Brazilian flyweight standout, Natalia Silva has landed the most high-profile win of his naive Octagon tenure to date in…
Brazilian flyweight standout, Natalia Silva has landed the most high-profile win of his naive Octagon tenure to date in tonight’s UFC Vegas 97 co-headliner, landing a unanimous decision shutout over former undisputed strawweight champion, Jessica Andrade.
Silva, who entered tonight’s flyweight affair as the number eighth ranked divisional contender, racked up her stunning twelfth straight win in her decision win tonight — and managed to scoop her sixth straight win inside the Octagon.
Prior tonight’s unanimous (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) win over Andrade at the Apex facility, Silva had previously turned in notable wins over the likes of Jasmine Jasudavicius, Victoria Leonardo, Andrea Lee, and fellow Brazilian contender, Viviane Araujo.
A former Jungle Fight flyweight champion to boot, renowned submission threat, Silva is surely now angling herself toward the flyweight title picture — which will hopefully become somewhat clearer next week as Alexa Grasso co-headlines Noche UFC in a trilogy fight with Valentina Shevchenko.
Below, catch thehighlights from Natalia Silva’s win over Jessica Andrade at UFC Vegas 97
Former UFC women’s strawweight champion Jéssica Andrade has sued her ex-coach and manager Gilliard Parana for allegedly embezzling $2 million. Andrade is set for her next assignment inside the Octagon at this weekend’s UFC Fight Night, where she will feature in a flyweight co-headliner opposite her fellow countrywoman Natália Silva. But while she gears up […]
But while she gears up for her pursuit of a third straight win off the back of triumphs over Mackenzie Dern and Marina Rodriguez, it appears that Andrade also has a battle brewing away from the steel surroundings of the cage.
“Bate Estaca” currently trains alongside the likes of Karol Rosa and Denise Gomes under the guidance of Matheus Naccache, who has been at the helm for the Brazilian veteran’s last two fights.
Speaking to MMA Fighting, Andrade detailed her allegations against Parana, who became the Brazilian fighter’s coach and manager when she was 21 years old.
“Bate Estaca” was coached by Parana for 12 years, during which enough trust accumulated for her to agree for him to handle her finances. Andrade claims she had no access to her accounts, and when she began to be short on money, she was told by Parana that excessive shopping was to blame.
Having since taken a closer look and identified suspicious money transfers, Andrade has accused the former trainer of embezzlement.
“We have a lawsuit going about TransferWise and the money that was transferred to other people I’ve never seen in my life,” Andrade said. “That happened when he was taking care of my finances, and I had no access to anything. At one point he said, ‘Jessica, look, let me handle this for you, you don’t have to worry about any of this.’ And as always, I trusted him. He removed my access to the account. He said, ‘You don’t need to look at your accounts, you’ll have a monthly salary.’ I was making good money in the beginning, but in the end I don’t know how [that money ran out].
“He said I was shopping too much on Amazon, but with the investigation and all that, [we saw that] I made $2 million and spent $10,000 on Amazon. Where did the rest of the money go? It makes no sense, and it’s being investigated now, and we’ll find out where every penny went,” Andrade continued. “I’ll just wait for now. I’m preparing for this fight [on Saturday], and as soon as it’s over, I’ll look at this lawsuit again and keep it moving. The lawsuit is moving in the United States and he’s in Brazil, so I don’t know how it’s going to work. He was quite smart, he left before things happened.”
Following his split with Andrade, Parana announced his retirement from MMA coaching and management and returned to Brazil.
Parana denied any wrongdoing in a statement to MMA Fighting, insisting that Andrade’s financial situation is entirely down to her expenses. He also dismissed any notion that he hid the true nature of the fighter’s accounts from her.
“Anyone who has a brain and knows how to do math will see that she really doesn’t spend her money on just a few purchases on Amazon,” Parana said. “She has a lot of expenses, and there are so many that she even gets lost in the calculations. Jéssica is not incapable. Jéssica is not a 15-year-old girl. And Jéssica is not illiterate. Jéssica was never forbidden from going to the bank, from calling the bank and from finding out how her accounts were.
