Sam Hughes won by split decision at UFC Fight Night

Sam Hughes secured a victory against Stephanie Luciano with a split decision on Saturday at UFC Fight Night 254 in Las Vegas. Hughes has now won five of her last seven fights and improved her record to 10 wins and 6 losses. Hughes outperformed Luciano in significant strikes, landing 146 compared to Luciano's 101. She also controlled the fight for more than four minutes and scored three takedowns. Despite this, Hughes was surprised by the split decision ruling, saying she felt confident she had won. After her win, Hughes shared her strategy. She focused on being a pressure fighter to prevent Luciano from using her reach advantage. Hughes mentioned she tried for a finish in the second round but was unable to do so. Looking ahead, Hughes expressed her desire to stay active, mentioning she would appreciate fighting around her birthday on June 28, which coincides with International Fight Week. She emphasized her determination to keep pushing forward in her career.