RIO DE JANEIRO – Jessica Andrade has made it clear what she wants next.
The former UFC strawweight champion is looking to get a title rematch with current champ Zhang Weili following her most recent win in the octagon. Andrade (24-9 MMA, 15-7 UFC) defeated veteran Lauren Murphy (16-5 MMA, 8-5 UFC) in a dominant, one-sided unanimous decision on the main card of Saturday’s UFC 283 pay-per-view in Brazil.
Andrade believes the next step is Weili, but she’d be willing to settle with a title shot elsewhere.
“I feel like now is the opportunity for the belt,” Andrade told reporters in Portuguese at the UFC 283 post-fight press conference. “I want to fight for the belt at 52 kilos (115 pounds), or 57 (125 pounds) if the opportunity arises as well.
“I really want that rematch with Weili. I really wanted it to be in Brazil. I went to China, so I think that would be fair. The rematch would be really cool. That’s the next step: Have the rematch with Weili.”
Andrade’s win over Murphy was at 125 pounds – a weight class above the division she wants a title shot against Weili. Prior to Saturday’s win, Andrade had submitted top strawweight contender Amanda Lemos in the first round of their main event back in April. She’s currently on a three-fight winning streak since losing to Valentina Shevchenko in a championship bout at 125 pounds.
The history between Andrade and Weili dates back to 2019, when Andrade, then strawweight champion, defended her belt against Weili in Shenzhen, China. She lost the fight by first-round knockout, sparking the initial title reign for Weili.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 283.
