Jessica Andrade grew up working on her parent’s farm in the city of Umuarama in Parana, Brazil. She was always an active, sporty kid and so good that she got into soccer and futsal (five-a-side soccer) as a young teen. When she was offered a place at a Sao Paulo club, her parents forbade her from moving to the Brazilian metropolis.

While this decision would cut her soccer career short, it would prove consequential as she changed her focus to another sport, judo and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ). Ahead of her UFC 300 clash against Marina Rodriguez this Saturday, we take a look at ‘Bate Estaca’s coaches and martial arts background.

Jessica Andrade’s martial arts background

After her soccer and futsal aspirations were cut short, Jessica Andrade would start training in judo in school. Shortly afterward, in 2011, she began training in BJJ. The Brazilian would take to martial arts like fish to water and impress her coaches with her talent, athletic abilities, and work ethic she had cultivated since she was a child by working on the farm and other odd jobs.

Her first taste of professional mixed martial arts would come at the Gracie Humaita in the city of Umuarama. However, her martial arts career took a pivotal turn when she moved to Niteroi. There, she would start training at the Parana Vale Tudo in 2013.

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It is here that she would become the fighter she is today, and continue to be her training ground to this day, and helped her become a UFC Women’s Strawweight Champion. Gilliard Parana, who serves as her head coach and cornered her for nearly all of her MMA career, leads the team.

Keeping Andrade at bay is Rodriguez’s best bet

Jessica Andrade is coming off an absurd 2023, where she fought five times and lost three of those bouts. However, last year is not necessarily representative of her career since she did so because she had bills to pay and chose to take as many fights as possible.

Despite this recent skid in form, the 32-year-old remains one of the most devastating strikers in the promotion. Combined with her excellent ground game, this makes her a dangerous prospect for any opponent, least of all Rodriguez, who is more than capable of matching ‘Bate Estaca’ on the feet.

Rodriguez is one of the best practitioners of Muay Thai in the UFC and is a devastating and dynamic striker in her own right. Since her ground game is not as good as Andrade’s, her best bet would be to strike with the former champion at range. What are your predictions for UFC 300?

All About UFC’s Jessica Andrade’s Tattoos and Their Meanings