UFC strawweight contender Claudia Gadelha has made no secret of her struggle to get an opponent. So, on Monday, she decided to take matters into her own hands.
Fresh off a quick submission win over Karolina Kowalkiewicz at last month’s UFC 212, Gadelha (15-2 MMA, 4-2 UFC) called out yet another one of champ Joanna Jedrzejczyk’s recent victims: fellow Brazilian Jessica Andrade (16-6 MMA, 7-4 UFC).
“I’m waiting to hear about my next fight since I got out of the octagon in my last fight,” Gadelha said on an Instagram post, with versions in both her native Portuguese and English. “Nobody stepped in until now but I read today that (Jessica Andrade) wants to fight me. She’s got some guts. Let’s make it happen.”
Translation from the Portuguese version of the post:
“I read today that (Jessica Andrade) wants to fight me. I’ve been waiting for the UFC to respond about my next opponent since I left the octagon in my last fight, and nobody said yes so far. So, Jessica, let’s make it happen? I’m waiting for a call at any time today, even if it’s at 2 am.”
Andrade later responded to the challenge. While she did say she was “misinterpreted” in her remarks about wanting to fight Gadelha, she accepted the matchup with her fellow Brazilian (via Instagram).
“It’s hard to fight a fellow compatriot,” Andrade said. “But if this fight happens I’m sure it will be a great battle. Yes, I accept it.”
Translation from the Portuguese version of the post:
“People misinterpret what we say. What they asked me was who would be by next UFC opponent. Since we never know who our next opponents will be, as the UFC decides and makes the fights, I said that in a next fight they could decide for a few ranked girls like Tecia Torres, Rose Namajunas or Claudia Gadelha. But, since they never find opponents neither for Gadelha nor for me, I think together we’d put on a show. Right, Gadelha? It’s hard to fight a compatriot, but if this fight happens I’m sure it will be a great battle. Yes, I accept it.”
Gadelha, who’s ranked No. 2 in the USA TODAY Sports/MMAjunkie MMA women’s strawweight rankings, is riding a two-fight streak since a failed five-round title bid against champ Jedrzejczyk at last July’s TUF 23 Finale. Gadelha’s only other career loss also came at the hands of the current titleholder – though their first meeting, a non-title UFC on FOX 13, ended in a controversial split call.
No. 3 Andrade, in turn, comes off her own unsuccessful attempt at taking Jedrzejczyk’s belt, at UFC 211. Andrade, who started out her UFC career as a bantamweight, went on a three-fight 115-pound streak before earning her shot at the title. Her most recent victims are Jessica Penne, Joanne Calderwood and former Invicta FC champ Angela Hill.
For more on the UFC’s upcoming schedule, visit the UFC Rumors section of the site.
Filed under: News, UFC