Jessica Andrade had a rough night this past weekend (Feb. 18, 2023).
The former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Strawweight champion swooped in to save the day for UFC Vegas 69 after previous co-headliner, Taila Santos, withdrew from the main event opposite Erin Blanchfield. “Bate Estaca” found moderate success in round one, taking more shots than expected, but winning a 10-9 on one of the three judges’ scorecards.
Unfortunately for Andrade, her success ended in the opening frame. Blanchfield quickly took her Brazilian counterpart to the mat in round two, sinking in a rear-naked choke submission shortly after to force the tap (watch highlights). In the wake of the result, Andrade reveals she was slightly distracted by her UFC Venum kit during the finishing sequence.
“This is not an excuse, but when she came for the takedown, I lost focus,” Andrade told AgFight. “Because when she moved in, she put her shoulder just under my top and my breast completely slipped out. I lost focus and forgot to counter.
“All I could think of was my breast,” she continued. “When I used my hand to put my breast back in the top, that’s when she was able to take me down. It’s all part of the game, though. It’s not an excuse. She really had a great gameplan. It wasn’t on purpose.”
The loss for Andrade snapped an impressive three-fight winning streak and was only her second at 125 pounds. Andrade has remained interested in once again pursuing Strawweight gold despite her willingness to participate in Flyweight tilts.
Before the Blanchfield fight came together on short notice, Andrade signed a new contract that she claims is much more lucrative than her last deal.
“We have to be ready for everything. I should’ve been prepared to let my breast be out if it slipped out,” Andrade said. “It has been shown in so many places before. I shouldn’t even be worried about that.”
For complete UFC Vegas 69 results and coverage click here.