UFC asks Jessica Andrade to shift base to Las Vegas to avoid travel restrictions before UFC 249

With the biggest crowd-puller for UFC 249, Khabib Nurmagomedov, officially being ruled out of the April 18 main event by self-admission, the promotion cannot afford to lose any other big name from what president Dana White once promised would be the 'baddest card in UFC history'.

According to MMA Fighting, former UFC strawweight champion Jessica Andrade, who is slated to face another former champ Rose Namajunas in a rematch of their encounter at UFC 237 in the co-main event of UFC 249 has apparently been contacted by UFC officials and asked to leave Brazil immediately and head to Las Vegas.

Andrade has been in self-isolation at home all this while and couldn't access the gyms due to a government decree directing all gyms in Brazil to shut down. Therefore, Andrade is left with no choice other than training in her garage with teammate Bruna Brasil.

Speaking to MMA Fighting, Andrade revealed that she is not worried about the location and will fight wherever in the world she is asked to, as long as it is safe to.

“If the fight is in Brooklyn, Las Vegas or any other place that is safe, I’ll fight. Location doesn’t affect much. It’s about taking care of yourself and staying safe. I’m training hard and focused. I’m sure everything will be alright with time, the number of cases will go down, this virus will go away, and then we’ll find out where we’re fighting. God willing, this fight will happen somewhere.”

Andrade will be looking to pull a double whammy on Namajunas in the rematch, as she looks to repeat the feat she achieved by knocking out the former champion in the second round of their previous encounter back in May 2019.