post-show podcast to follow.
