From Octagon to delivery van
As 2025 came to a close, Jessica Andrade was working the streets in a delivery van instead of competing in the UFC octagon. The 33-year-old Brazilian martial artist used an app to deliver food, finding a temporary way to make money while recovering from shoulder surgery. Andrade had faced a defeat in August 2025 against Loopy Godinez, forcing her to step away from the cage to heal. With 30 fights behind her in the UFC, including a successful run as a strawweight champion, she now relied on driving during this break in her career.
Building new revenue streams
Delivery wasn’t her only side hustle. Andrade also tried her hand at home improvement. She spent weeks working on a friend’s outdoor space, turning a rocky backyard into a smooth artificial turf area. 'I’ll give this a try,' she said during an interview with Direto de Vegas, seeing it as a potential way to bring in extra cash. The multi-talented fighter described herself as someone who isn't afraid to work hard, a trait that has helped her through difficult financial periods in the past.
A fighter's financial journey
Andrade’s financial struggles are not new. In 2018, she revealed to fans that she had to sell her own UFC gear just to manage expenses. More recently, she spoke out about her former management team not properly filing U.S. taxes for some of her 2023 fights. After considering legal action, including a potential $2 million lawsuit against her former coach Gilliard Parana, she now says she has decided not to proceed. Andrade, with a fighting record of 17 wins and 13 losses across three weight classes, has faced these obstacles head-on, using grit and determination to find new ways to earn a living.