Former UFC women’s strawweight champion Jessica Andrade will be making a quick turnaround.
The Brazilian is fresh off her clash with Erin Blanchfield at UFC Vegas 69 last month. Andrade took the fight on short-notice, as Talia Santos was originally slated to compete in the headliner. In the makeshift main event, ‘Cold Blooded’ won by second-round submission.
Just a few short weeks after that defeat, the former women’s strawweight champion is set to return. As first reported by Marcel Dorff on Twitter, Andrade will return at UFC 288 in May. The former titleholder will face Yan Xiaonan at the event, in a battle of title contenders.
🚨🚨BREAKING🚨🚨
Strawweight action on May 6th at #UFC288. Former champion Jessica Andrade takes on Yan Xiaonan in a match-up between the #4 and #6 in the division. pic.twitter.com/v6myS7kGjz
— Marcel Dorff 🇳🇱🇮🇩 (@BigMarcel24) March 3, 2023
‘Fury’ enters the contest off a majority decision victory over Mackenzie Dern last October. That win was a badly-needed one for the women’s strawweight contender, as it snapped a two-fight losing streak. Xiaonan was defeated by names such as Carla Esparza and Marina Rodriguez in that stretch.
The addition of the women’s strawweight bout just continues to improve the pay-per-view event. While the main event for the card hasn’t been announced, a bantamweight championship clash between Aljamain Sterling and Henry Cejudo has been revealed.
UFC 288 Lineup
With the addition of Jessica Andrade vs. Yan Xiaonan, the UFC 288 card reads as follows:
- UFC Bantamweight Championship bout: Aljamain Sterling vs. Henry Cejudo
- Women’s Strawweight bout: Jessica Andrade vs. Yan Xiaonan
- Welterweight bout: Khaos Williams vs. Rolando Bedoy
- Bantamweight bout: Johnny Muñoz Jr. vs. Daniel Santos
- Lightweight bout: Charles Oliveira vs. Beneil Dariush
- Featherweight bout: Bryce Mitchell vs. Jonathan Pearce
- Women’s Strawweight bout: Marina Rodriguez vs. Virna Jandiroba
- Middleweight bout: Andre Petroski vs. Armen Petrosyan
- Light Heavyweight bout: Devin Clark vs. Kennedy Nzechukwu
What do you make of this fight announcement? Who do you think will win? What do you make of Jessica Andrade’s quick turnaround? Sound off in the comment section below PENN Nation!
