UFC’s Jessica Andrade celebrates USA’s same-sex marriage ruling

One of the few openly gay fighters in the UFC, Jessica Andrade returns to the Octagon on July 15 against Sarah Moras, but celebrated another “victory” three weeks before her fight. On June 26, United States Supreme Court ruled that the Constitution guarantees a right to same-sex marriage.

Andrade, who faced adversities in the past for being a homosexual MMA fighter in Brazil, believes the scenario has changed over the years, and the United States’ decision could impact the entire world for LGBT rights.

“I believe many things have changed since then for us homosexuals. People started to understand our freedom,” Andrade told MMAFighting.com. “We have the right to be happy. It doesn’t matter if you are two women or two men, I think people understand that now.

“I never tried forcing anyone to understand me. Everybody has their own opinion. But I will always be happy the way I am. I will respect anyone who thinks differently, but I know what I have in my heart and only God can judge me. If everybody took care of their own lives only we would have less prejudice in this world. Things are starting to change now.”

The decision was heavily celebrated on social media in Brazil, and “Bate Estaca” hopes same-sex marriage legal is respected the same way in her country as well.

“I hope Brazil follow this decision,” Andrade said. “I watched interviews with Brazilians that live in the United States, and they say they were never mistreated for being homosexuals. Here in Brazil, homophobia is everywhere. If Brazil looked up to good things that other countries do, it would become a better place. I’m not talking about homosexuals only, but for everything else. Brazil is an example for bad things, but I hope it changes one day. I hope Brazil wakes up and tries to change. Our country can be way better.”

“I was happy to see that. It’s freedom,” she continued. “You can be whoever you are without fearing being judged. People now can live their lives without fear, even though prejudice will never go away. There will always be someone like that, but it’s changing.”

Same-sex marriage in Brazil is a battle that might take years to be won, even though a similar decision was made in the country a few years ago, and Andrade now focus on her next UFC fight.

Andrade vs. Moraes takes place in the preliminary portion of UFC Fight Night 71 at the Valley View Casino Center in San Diego, Calif., and the Brazilian looks to get back to the win column following a disappointing loss to Marion Reneau in February.

“I’m more prepared than last time,” Andrade said, “and I will put on a show in there.”

Andrade had her three-fight winning streak snapped by a first-round submission loss in Porto Alegre, Brazil, and expects to bounce back with a knockout.

“I hope to beat Sarah standing on July 15. We will put on a great fight,” she said. “I really want a bonus, and I will do my best for it. I don’t care how I win, I just want to win. I know I have a great striking game, but I can defend well on the ground too. I hope I can knock her out and win a bonus.”

A TUF 18 veteran, Moras enters the cage coming off a unanimous decision win over Alexis Dufresne 375 days before UFN 71, but Andrade is not impressed.

“She knows I’m a great striker,” she said. “I think she might try to stand with me, but she will go for takedowns eventually. I think that’s her strategy: try to surprise me standing and then go to the ground, using her reach. It’s hard to take me down, though. I watched her last fight, but it didn’t impress me that much.

“I watch her fights every day. He has a good ground game and doesn’t look for the stand up fight all the time. I don’t know if she changed her strategy that much for this fight, but she always goes for takedowns, ground and pound and submissions.”

One of the few openly gay fighters in the UFC, Jessica Andrade returns to the Octagon on July 15 against Sarah Moras, but celebrated another “victory” three weeks before her fight. On June 26, United States Supreme Court ruled that the Constitution guarantees a right to same-sex marriage.

Andrade, who faced adversities in the past for being a homosexual MMA fighter in Brazil, believes the scenario has changed over the years, and the United States’ decision could impact the entire world for LGBT rights.

“I believe many things have changed since then for us homosexuals. People started to understand our freedom,” Andrade told MMAFighting.com. “We have the right to be happy. It doesn’t matter if you are two women or two men, I think people understand that now.

“I never tried forcing anyone to understand me. Everybody has their own opinion. But I will always be happy the way I am. I will respect anyone who thinks differently, but I know what I have in my heart and only God can judge me. If everybody took care of their own lives only we would have less prejudice in this world. Things are starting to change now.”

The decision was heavily celebrated on social media in Brazil, and “Bate Estaca” hopes same-sex marriage legal is respected the same way in her country as well.

“I hope Brazil follow this decision,” Andrade said. “I watched interviews with Brazilians that live in the United States, and they say they were never mistreated for being homosexuals. Here in Brazil, homophobia is everywhere. If Brazil looked up to good things that other countries do, it would become a better place. I’m not talking about homosexuals only, but for everything else. Brazil is an example for bad things, but I hope it changes one day. I hope Brazil wakes up and tries to change. Our country can be way better.”

“I was happy to see that. It’s freedom,” she continued. “You can be whoever you are without fearing being judged. People now can live their lives without fear, even though prejudice will never go away. There will always be someone like that, but it’s changing.”

Same-sex marriage in Brazil is a battle that might take years to be won, even though a similar decision was made in the country a few years ago, and Andrade now focus on her next UFC fight.

Andrade vs. Moraes takes place in the preliminary portion of UFC Fight Night 71 at the Valley View Casino Center in San Diego, Calif., and the Brazilian looks to get back to the win column following a disappointing loss to Marion Reneau in February.

“I’m more prepared than last time,” Andrade said, “and I will put on a show in there.”

Andrade had her three-fight winning streak snapped by a first-round submission loss in Porto Alegre, Brazil, and expects to bounce back with a knockout.

“I hope to beat Sarah standing on July 15. We will put on a great fight,” she said. “I really want a bonus, and I will do my best for it. I don’t care how I win, I just want to win. I know I have a great striking game, but I can defend well on the ground too. I hope I can knock her out and win a bonus.”

A TUF 18 veteran, Moras enters the cage coming off a unanimous decision win over Alexis Dufresne 375 days before UFN 71, but Andrade is not impressed.

“She knows I’m a great striker,” she said. “I think she might try to stand with me, but she will go for takedowns eventually. I think that’s her strategy: try to surprise me standing and then go to the ground, using her reach. It’s hard to take me down, though. I watched her last fight, but it didn’t impress me that much.

“I watch her fights every day. He has a good ground game and doesn’t look for the stand up fight all the time. I don’t know if she changed her strategy that much for this fight, but she always goes for takedowns, ground and pound and submissions.”