UFC Fight Night 104's Jessica Andrade believes title shot looms with win over Angela Hill

Jessica Andrade believes she’s close to a strawweight title shot, and that a win on Saturday might put her over the top.

At UFC Fight Night 104, Andrade (15-5 MMA, 6-3 UFC) will compete for the 10th time in the UFC when she meets Angela Hill (6-2 MMA, 1-2 UFC) in a strawweight fight to open up the main card.

Andrade went 4-3 as a bantamweight to start her UFC tenure, but has been perfect with a pair of stoppages since she made the drastic drop down to 115 pounds at UFC 199 this past June.

“I think I did everything correctly – one step at a time,” Andrade told MMAjunkie. “This weight drop was very important. I shed the weight very well – without a problem. I feel very strong and fast. I’ve been having good results. My hands are much quicker and my strength is the same. At 135 pounds, I had my highs and lows. Now I’ve found myself. I’m in the right weight class.”

UFC Fight Night 104 takes place Saturday at Toyota Center in Houston. The card airs on FS1 following early prelims on UFC Fight Pass.

Andrade has her sights set on women’s strawweight champion Joanna Jedrzejczyk, who doesn’t yet have her next title defense booked. The champ recently shot down a rumor she would face Michelle Waterson next.

At strawweight, Andrade has a second-round TKO of former title challenger Jessica Penne at UFC 199 and followed that up with a first-round submission of Joanne Calderwood at UFC 203 this past September. Those are two solid notches on the resume to help make her case, and a win over Hill, a former Invicta FC champion, would be a third.

“I’m coming off two great victories,” Andrade said. “I think I entered the 115-pound weight class at the right time. I gained valuable experience and technique fighting at 135, so I can put on a show at 115.

“I think that with one more win, I should be able to fight for the belt. Angela Hill is a great fighter. Beating her, I would be on a great three-fight win streak, especially since Angela was the Invicta champion. By winning this next bout, my fight record will be proof enough that I’ve earned my shot against Joanna Jedrzejczyk.”

Andrade’s manager recently told MMAjunkie she was offered a shot at the title, though – and turned it down because she wanted one more fight to be sure she’s ready in the new weight class.

The Brazilian veteran knows that isn’t going to be a walk-through, though – even though at 5-1, Andrade is the biggest favorite on Saturday’s Super Bowl weekend card.

After going 1-2 in the UFC after appearing on Season 20 of “The Ultimate Fighter,” Hill went to Invicta and went 4-0 there – including a win in a strawweight title fight and subsequent defense of the belt this past November.

“She’s an excellent opponent,” Andrade said. “She’s very strong, with great kickboxing. Her ground work is improving. But we always find flaws that can be exploited. I’ve studied hers. I think I’ll exceed her in speed and strength. She’s tough, but not very fast. And I have very heavy hands. I might win again in the first round, by knockout or submission. I don’t think her takedown defense is very good, so I might get her to the ground, and submit her.”

For more on UFC Fight Night 104, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.