MMA
Why former UFC champion Jessica Andrade is working as a delivery driver
Published
2 months agoon
Andrade is not above working a regular job to make ends
meet.
The former
Ultimate Fighting Championship strawweight titleholder has been
sidelined for nearly a year while recovering from a shoulder
injury. During her hiatus from competition, the Brazilian has
turned to working as a delivery driver.
Jessica Andrade explains why she’s working as a delivery driver
during her UFC injury layoff
Andrade, who has fought 30 times in the UFC, winning the 115-pound
title and also challenging for the flyweight belt, has been away
from action for almost a year now. However, it hasn't stopped her
from finding alternate paths of income.
“Thank God I managed to save some money, so things are going well,â€
Andrade said in an interview with Ag Fight. “But whenever I need
to, I work as a delivery driver. I deliver meals and things like
that. I just pick up orders through an app and make the deliveries.
I do whatever it takes. I'm not afraid of hard work. I can do just
about anything.â€
She also took up another project recently, helping a friend
renovate their house.
“Recently I started a project at [a friend's] house, installing
artificial turf,†she said. “Her backyard was nothing but rocks. I
went there and removed all the rocks from the ground. I thought,
‘I'll give this a try. If I'm good at it, it's one more way we can
make some extra money whenever we need it.'â€
Andrade has spoken publicly about financial struggles before. In
2018, she revealed that she sold UFC memorabilia to help make ends
meet. She also disclosed that her former management failed to pay
taxes owed from several of her 2023 bouts.
While Andrade has yet to lock in her next fight, she remains
focused on her rehabilitation as she works towards her Octagon
return.
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Daniel Cormier thinks Manel Kape is serious threat to Joshua Van's UFC title run: "Manel has the power to knock him out"
Published
7 hours agoon
September 21, 2026
Zuffa LLCCould Joshua Van be in for his most dangerous challenger yet in the form of Manel Kape?
Van left no doubt that he is the true 125-pound king when he defeated Alexandre Pantoja in their UFC 331 rematch this past Saturday. Van won the championship in his first encounter with Pantoja due to an injury. He went on to have a successful title defense against Tatsuro Taira, but many felt the rematch with Pantoja was his first real test at an elite level.
Ultimately, Van shined bright and solidified his place at the top of the mountain. A dominant final round of a competitive five-round affair sealed the deal, and Van was awarded the unanimous decision victory.
A new test will emerge for Van, and the general consensus is that Kape will be become the new No. 1 contender for the flyweight gold. In a post-UFC 331 reaction video, Daniel Cormier said he thinks Kape is a credible threat to Van's title reign (h/t MMAJunkie).
“My guess is he's going to fight Manel Kape,†Cormier said. “He has been through now all the grapplers in the division, so he will not have to deal with that threat. The one area that Manel possesses that most don't is Manel has the power to knock him out. That's the difference. Manel can knock him out if he gets the opportunity.
“But in terms of a stylistic challenge, going through Taira, going through Pantoja back-to-back, he's already dealt with what most people thought would have been the biggest issue for Joshua Van, and that's the wrestling, and he passed those fights with flying colors, finishing Taira, and then tonight beating Alexandre Pantoja by unanimous decision.â€
UFC CEO Dana White had significant praise for Van following Saturday's event. He called the 125-pound titleholder the “greatest thing†to happen to the flyweight division in the modern era. Kape plans to spoil the party if he does indeed get dibs next.
Do you think Manel Kape would be Joshua Van's most dangerous challenger thus far? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
This article appeared first on BJPENN.COM
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Video: All 7 UFC 331 finishes from a wild night in Los Angeles
Published
8 hours agoon
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Arman Tsarukyan wants Ilia Topuria fully healed before potential grudge match: "Once I become champion, we'll talk"
Published
8 hours agoon
September 21, 2026
Zuffa LLCArman Tsarukyan believes a clash with Ilia Topuria is inevitable, but he doesn't think it should happen until “El Matador†is 100 percent ready to go.
Tsarukyan made perhaps the ultimate case for a lightweight title shot when he knocked out Mauricio Ruffy in the first round of their UFC 331 fight with an elbow. “The Batman†extended his winning streak to six, and four of those victories have been finishes. Even longtime UFC color commentator Joe Rogan believes Tsarukyan can no longer be denied a title fight against Justin Gaethje next.
Prior to Tsarukyan's win over Ruffy, UFC play-by-play ace Jon Anik said he believes there have been discussions within the UFC brass about potentially booking a title rematch between Gaethje and Topuria. In the aftermath of UFC 331, Tsarukyan told Sport24 that he'll be willing to fight Topuria, but only after he gets his hands on Gaethje and captures the 155-pound gold (via Home of Fight).
“Let Ilia see an ophthalmologist and take some time to fully recover, maybe another four or five months,†Tsarukyan said. “Once I become champion, we'll talk. I'd be happy to fight him.â€
Topuria was battered to the point where he suffered a broken orbital in his lightweight title loss against Gaethje in the UFC Freedom 250 main event back in June. “El Matador†accused Gaethje of loading his gloves, but UFC CEO Dana White has dismissed that claim.
It's hard to imagine Tsarukyan's next fight not being contested for a UFC championship, but he won't be getting one until at least 2027. Gaethje has said that both his hands haven't fully healed stemming from injuries suffered in the victory over Topuria, and he doesn't plan on fighting again for the remainder of 2026.
Do you think we'll see Arman Tsarukyan vs. Ilia Topuria at some point next year? Join in on the conversation in the comments below.
This article appeared first on BJPENN.COM
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