Carjacked: UFC champion Jessica Andrade robbed at gunpoint in Brazil
Jessica Andrade, who recently dethroned Rose Namajunas to claim the UFC strawweight title, was held at gunpoint in an armed robbery in Niteroi, Brazil, on Thursday but the 115lb champion escaped unharmed.
Andrade was traveling in the southeast Brazilan city of Niteroi when she and her wife, Fernanda Gomes, were pulled over to the side of the road at gunpoint, before armed men stole a number of items including the car itself and both of their smartphones, wallets and IDs.
Both Gomes and Andrade later revealed the news on social media, with the UFC star making a plea in her Instagram Story asking fans to help her locate the car and Gomes providing an update on Facebook.
"Friends, our car was stolen, and they took our phones with it, we are out of reach for now, except for messenger. Anyone who can, please share this so we can find the car. We are safe at home," Gomes wrote.
A report from Brazilian outlet Tatame claims that the stolen car has since been used in a separate robbery. Niteroi has a reputation as being a dangerous region of Brazil with crime statistics rising in the last three years, per Numbeo. The website lists the risks of being robbed on the street and having a car stolen as 'very high'.
"In the end, we are just happy she and her wife are safe," Tiago Okamura, Andrade's manager, told ESPN. "With this kind of situation, things can go south really quick, so good thing it all ended up with just material loss."
Andrade claimed her first UFC title earlier this month, knocking out Rose Namajunas with a vicious slam to the canvas followed up by strikes on the ground. The Jeunesse Arena, the location of her title victory, is just 25 miles from where the robbery occurred.
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