Jessica Andrade, Mackenzie Dern Discuss Their Respective Divorces ahead of UFC 295

The women in UFC 295’s feature bout share an unfortunate similarity—one they might be able to bond over once they settle their business in the Octagon.

Jessica Andrade (24-12) and Mackenzie Dern (13-3) are slated for a strawweight clash on Saturday at Madison Square Garden. Both fighters have gone through turmoil in their personal lives with recent divorces and opened up on the subject at the UFC 295 media day on Wednesday. According to Dern, this fight is an opportunity for both of them to channel those negative feelings into an entertaining scrap for the fans. Andrade agreed, adding that the fight will also help with the financial impact of the divorces.

“Without a shadow of a doubt,” Andrade said. “I know she’s going through that. I’m going through it as well. It basically going to be a session where we go out and let the demons out…First of all, I actually have gone through what she’s gone through, for even longer cause my divorce started earlier than hers. And it’s an opportunity for us to go at it. You think initially that this is not gonna bother you but later on it starts bothering you through the fighting bits. But Saturday, no doubt, we’re gonna go at it. We’re gonna take it out on each other. And also, that [divorce] also takes a toll financially so we’re going for this as well. Because it helps us out dealing with it financially.”

Nevertheless, once they are done fighting, Andrade is open to talking about their experiences. “And when the fight’s over we can exchange information about how the divorces are going,” she added.

Meanwhile, during her media day appearance, Dern opened up in detail about dealing with the aftermath of a divorce and the custody battle for her daughter. She also shared that her entire earnings from the upcoming UFC 295 clash will go to her ex-husband. The 30-year-old said, “I realized we always have problems. Just the pressure. The last one I went through the divorce. The divorce is final, but you don’t realize how much aftermath there is to it. Literally, this whole fight is still paying my ex. It’s crazy, I have to get punched in the face and you work so hard and you do all this and you have to like pay that much of something.”

“It’s kind of crazy the fans get to watch us let out all of our stress and everything on another person in a fight but that’s what we’re trained for. That’s what makes the victory more special.”