After a rear-naked choke submission loss that capped off a 1-2 record in 2015, Jessica Andrade said she believed she could still reach her UFC title destination – but it would take some re-routing.

This Saturday, at UFC 199, former bantamweight Andrade (13-5 MMA, 4-3 UFC) makes her 115-pound debut against Jessica Penne (12-4 MMA, 1-1 UFC) hoping the first steps on her new path are the right ones.

“I’m sure this new weight division is going to bring me good things,” Jessica told MMAjunkie. “My plan is to do very well in this upcoming bout, because I know a lot of what I can be in the UFC is riding on it. I’m thinking I need to put on a good fight, win or lose.

“And in the future, I think my plan is the same as everyone else’s: become world champion.”

The women’s strawweight bout kicks off the preliminary portion of UFC 199, which takes place Saturday at The Forum in Inglewood, Calif. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on FOX Sports 1 and UFC Fight Pass.

It’s one thing to move down a weight class – a change that already takes some adjustments. But, since the women’s divisions in the UFC go directly from bantam to strawweight, Jessica’s drop involved not 10, but 20 pounds – a sum that gets scarier considering her 5-foot-2 frame.

Andrade, however, says she’s adjusted well – with the instagram food pic to show for it – and believes her size disadvantage certainly contributed to her past octagon misfortunes.

“When I fought Rosi Sexton, everyone noticed we were the same height, practically the same weight,” Andrade said. “She wasn’t heavier on fight night. My confidence was entirely different compared to when I fought bigger, heavier girls. So I was able to impose my game, and I put on that great fight.

“I used to fight at 139, 141. As strong as I was, I fought women who were sometimes at 154. It was too much of a disadvantage. Now I’m going to be fighting girls under 132. And I’m feeling good. I’m maintaining the weight, I’ve adjusted well and now I just have to go in there and show that I’m in this division to make a difference.”

In order to do that, however, she has to get past a former Invicta FC atomweight champion who has some statements to make herself. After a successful run in “The Ultimate Fighter 20,” Penne lost a title bout against current champ Joanna Jedrzejcyk in brutal fashion a year ago, and hasn’t fought since.

On her end, Andrade knows she has a tough challenge ahead. And, as much as she has prepared for it, the Brazilian fighter is ready to dance to whatever music ends up being played.

“Jessica is not just anyone,” Andrade said. “She’s coming from a title fight. She’s an excellent fighter. She’s strong and she also has that jiu-jitsu side, she really likes going to the back, to try and submit with the rear-naked choke.

“So we’re working a lot on back defenses, to make sure I’m not submitted again that way. We always come up with a strategy before the fight, we watch the videos, try to find mistakes to capitalize on. But come fight time, you have to play it by ear. So I like going in there, taking a deep breath, assessing what the person has to offer and, then, impose my game plan.”

For more on UFC 199, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.