Jessica Andrade, the UFC’s newest champion, was carjacked at gunpoint Wednesday in Brazil, her manager Tiago Okamura confirmed with ESPN after Andrade posted about it on social media. MMA Fighting was the first to report the news.
Andrade was driving her Honda H-RV in Niteroi, Brazil with her wife Fernanda Gomes in the passenger seat when men pulled out guns and stopped the vehicle. Okamura said the men took the car and the two women’s phones, wallets and identification. He said Andrade and Gomes were unharmed in the robbery.
“In the end, we are just happy she and her wife are safe,” Okamura said. “With this kind of situation, things can go south really quick, so good thing it all ended up with just material loss.”
Early Thursday morning, Andrade posted to her Instagram a plea for help in finding the vehicle that was taken.
Andrade (20-6) defeated Rose Namajunas to win the UFC women’s strawweight title at UFC 237 on May 11 in Rio de Janeiro. The Brazil native is on a four-fight winning streak. Andrade, 27, has just one loss dating back to 2015 and is ESPN’s No. 4 ranked pound-for-pound women’s MMA fighter in the world.