Former UFC champion sues former coach for $11 million

UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) fighter Jessica Andrade is suing her former coach and manager Gilliard Paraná in the United States. The athlete claims he embezzled around US$ 2 million (approximately R$ 11 million at the current exchange rate), according to the website MMA Fightingspecialized in news about the sport.

Known in the octagon as “Jessica Bate-Estaca”, the fighter began her partnership with the then coach at the age of 21. The professional relationship continued from 2012 to 2024. During this period, Paraná managed the athlete’s finances, who says he transferred money to other people without her consent.

“We have a lawsuit going on regarding TransferWise and money being transferred to people I have never met in my life. […] He claimed I was buying a lot on Amazon, but I made $2 million and only spent $10,000 on Amazon. Where did the rest of the money go? It doesn’t make sense and is being investigated.”, the fighter declared to the website.

Paraná is the leader of the Paraná Vale Tudo team. After the end of the partnership, Paraná announced his retirement as an MMA coach and businessman and returned to Brazil.

The coach denied the accusations in a note sent to MMA Fighting: “I am innocent and I ask for a fair investigation”he stated.

Gilliard Paraná also regretted the end of the partnership with Jéssica, but said that the situation “is not as one-sided as presented.”

Jéssica claims that the former coach made the decision to return to Brazil to make the legal process more difficult, since she lives in the United States.

“The case is being processed in the United States and he is in Brazil. I don’t know how it will work. He was smart, he left before things happened,” he said.

Gilliard Paraná Jéssica Andrade, known in the octagon as “Jessica Bate-Estaca”, will fight against Natália Silva in an event that will take place in Las Vegas, USA, next Saturday (07.Sep.2024).