Jessica Andrade delivers food between fights after coach theft

Former UFC strawweight champion Jessica Andrade has turned to food delivery apps and manual labor to supplement her income while recovering from a shoulder injury, the Brazilian told MMA Fighting this week.

Andrade, who holds the record for most wins in UFC women's history with 17, said she picks up orders through delivery apps when needed. "I do whatever it takes," she said, per MMA Fighting. "I'm not afraid of hard work, I can do just about anything." She added that she recently helped a friend install artificial turf, removing rocks from a backyard by hand as another way to bring in cash.

Alleged embezzlement lawsuit complicates finances

The 33-year-old's financial struggles stem partly from a lawsuit she filed against her former coach and manager, who she claims embezzled more than $2 million from her accounts, MMA Mania reports. Andrade has been with the UFC for 13 years across 30 bouts — tied with Angela Hill for most female fights in promotional history — and won the title by slamming Rose Namajunas at UFC 237 in 2019. Despite that resume and a record six performance bonuses, she has battled sponsorship issues and at one point sold her own fight gear to raise money.

Andrade launched an OnlyFans account in 2021 but later said she felt pressured into the platform and disliked the experience. She is currently on a three-fight skid at flyweight, though her most recent win was a knockout of current champion Mackenzie Dern. Andrade has been out of action for less than a year with the shoulder injury and expects to return to the cage soon.

Original reporting:

• mmamania.com — Former UFC champion whose coach allegedly stole millions now working food delivery: ‘I do whatever it takes’ | MMA Mania