Ex-UFC champion Andrade working as delivery driver

What the report says

Nile Post, carrying a BBC Sport report, said former UFC strawweight champion Jessica Andrade has been taking delivery-driver jobs while recovering from a shoulder injury. Andrade, a 34-year-old Brazilian, has not fought since her defeat to Loopy Godinez last August, according to the report.

Andrade told the Brazilian MMA podcast Direto de Vegas that she has been using an app to collect and deliver food orders as a way to bring in extra income. She also described doing practical work at a friend’s home, including a landscaping project involving rocks, grass and fencing, saying she is willing to take on hard work when money is needed.

The report noted Andrade’s long UFC career: she has fought 30 times in the promotion since 2013 and has 17 UFC wins. It also highlighted her place in the strawweight division’s record books, with six finishes, the most in UFC strawweight history. Her recent financial comments follow earlier public remarks cited in the article, including a 2018 account of selling UFC gear during sponsorship difficulties and a 2023 statement that she fought five times to cover divorce-related costs.

The story comes amid broader debate over combat-sports pay. Nile Post’s article referenced scrutiny of UFC fighter compensation after boxer Conor Benn reportedly agreed to a major one-fight deal with Zuffa Boxing, a company linked to UFC president Dana White. The report said critics compare the UFC’s share of revenue paid to athletes with boxing’s event payouts, while White has previously emphasized growth in UFC pay over time.