“Jéssica always had full access to her things and was always intelligent enough to know everything that happened in her financial life. And I was never the guy who took care of her financial life. I was just her advisor when she needed it and asked for it. But all of this will be proven if there is a coherent investigation. May justice be served and may the wrongdoer pay, because lying to the authorities and lying to have a trial go your favor is also a crime. Let’s wait and see what happens.”
It would appear that this story is far from its conclusion.
For now, however, Andrade will need to have her focus elsewhere if she’s to keep her winning form inside the Octagon alive at the expense of the fast-charging Silva.
A dominant performance is always in the cards for Jessica Andrade
Former undisputed strawweight champion, Jessica Andrade has claimed her fellow former 115lbs gold holder, Joanna Jedrzejczyk is interested in…
Former undisputed strawweight champion, Jessica Andrade has claimed her fellow former 115lbs gold holder, Joanna Jedrzejczyk is interested in making a potential return to the UFC — in the form of a symbolic BMF title fight amongst her female peers, and in particular, a rematch clash.
Andrade, who is currently sporting the number four rank at strawweight — as well as the number six rank in the flyweight division, has been sidelined since she extended her winning run to two straight fights with a split decision win over Brazilian striking compatriot, Marina Rodriguez on the preliminary card at UFC 300.
Mandatory Credit: Chris Unger – Zuffa LLC
And returning at UFC Vegas 97 this weekend, Andrade makes her return to the flyweight limit in a bid to land her third straight win — taking on another compatriot, Natalie Silva in a three round clash.
Jessica Andradeplays up BMF title fight with Joanna Jedrzejczyk
“I’ve been talking to Joanna (Jedrzejczyk) and she said she’d come back [to the UFC],” Jessica Andrade told MMA Fighting. “If it’s for this [BMF] belt, she would come back. I think that would be a good fight, Joanna — or maybe Angela Hill, who never walks away from a fight and is always there fighting everyone.”
Jessica Andrade claims Joanna Jedrzejczyk open to ending retirement to rematch for women’s BMF belt https://t.co/tcGvltlCUX
“Or Valentina (Shevchenko),” Jessica Andrade explained. “Any of those girls would be great, but I think it would be special if it’s Joanna. It would be better.
Mandatory Credit: Zuffa LLC
Headlining UFC 211 back in 2017 against Polish striking favorite, Jedrzejczyk, Andrade unsuccessfully challenged for the undisputed strawweight crown in a dominant unanimous decision defeat.
However, returning to her native Brazil two years later, Andrade landed the undisputed 115lbs crown with a shocking slam KO win over two-time rival, Rose Namajunas to mint herself as divisional champion.
While still in pursuit of another UFC title reign, former strawweight queen Jéssica Andrade is also targeting another type of championship… Andrade has been searching for a path back to gold ever since Zhang Weili rendered her rule over the 115-pound weight class short-lived back in 2019. That’s been the case at both strawweight and […]
While still in pursuit of another UFC title reign, former strawweight queen Jéssica Andrade is also targeting another type of championship…
Andrade has been searching for a path back to gold ever since Zhang Weili rendered her rule over the 115-pound weight class short-lived back in 2019. That’s been the case at both strawweight and flyweight, with the Brazilian unsuccessfully challenging for the belt in the latter division against Valentina Shevchenko three years ago.
“Bate Estaca” remains ranked highly in both weight classes and is coming off back-to-back triumphs at the weight she formerly held the title at. Next, however, she’s tasked with defending her #6 position on the 125-pound ladder.
Andrade will fight a fellow countrywoman for the third straight time at this weekend’s UFC Fight Night, sharing the cage with fast-charging striking specialist Natália Silva inside the Apex.
While a victory will no doubt see her remain focused on her goal of title crownings in multiple divisions, she’s also eyeing a piece of hardware that transcends divisional boundaries.
