Jessica Andrade says she is ‘very happy’ earning good money outside the UFC.
There’s a number of UFC veterans that have recently started to earn good money outside of fighting, through OnlyFans or their own fan site. The most accomplished fighter in that growing list is former UFC champion Jessica Andrade.
Soon after Andrade moved full-time to Las Vegas, she joined OnlyFans under the advice of her wife. According to MMA Fighting, a few nude photos of the former champion initially leaked and went viral in Brazil, but Andrade ultimately has no regrets on her decision.
“If I had done [those photos] against my will, it would’ve been different,” Andrade said. “But I did that knowing it would probably happen. Not everyone is honest with you all the time. The photos were a package to one person but you don’t know this person’s heart and nature, and unfortunately that happened. But it was a learning experience. So we do photos now, but only to the right people and the right way.
“I’m 30 and my body won’t look pretty for the rest of my life, so we have to enjoy it while it’s nice. No one will want to see it later. [Laughs] Better use it now, than when it’s gone. But I wasn’t upset. I thought it was funny because people did a lot of memes.”
Apart from a monthly subscription, people can also purchase extra content directly as well. Andrade says this move has been so lucrative, she was able to pay for her car and rent in Las Vegas, her house in Brazil, and a lot of her family’s other bills, all from her OnlyFans income alone.
“I paid off my car and six or seven months of rent [in Las Vegas] in advance,” she said. “I haven’t even used the money of my last fight’s purse. I was able to pay my bills in Brazil, help my family and help Fernanda’s family with OnlyFans’ money.
“It’s nice when you check your account and see the money is still there. You’re like, ‘My God, I’m buying a lot of stuff on Amazon, my house is like a market right now, and the account remains the same.”
After moving up a division and looking great in her flyweight debut, Andrade lost her last title bout against dominant champ Valentina Shevchenko last April. The former strawweight champion will have her third flyweight bout this month, as she is set to face Cynthia Calvillo at UFC 266.
Other UFC veterans such as Paige VanZant and Bec Rawlings have repeatedly stated how lucrative and helpful their fan sites have been. Low fighter pay is still an ongoing issue even at the highest stage of mixed martial arts. The same can be said about the lack of consistent sponsorships these days, so it’s nice to see more fighters use their platform and find ways to earn well outside of the sport.