Why former UFC champion Jessica Andrade is working as a delivery driver

Former UFC strawweight champion Jessica Andrade has taken work as a delivery driver while sidelined from competition with a shoulder injury, demonstrating her willingness to pursue any available income stream to support herself during her extended layoff.

Andrade, a 30-time UFC competitor who won the 115-pound title and later challenged for the flyweight crown, has been out of action for nearly a year. Though she has managed to save money from her fight career, she has turned to gig-economy work to maintain financial stability. In an interview with Ag Fight, Andrade explained her approach matter-of-factly: she uses food delivery apps to pick up and deliver meals, viewing the work as simply another way to earn when needed.

Beyond delivery driving, Andrade has also taken on a home renovation project with a friend, installing artificial turf in the friend's backyard. She removed rocks from the ground and is exploring whether landscaping work could become another income source during her recovery period. This entrepreneurial mindset reflects her stated philosophy that she is willing to work hard at whatever opportunities present themselves.

Andrade's current financial resourcefulness echoes previous hardships she has disclosed publicly. In 2018, she revealed that she sold UFC memorabilia to make ends meet. More recently, she has disclosed that her former management failed to pay taxes owed from several of her 2023 bouts, creating additional financial strain.

While no return fight has been officially scheduled, Andrade remains focused on her shoulder rehabilitation with the goal of eventually returning to the Octagon. Her willingness to work outside MMA during her injury recovery underscores both the financial precarity many fighters face between bouts and her determination to maintain stability regardless of circumstance.