Jessica Andrade Blasts Brazilian Media and Fans: “No One Enters That Octagon To Lose”

UFC Shenzhen witnessed history as Zhang Weili knocked out Jessica Andrade to become the first Chinese UFC champion. While it was a moment of celebration for the Chinese fans, the passionate Brazilians didn’t take the loss too well.

Jessica Andrade had to face the criticism of Brazilian fans and the media. There has always been one question on Jessica Andrade’s skillsets. She is a brawler with incredible strength, for a woman in her division. However, former champion, Joana Jedrzejczyk outclassed her in striking, and even Rose Namajunas was out striking her until Andrade slammed Namajunas on her head.

It seems fans feel Andrade got exposed in her fight with Zhang Weili. Some even suggested that she took money to lose the fight since UFC’s future in China depended on that title defense.

Well, Jessica Andrade has responded to the criticisms she has been getting on social media. Andrade gave no excuses for the loss to Weili and said she is not embarrassed for the loss.

” I don’t feel embarrassed because that happens to all fighters one day. I happened to Aldo, to Joanna, to Cyborg, to Anderson Silva, to Junior ‘Cigano’.”

UFC’s future in China depended on the fight between Andrade and Weili. A win for Zhang Weili opens up a vast range of opportunities for UFC in China. Hence there were allegations that Andrade took money to lose that fight. However, shutting down the allegations, Andrade gave her statement that:

“It wasn’t my first loss and it certainly won’t be the last. I know how to deal well with all this, this landslide of critics and absurds that the Brazilians are saying. I just want to leave one message for the critics: NO ONE ENTERS THAT OCTAGON TO LOSE but the career I chose has these things. We’ll come back stronger.”

In the past the media and the fans have been ruthless especially when a fighter loses, as evidenced with Ben Askren. Now, it’s Jessica Andrade who has to go through the same. Andrade is a veteran of the sport with 27 fights in multiple weight classes. She has been inside the octagon with many champions of UFC until she became one. Hence the criticisms, Jessica Andrade is facing after her loss in Shenzhen is unacceptable to say the least.