Andrade Reiterates Call For Women’s BMF Title
During a recent interview with MMA Fighting, Andrade once again had her attention on the possibility of a symbolic BMF strap being introduced for the UFC’s women’s roster.
After Jorge Masvidal claimed it in a highly anticipated showdown with Nate Diaz five years ago, the BMF title has since been in the hands of Justin Gaethje and Max Holloway, both of whom claimed it by way of violent knockouts.
“I’ve been talking to Joanna (J?drzejczyk) and she said she’d come back. If it’s for this belt, she would come back,” Andrade said. “I think that would be a good fight. Joanna, or maybe Angela Hill, who never walks away from a fight and is always there fighting everyone. Or Valentina. Any of those girls would be great, but I think it would be special if it’s Joanna. It would be better.”
Joanna J?drzejczyk, a former UFC strawweight champion, called time on her career following a second defeat at the hands of Zhang at the Singapore-held UFC 275 in 2022. While the 37-year-old played her part in one of the greatest-ever fights first time around, “Magnum” recorded a more definitive victory in the rematch, flooring the Polish legend with a spinning backfist.
J?drzejczyk has since been honored with an induction into the UFC Hall of Fame, entering the Modern Wing as part of the Class of 2024. But if Andrade is to be believed, a newly created BMF belt could provide enough of a draw for the Pole to reconsider hanging up her gloves.
Before continuing her push for that belt to be introduced, however, Andrade must handle business this weekend when she has her second Octagon assignment of 2024 thus far.
Mackenzie Dern hopes that someday soon, she can look back and see all of the chaos behind her instead…
Mackenzie Dern hopes that someday soon, she can look back and see all of the chaos behind her instead of constantly surrounding her.
Ahead of her clash with Angela Hill in May, news broke that Dern was in the middle of a tumultuous divorce with her ex-husband that also included a custody battle for their daughter. By the time fight night rolled around, her divorce had been finalized, but as anyone who has gone through the process knows, it rarely ends with the paperwork.
“I realized we always have problems,” Dern said during the UFC 295 media day. “Just the pressure. The last one I went through the divorce. The divorce is final but you don’t realize how much aftermath there is to it. Literally, this whole fight is still paying my ex. It’s crazy, I have to get punched in the face and you work so hard and you do all this and you have to like pay that much of something.
“Money’s something, I’ll fight here, I’ll get it, whatever. Winning or losing, everything’s going to be taken care of. I’ll make more [money] and stuff like that but it’s just problems” (h/t MMA Fighting).
Mackenzie Dern talk about thriving in the "chaos," including the fallout from her divorce, her gym closing, and getting a new puppy before #UFC295pic.twitter.com/ha2VQUgPWp
Adding to the chaos ahead of her highly anticipated return to the Octagon on Saturday night was the closing of her gym. To compensate, Dern set up a private training facility in her home and spent some time training with former two-division UFC titleholder Henry Cejudo.
“RVCA closed so I basically made my own home gym,” Dern explained. “You just keep investing in your dream and hope that it works. I’m trying to make everything private at home because you’re just very vulnerable when everyone’s seeing your training. I’m a world champion in jiu-jitsu but people see me in the gym and I’m crying, I’m frustrated because I feel I should be better at something. I feel like I should be able to get it and I don’t get it. It’s not working.
“There’s injuries and there’s a ton of stuff that keeps going on and you’re like I just want to be able to train and get better. I don’t know. In the fight it comes out. It all works out.”
Mackenzie Dern Refuses to use her personal struggles as an excuse
Slowly becoming a master of the chaos, Mackenzie Dern decided to inject a new dynamic into her home.
“I got a new puppy — I think I even invent more problems, more chaos,” Dern said with a laugh. “I thrive on that, the craziness. The puppy and all these things. Getting used to splitting your daughter half of the time with you, half of the time with the dad and all these things. You’re learning so many new dynamics in your routine.
