Jessica Andrade is looking to secure a victory for Brazil when she steps into the Octagon against Jasmine Jasudavicius at UFC 315 on May 10th. Andrade is well aware of the challenges posed by the Canadian prospect.
Jasudavicius arrives with impressive momentum, boasting a four-fight winning streak, notably defeating three Brazilian opponents consecutively: Ariane Silva, Priscila Cachoeira (both by submission), and Mayra Bueno Silva (by decision). Andrade, a seasoned jiu-jitsu black belt with eight of her 26 career wins coming via submission, stated she feels “prepared and relaxed” for this specific challenge.
“I don’t have to cut too much weight to compete in this weight class, so I’m happier than ever,” Andrade told MMA Fighting. “And I’m ready for Jasmine’s game. I know she’s evolving on the feet, but her strongest weapon is the ground game. And you have to be a truck to take me down [laughs], so I think it’s going to be a very interesting fight.”
While ranked higher at flyweight (125 lbs), Andrade recognizes Jasudavicius as a “dangerous” opponent, particularly given her recent success against Brazilian fighters. She mentioned receiving messages urging her to defeat Jasudavicius due to her perceived confidence after those wins. Andrade is determined to “do a good job and bring the win home.” Following this fight, her intention is to seek a title opportunity back in the strawweight division (115 lbs), believing a win, especially in a heavier weight class, will significantly boost her prospects.
Andrade`s recent strawweight performances saw her knock out Mackenzie Dern and earn a split decision over Marina Rodriguez. However, her most recent fight was a decision loss to flyweight prospect Natalia Silva. Despite fighting at 125 lbs for UFC 315, she confirms her long-term plan is to return to the 115 lbs division.
Explaining her current decision to compete at flyweight, Andrade noted a lack of available opponents in the strawweight division. She mentioned her friendship with Virna Jandiroba, agreeing only to fight her for a title. She also revealed that Amanda Ribas`s team declined a non-title fight offer. With limited options at 115 lbs, moving up to 125 lbs for this fight was necessary to avoid a long period of inactivity. While she might continue to compete in both divisions for now, her primary focus remains 115 lbs, a division she feels is stagnant with most potential opponents already faced.
Andrade`s ideal scenario after UFC 315 is to challenge a top-ranked strawweight. A victory over a rising flyweight talent could greatly enhance her title ambitions. Her optimistic vision includes achieving a 4-0 record in 2025, culminating in a championship win by December.
She had considered a fight with Alexa Grasso, but Grasso is already scheduled to fight Natalia Silva at UFC 315. Andrade stated she will wait and see what happens. She hopes to finish her upcoming fight against Jasudavicius before the final round, enabling her to make a strong statement and call out a contender or request a title shot directly.
