British MMA star reveals 'life or death' health situation which made her 'body shut down' - as she prepares to make long-awaited return to the cage
British MMA prospect Sammy-Jo Luxton detailed a harrowing medical emergency that left her fearing for her life and almost ended her career.
The Manchester Top Team-trained fighter is set to make her long-awaited PFL debut on Saturday night when the promotion travels to the SSE Arena in Belfast for the first time.
Luxton had been scheduled to make her promotional debut in June of last year before undergoing a significant ordeal that threatened to put paid to a promising start to her professional MMA career.
After undergoing emergency surgery for a cysts in her ovaries, the former kickboxer developed sepsis following complications with the operation.
The 26-year-old was forced to into an extended hospital stay after her body temperature rose to 42C.
'My body completely shut down, everything was a blur by that point,' Luxton told BBC Sport.
Luxton has amassed nearly 100,000 followers on Instagram and counts PFL star Dakota Ditcheva as an inspiration
'That completely wiped my year out so it was about trying to build my strength up slowly but surely afterwards.
'I took that as spending time with my friends and family and getting myself better, mentally and physically.'
Despite forcing her to temporarily put her ambitions of becoming a world champion on hold, the undefeated flyweight explained that the ordeal has only served to strengthen her determination to become a success in MMA.
She continued: 'It's taught me that I can come through anything. It was just me getting hit and I was standing up and then getting hit again and I was standing back up.
'I looked at it like a fight – if someone knocks me down eight times I'm going to get back up nine.
'Now I'm going to bring that into a fight. Nothing can touch me mentally or physically now because I've been through that.'
Despite being just two fights into her burgeoning career inside the cage, Luxton has amassed a significant following on social media, with over 97,000 followers on Instagram.
Speaking on her ambitions in MMA, Luxton revealed that she hopes to emulate PFL star Dakota Ditcheva who became Britain's first MMA world champion when she knocked out Talia Santos in November.
'Me and Dakota grew up together and fought on the same shows,' she added.
'Dakota has set the path. You've seen the money she can make, she's set her family up for life now and that's what I want to do - give back and give my family a good life.'
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