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Jessica Andrade has laughed off recent comments from Joanna Jedrzejczyk and Claudia Gadelha.
UFC strawweight champion is tired of hearing Claudia Gadelha and Joanna Jedrzejczyk complaining, as “Bate Estaca” feels they are ‘jealous’ because she is the champion.
Andrade (20-6) knocked out Rose Namajunas with a slam in May of this year to become the new strawweight champion. The win was Andrade’s fourth in a row, with her last loss coming to Jedrzejczyk in May of 2017. Gadelha has since said she thinks Andrade shouldn’t be fighting at 115-pounds as she is ‘too strong’,
Speaking at a media day in Brazil, Andrade labelled Gadelha and Jedrzejczyk’s comments as ‘jealousy’.
“I’m already used to having (Gadelha) and Joanna talking a bunch of stuff, but it’s jealousy because I won the belt and they haven’t,” Andrade said during a media day in Brazil. “They want attention and I won’t give them any attention. They have to fight and show who deserves to fight for the belt. I had to fight three times and earn the opportunity to fight for the belt again, so they have to do the same. (Transcription via MMA Fighting)
“Claudia Gadelha had so many opportunities to win the belt against Joanna, I had one—and I believe that down the line, with Joanna winning, we’ll have a rematch. That Jessica from two, three years ago is not the same anymore. I believe I’ll keep this belt for a long time.”
Jedrzejczyk, who recently said she wasn’t impressed by Andrade’s training videos, will have to wait for her chance to win back the title she once held for so long as she is booked to fight Michelle Waterson on October 12th. Meanwhile, Andrade laughed off Gadehla’s comments about her being ‘too strong’ by saying all that matters is she makes weight.
“Making weight is what matters, not the strength,” Andrade said with a laugh. “But it’s all good. If she gets more wins like I did to earn another opportunity to fight for the belt, why not? I’d fight her again.”