Former UFC Title Contender Sells Fight Gear To Finance Camp
Despite being happy with her pay, former UFC title contender Jessica Andrade says she sold her training gear to pay for her next camp.
Andrade, 26, faces Karolina Kowalkiewicz at next weekend’s (Sept. 8 2018) UFC 228 in Dallas, Texas. The Brazilian will be looking for her third straight victory, a feat that would perhaps put “Bate Estaca” in line for another title shot.
Speaking with reporters at a UFC media day event in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, (courtesy of MMA Fighting) Andrade revealed how she has to sometimes sell her training gear to pay ends meet.
Sponsors & Selling Gear:
”I’m going to my 14th fight in the UFC and it’s really difficult to get sponsors, to get people who want to help you financially,” Andrade said. “Sometimes we have to sell UFC clothes, backpack, gloves, stuff like that, to make some extra money to finish a camp. It’s quite difficult, but we go on.”
”I think it would be great if we had a bigger incentive from the government and the city in sports,” she continued. “Not only in fighting, but it lacks a lot for all sports. It would be great if we had this support from people, from businessman, to say ‘we will help.’ Even if it’s only with 500 reais ($120), because 500 reais makes a huge difference by the end of the month [laughs].”
Andrade, however, says she thinks her pay is fair. Her disclosed pay for her last fight against Tecia Torres at UFC on FOX 28 was $96,000 ($48,000 + $48,000). “Bate Estaca” also believes women are more active fighters than men because of the pay inadequacy.
”I have nothing to complain with the UFC because I get paid really well in the UFC,” Andrade said. “I think you’re paid according to your work, and I think that’s really cool. That’s why I want to be fighting all the time, to show that I’m the best, that I’m evolving, because the more you show, the more you get paid.”
”I’m expecting an improvement, but it’s getting better,” Andrade said. “One day I will be able to invest in some other thing and won’t have this problem of having to fight only to get paid.”
Soldiering On:
With Dana White recently stating that the UFC is now worth billion dollars, some people can find Andrade’s claim of selling her gear down right disgusting.
It is difficult at times, she says, but she soldiers on.
”It’s difficult, but we get by the way we can, right?” Andrade said. “I usually am a strong person and I don’t show anything to others even if I’m going through some difficulties, not even for my master (Gilliard Parana). I get by, Fernanda and I, my mother-in-law. Sometimes we bake a cake and sell, we get by the way we can. It’s sad that we have to sell our training gear, things we get in fights that are a good memory of what we had there, but we’ll get new stuff later [laughs]. I have so many of these white hoodies with my name on that no problem selling one, right? [laughs].”
”We have to go through difficulties to grow,” she continued. “Even though the UFC is millionaire, trillionaire, we have to live our reality. Unfortunately, the UFC makes all that, we don’t. But I’m happy with my job, happy with my salary. I never imagined I would be making as much as I make. My master usually says in training, ‘Jessica made a million reais ($241,765) last year. I look at him and say ‘you liar, I didn’t make that much, it was a bit less’ [laughs], but it’s about knowing how to invest. When I learn to invest in something that brings a result, everything will be alright and I won’t go through many difficulties.”
The Plan
Andrade has a plan. It’s to invest in local establishments back home in Brazil. Winning some bonus money could help that dream become a reality.
”When I got in the UFC, we would always get a little extra pay-per-view bonus and everything else,” Andrade said. “We won’t make that much anymore because of Reebok. But we would always get an extra percentage of the card. So if it was a good card, every athlete would get a small percentage of the pay-per-view, a percentage of the video game. We don’t get that today anymore.”
”I think that should come back, us getting those extra little bonuses. In my first fights, I got $8,000 outside of my purse and sponsors. When I was short of money, that little bonus came and wow, that really helped [laughs]. That was great, that really helped us. I think we should have that again.”
”But I’m really happy with my job, really happy with how much I’m paid. I think it can get better, but it’s good for me for now. I only have to know how to take care of my money [laughs].”
