Never before has Jessica Andrade stood on such precarious footing.
The former Ultimate Fighting Championship women’s strawweight titleholder will attempt to put an end to a career-worst three-right losing streak when she meets Mackenzie Dern in a three-round UFC 295 showcase on Saturday at Madison Square Garden in New York. Andrade’s once-comfortable margin for error has all but disappeared.
“It’s hard to know I’m coming off three losses,” she told Sherdog.com. “It’s a new experience. I’ve never been in this situation before. Of course, considering what a high level we’re at, any small mistake can result in a defeat. That’s especially true considering the girls I’ve fought. I learned a lot from those losses.”
The Andrade tailspin started when she submitted to an Erin Blanchfield rear-naked choke at UFC Fight Night 219, picked up more stream with a knockout defeat to Xiaonan Yan at UFC 288 and continued when she tapped to guillotine choke from Tatiana Suarez at UFC on ESPN 50. All the adversity has served as something of a wakeup call for the 32-year-old Brazilian.
“I’ve been improving my striking and ground work to avoid the possibility of being knocked out or submitted,” Andrade said. “We’ve been working on strengthening my mind and body.”
As part of her recalibration, Andrade has put down some temporary roots in America. Access to more high-level training partners, a nutritionist, a physical therapist and the UFC Performance Institute in Las Vegas were some of the driving forces behind the move.
“My training sessions and partners have been very different, and to be in the United States is great,” Andrade said. “Everything is easier and better. I feel better and more relaxed. I’ll probably stay here for a few more years working with the UFC so I can continue to improve. I know it will happen.”
Amid all the change and self-reflection, Andrade faces yet another treacherous assignment in the 115-pound weight class. Dern, a 2015 Abu Dhabi Combat Club Submission Fighting World Championship gold medalist, has won six of her past eight bouts. She last competed at UFC Fight Night 223, where she outpointed former Invicta Fighting Championships titleholder Angela Hill to a unanimous decision in their five-round main event on May 20. In 16 professional appearances, Dern has never been stopped.
“Her jiu-jitsu is excellent, and I see that her striking is also getting better,” Andrade said. “I feel it’s a great fight for me, whether she chooses to strike or if I have to rely on my takedown defense. I have to stay smart, so we don’t hit the mat. I know my jiu-jitsu is very good, as is my ground-and-pound, but I prefer not to risk myself in that area. She’s excellent there. The plan is to keep striking and defending takedowns, but if it goes to the mat, we have ways to defend and bring the fight back to the feet.
“I hope it won’t go to the judges,” she added. “I want to get a knockout in the second or third round. If it goes to the judges, I want there to be no doubt. I don’t want to allow her to exploit any weaknesses. I have to win, no matter what.”
While recent history has not been kind to Andrade and despite the fact that she has a considerable amount of tread on her tires, the Parana Vale Tudo product believes she still has all the necessary tools to get back to the top of the division at some point. That road begins with Dern.
“My plan is to get back to my winning ways, starting with this bout,” Andrade said. “This will be my fifth fight this year and my 26th in the UFC. God willing, I’ll win this time. Hopefully, sometime next year I can fight for the belt. For that to happen, I have to keep on winning.”
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