UFC: Jessica Andrade sends shock waves through flyweight division with TKO of Katlyn Chookagian
- Former strawweight champ blows top-ranked American away in the first round on Fight Island
- ‘Now I’m the number one and let’s see if I can get a shot at fighting Valentina,’ says Brazilian
Jessica Andrade had no trouble at all with a rise in weight class nor with the No 1-ranked Katlyn Chookagian on Sunday as the Brazilian powered her way into flyweight title contention at UFC Fight Island 6.
“It was really fun,” was how Andrade (21-8) summed things up afterwards. It looked just like that for the Brazilian
It was huge right to the Chookagian midriff that did for the American. The pair where in tight, and exchanging, when Andrade got an extra inch of space and let rip.
She then chased Chookagian down with a leading knee and another blow to the belly that sunk the American to her knees, and had matters called to an end with 4:55 gone in the first round.
What we’d seen before that was vintage Andrade, on debut up a weight and giving away seven inches in height and six inches in reach to Chookagian. The 29-year-old Andrade had bullied her way inside and twice lifted the 31-year-old Chookagian up and crashed her to the mat.
It’s what this lady likes to do and the all-round effort would have sent shock waves through the flyweight division and all the way up to the champ in Valentina Shevchenko (19-2). Ahead for the Kyrgyzstani lies Brazilian Jennifer Maia (18-6-1) at UFC 255 on November 12 but there’s no doubt now that Andrade has fast-tracked her way into a future title shot.