Jessica Andrade, the former UFC women’s strawweight champion, earned a performance of the night bonus at UFC 295 for her spectacular KO of Mackenzie Dern. However, the story of the fight was not the fight itself but the backstory of the two fighters.
Dern and Andrade were both battling the consequences of their respective divorces. Both being the primary earner in their respective relationship was asked to pay hefty settlements and alimony for their ex-spouses.
Why did Jessica Andrade divorce her wife?
Jessica Andrade was recently on a three-fight finishing streak in 2023 after a win over Lauren Murphy at UFC 283. This was followed by losses to Erin Blanchfield, Yan Xionan, and Tatiana Suarez with all losses coming via finish. The fight against Dern at UFC 295 was her fifth in the calendar year.
Apparently, the reason for her fighting so frequently in 2023 was to pay off her divorce settlements. Andrade had married her longtime girlfriend, Fernanda Gomes in 2019 in Las Vegas. Gomes is a biologist who also managed Andrade’s nutrition and finances from her Only Fans account.
In her pre-fight interview with the media, Andrade confirmed her split from Gomes. Incidentally, Dern did the same too. The reason for the split is not specific but it is heavily implied that Gomes had mismanaged the finances that ‘Bate Estaca’ generated from her Only Fans, which she recently quit upon the insistence of her coach.
In her post-fight speech with Joe Rogan after her victory at UFC 295, Andrade talked about the painful divorce she went through and thanked her coach and team for their support. Moreover, Joe Rogan’s comments on her divorce in the interview later gained controversy.
Joe Rogan’s comments in Andrade’s post-fight interview attracts criticism
Jessica Andrade was facing the repercussions of her divorce from her ex-wife, Fernanda Gomes in 2023. She was open about it during the fight week. The situation was similar to her opponent at the event, Mackenzie Dern who recently divorced from her ex-husband, Wesley Santos, a professional surfer.
Nevertheless, it did not bother Andrade in the fight as she finished Mackenzie Dern in the second round of the bout. It was the first time that Dern was knocked out in a fight. Andrade is one of the most powerful female fighters in the women’s division. She even has a finish in the bantamweight division and once contended for the flyweight title against Valentina Shevchenko.
After the victory at UFC 295, Andrade emotionally expressed her situation in the post-fight speech. However, what caused controversy was Rogan’s comments on the situation of Andrade. Rogan concluded the interview by saying, “”Hopefully you get a bonus to pay some of those divorce bills”.
The comment caught the attention of Nina Marie-Daniele, the ex-playboy model turned MMA journalist tweeted, “Joe Rogan is hilarious for making that divorce joke about Jessica Andrade LOL #ufc295 #ufc”. While some took offense to Rogan’s words others found it relevant for the moment.
Do you think Joe Rogan was right to say what he said in the post-fight interview with Jessica Andrade? Leave your opinion below!
