Sam Hughes isn't sure how latest confidence-boosting win was split call at UFC Fight Night 254
LAS VEGAS – Sam Hughes beat Stephanie Luciano with a split decision Saturday on the preliminary card at UFC Fight Night 254 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.
Take a look inside the fight with Hughes, who has won five of her past seven after an 0-3 start to her UFC tenure.
Sam Hughes def. Stephanie Luciano
Result: Sam Hughes def. Stephanie Luciano via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-27)
Updated records: Hughes (10-6 MMA, 5-5 UFC), Luciano (6-2-1 MMA, 1-1 UFC)
Key stats: Hughes outstruck Luciano 146-101 and had more than four minutes of control time from her three takedowns.
Hughes on the fight's key moment
'That was 100 percent the game plan – I have to be a pressure fighter. If I let her fight at range, she's longer than me. That was the wrong thing to do. The whole thing was to just get in, beat her up, lots of takedowns. I tried to get the finish in the second, but I just couldn't put her away.'
Sam Hughes gana por Decisión dividida en #UFCVegas104 🙌🏻🙌🏻 pic.twitter.com/g6qD3gOmT4
— UFC Español (@UFCEspanol) March 15, 2025
Hughes on another split
'I've never been like, 'Man, that was close.' I was so confident. I know I won this fight. So that felt really good.'
Hughes on what she wants next
'I've actually been thinking about this quite a bit. This was my night. I've been the underdog in all 10 fights in the UFC, and this was my fight to showcase: Hey guys, I'm here. I came in 0-3 (in the UFC), but I'm going to give it hell. I'm going to follow the game plan to a T, but I don't care if I have to make it scrappy. I don't care if I have to make it a dogfight. If anything, my half-Mexican blood is like, 'Hell yeah – let's make it dirty.' 'Cause I like making it dirty.
'Whatever's next – my birthday's June 28, and that's International Fight Week. So that would be pretty cool. I'd like to stay pretty busy (with) three fights this year, but we'll see what Sayif (Saud) says and see what Dana (White), Hunter (Campbell) and Mick (Maynard) and Sean (Shelby) want to put me.'
'I really, truly believe in myself now.'
Sam Hughes (@samhughesmma) felt confident in her whole game and was able to push for 15 minutes to get the decision win.#UFCVegas104 Results, Interviews & More ➡️: https://t.co/Q3SV4cHKFl
— UFC News (@UFCNews) March 15, 2025
To hear more from Hughes, check out the video of the full post-fight interview above.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie's event hub for UFC Fight Night 254.
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