Jessica Andrade hopes to get short-notice calls with move to Las Vegas, willing to fight heavier

ABU DHABI – Jessica Andrade won’t be going back to Brazil after her fight this Saturday.

The former UFC strawweight champion plans on relocating to Las Vegas after her bout with Rose Namajunas this weekend at UFC 25. Andrade (20-7 MMA, 11-5 UFC) hopes to get short-notice opportunities in the future and thinks a move from Rio de Janeiro to Las Vegas will increase her chances of being able to answer a short-notice call.

“That’s the thing. We’re hoping that being in Las Vegas we’re going to get a lot of opportunities that we wouldn’t have otherwise,” Andrade told reporters through an interpreter during a media scrum Wednesday. “With the whole visa thing, a lot of processes that you have to go through with being a Brazilian in Brazil to get fights in the U.S. last minute is barely an option for us. So just being there, hopefully we get more opportunities.”

Andrade won’t limit herself to opportunities at strawweight, either, as she’s open to move up on short notice.

“I’m willing to fight at 125, 135, you never know. I’ve been there and done that,” Andrade said. “Just another quick weight cut to 115 is going to be hard, so if something pops up, heck, even here in the island there’s a bunch of 125 fights. If they need someone as a replacement, I’m here.”

Andrade won’t be taking the charter plane back to Rio de Janeiro after her fight with Namajunas on Saturday. Instead, she will go to Las Vegas and have her team also relocate to the U.S. so she can have her regular training and camps.

Despite looking and planning for the future, Andrade is not overlooking Namajunas. After all, the 28-year-old knew the rematch would happen eventually.

“After the win in Rio, I told Rose she could have the rematch any time she wants,” Andrade said. “I just wish I had the belt, but unfortunately that’s not going to happen. It’s a fight that was meant to be, and it was going to happen. It’s going to be on this Saturday, but it could’ve been a year or five years from now. Eventually it was going to happen, so it’s good that we’re getting it out of the way.”