“My whole life when I was training to be a world champion in jiu-jitsu, my best times of being a world champion was when I had a routine and I had a schedule and you’re able to keep focused. I think that’s why it’s hard to be a mom and try to be a world champion, to be the champion in the UFC because you need to be consistent in your training. When you don’t feel you’re consistent in your day-to-day life, one day is this, one day is that, you’re like I just need to train. You just make it work.”
Dern did make it clear that she was by no means creating excuses for herself, recognizing that other fighters deal with these same personal issues all the time. In fact, her UFC 295 opponent, Jessica Andrade, revealed that she was also going through a divorce ahead of Saturday’s showdown.
“It definitely wasn’t easy but I understand that’s what everyone goes through,” Dern said. “Everyone’s having problems. Everyone has injuries, we’re fighters. I think Jessica, she talked about she had a divorce, too. It’s kind of crazy the fans get to watch us let out all of our stress and everything on another person in a fight but that’s what we’re trained for. That’s what makes the victory more special.”
Mackenzie Dern enters her fight with Andrade alternating wins and losses in her last four bouts. Overall she is 8-3 under the UFC banner and on the cusp of a potential strawweight title opportunity. With a big win over ‘Bate Estaca’ in Madison Square Garden, Dern’s next fight could very well be for UFC gold.
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu ace, Mackenzie Dern has booked her return to the Octagon at UFC 295 later this year, drawing former undisputed strawweight champion, Jessica Andrade in November at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Dern, the current number eight ranked strawweight contender, has been sidelined from active competition since headlining UFC Vegas 73 back […]
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu ace, Mackenzie Dern has booked her return to the Octagon at UFC 295 later this year, drawing former undisputed strawweight champion, Jessica Andrade in November at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
Dern, the current number eight ranked strawweight contender, has been sidelined from active competition since headlining UFC Vegas 73 back in May, landing a decision win over veteran common-foe, Angela Hill in a headlining honors. The outing earned both Dern and Hill post-event Fight of the Night honors.
As for Andrade, the Brazilian former titleholder will make her whopping fifth Octagon walk of the year in her return at UFC 295 in November, attempting to snap a run of three consecutive loss, which was recently bookended by a guillotine choke submission loss to Tatiana Suarez at UFC Fight Night Nashville earlier this month.
Mackenzie Dern books return against Jessica Andrade
News of Mackenzie Dern’s clash with the returning, Jessica Andrade was first confirmed during the broadcast of UFC 292 over the course of the weekend.
13-3 as a professional, decorated Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu ace and submission grappler, Dern rebounded to the winner’s enclosure in her outing against Hill, having previously dropped a majority decision loss to Yan Xiaonan in a headlining clash.
Over the course of her Octagon tenure, Arizona native, Dern has racked up impressive wins over the likes of Amanda Cooper, Virna Jandiroba, Nina Nunes, as well as Tecia Torres to name a few.
A former undisputed strawweight champion, Andrade landed divisional spoils with a stunning slam KO win over former two-time titleholder, Rose Namajunas back in 2019 in her native Brazil.
UFC 295 takes place on November 11. from Madison Square Garden in New York City, with an undisputed heavyweight title fight between champion, Jon Jones, and former division gold holder, Stipe Miocic slated to take headlining honors.
Who wins between Mackenzie Dern and Jessica Andrade at UFC 295?
@NataliaSilvaUFC with a HUGE victory at #UFCVegas97! pic.twitter.com/nUWe7IWHur
Former undisputed strawweight champion, Jessica Andrade has claimed her fellow former 115lbs gold holder, Joanna Jedrzejczyk is interested in…
Mackenzie Dern hopes that someday soon, she can look back and see all of the chaos behind her instead…
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu ace, Mackenzie Dern has booked her return to the Octagon at UFC 295 later this year, drawing former undisputed strawweight champion, Jessica Andrade in November at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Dern, the current number eight ranked strawweight contender, has been sidelined from active competition since headlining UFC Vegas 73 back […]