Latest news with #SammyJoLuxton
Daily Mail
10-05-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mail
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.'
Yahoo
10-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
'My body shut down - it was a life or death situation'
When Sammy-Jo Luxton thought that getting her car broken into at the start of 2024 was the worst thing that would happen to her that year, it could not have been further from the truth. Among the highs of knocking an opponent out inside 18 seconds and signing a contract with the PFL, she suffered the loss of both her grandmother and father. The 26-year-old then discovered she needed emergency surgery for cysts on her ovaries, which later led to sepsis - a life-threatening reaction to an infection in the body - following complications with the operation. The ordeal caused Luxton to contemplate retirement. But now, having taken some time to heal with her loved ones, she looks back on 2024 as the making of her character and relishes the challenges ahead with renewed vigour. "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," Luxton tells BBC Sport. "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." Ditcheva to fight in South Africa for PFL The Devon-born Luxton took up Thai boxing around the age of 10. After briefly switching to boxing, she later moved to Manchester and into the world of MMA, in which she now trains full-time. After winning the first two fights of her professional career - with her most recent victory in March, 2024 - Luxton signed a contract with the PFL. But her debut fight in June never happened. The chain of events which led to the bout getting cancelled started when her father Adam was rushed to hospital after suffering a heart attack. With Luxton needing an emergency operation at the same time, she ended up in a hospital bed in the ward below him. After surgery, she was able to spend two days with her father before he passed away in April - two months after her grandmother's death. "When my dad passed away I thought I was going to do this PFL tournament then hang up my gloves - I can't go on now," recalls Luxton. "But he would be rolling in his grave if I didn't carry on. He spent hours following me everywhere, he's prepped my meals, helped me cut weight - he would have done all of that for nothing. "I am going to do it now for his legacy." When Luxton returned to training, she found herself feeling more tired than usual but put the fatigue down to being in a "tough fight camp". Inside two weeks, however, Luxton's condition had deteriorated and she found herself bent over in pain at the gym while cold, sweating and shaking uncontrollably. Luxton's partner covered her in blankets before taking her to hospital where, after discovering she had sepsis, her body temperature rose to 42C in a "life or death situation". "My body completely shut down, everything was a blur by that point," she says. "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." Now fit and healthy, Luxton is preparing to finally make her debut in the PFL's annual European tournament. In an all-British fight, she faces Scottish flyweight Gemma Auld in Belfast on Saturday. "It's been a long time coming but I can't thank PFL enough for hanging on to me and supporting me through the hard times," adds Luxton. "It will be pure excitement from start to finish. My last two fights haven't even hit 30 seconds – so I'm hoping the girls in PFL will give me more of a fight." Luxton, nicknamed the 'Ghetto Cinderella', doesn't have to look far to see what riches can be found in PFL Europe. In 2023, Manchester's Dakota Ditcheva, 26, won the tournament before progressing to the global bracket last year and triumphing to become Britain's first female MMA world champion. "Me and Dakota grew up together and fought on the same shows," says Luxton. "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. "Hopefully I can do a Dakota run." MMA schedule and results 2025 Watch every Born to Brawl episode Notifications, social media and more with BBC Sport
BBC News
10-05-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
'My body shut down - it was a life or death situation'
When Sammy-Jo Luxton thought that getting her car broken into at the start of 2024 was the worst thing that would happen to her that year, it could not have been further from the the highs of knocking an opponent out inside 18 seconds and signing a contract with the PFL, she suffered the loss of both her grandmother and 26-year-old then discovered she needed emergency surgery for cysts on her ovaries, which later led to sepsis - a life-threatening reaction to an infection in the body, external - following complications with the ordeal caused Luxton to contemplate now, having taken some time to heal with her loved ones, she looks back on 2024 as the making of her character and relishes the challenges ahead with renewed vigour."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," Luxton tells BBC Sport."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." The Devon-born Luxton took up Thai boxing around the age of 10. After briefly switching to boxing, she later moved to Manchester and into the world of MMA, in which she now trains winning the first two fights of her professional career - with her most recent victory in March, 2024 - Luxton signed a contract with the her debut fight in June never chain of events which led to the bout getting cancelled started when her father Adam was rushed to hospital after suffering a heart Luxton needing an emergency operation at the same time, she ended up in a hospital bed in the ward below surgery, she was able to spend two days with her father before he passed away in April - two months after her grandmother's death."When my dad passed away I thought I was going to do this PFL tournament then hang up my gloves - I can't go on now," recalls Luxton."But he would be rolling in his grave if I didn't carry on. He spent hours following me everywhere, he's prepped my meals, helped me cut weight - he would have done all of that for nothing."I am going to do it now for his legacy."When Luxton returned to training, she found herself feeling more tired than usual but put the fatigue down to being in a "tough fight camp".Inside two weeks, however, Luxton's condition had deteriorated and she found herself bent over in pain at the gym while cold, sweating and shaking partner covered her in blankets before taking her to hospital where, after discovering she had sepsis, her body temperature rose to 42C in a "life or death situation"."My body completely shut down, everything was a blur by that point," she says."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." PFL debut & emulating Ditcheva Now fit and healthy, Luxton is preparing to finally make her debut in the PFL's annual European an all-British fight, she faces Scottish flyweight Gemma Auld in Belfast on Saturday."It's been a long time coming but I can't thank PFL enough for hanging on to me and supporting me through the hard times," adds Luxton."It will be pure excitement from start to finish. My last two fights haven't even hit 30 seconds – so I'm hoping the girls in PFL will give me more of a fight."Luxton, nicknamed the 'Ghetto Cinderella', doesn't have to look far to see what riches can be found in PFL 2023, Manchester's Dakota Ditcheva, 26, won the tournament before progressing to the global bracket last year and triumphing to become Britain's first female MMA world champion. "Me and Dakota grew up together and fought on the same shows," says Luxton."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. "Hopefully I can do a Dakota run."
