Sam Hughes: 'I know I'm the far better all-close to fighter' heading into LFA 85 title battle

Pursuing an undefeated campaign in 2019 that observed her pick up the first 3 wins of her career, strawweight Sam Hughes ongoing her momentum with a unanimous conclusion victory about Lisa Mauldin at LFA 81 in January.

However she wasn’t capable to choose up her fourth straight complete, for Hughes, the get more than Mauldin was an option to showcase many features of her activity.

“I was pleasantly satisfied with my effectiveness towards Lisa,” Hughes informed MMAWeekly.com. “It was typically a striking victory, but what I think genuinely sealed the deal ended up the couple takedowns that acquired at the stop of the initial, in the second, and the back-just take in the 3rd round.

“It was surely hard. Lisa is actually, really rough. The dimensions variance was most likely why I could not complete the combat.”

Following a start to her career at flyweight, Hughes will now go down to strawweight from here on out. It’s a move that is been on her calendar considering that she began her job.

“I’m searching ahead to seeing more at the strawweight weight course,” said Hughes. “That’s where by my design and style will match up a minimal bit superior for me obtaining that power and measurement gain for me.

“(Moving down in pounds) was generally the strategy. We needed to get 4 robust wins at a larger bodyweight course, but it was generally to go down to strawweight.”

On Friday in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, Hughes (4-) will look to claim her to start with important MMA title when she faces Vanessa Demopoulos (4-1) in the 115-pound championship primary function of LFA 85.

“I’m truly thrilled about this struggle,” Hughes said. “I know Vanessa is tremendous difficult. She will come from a very superior gymnasium. She trains definitely difficult. I respect her in that factor, but I know I’m the greater all-all-around fighter.

“As considerably as striking goes, or if it comes down to wrestling, or if she desires to play the Jiu-Jitsu match, (I’m ready). I know (Jiu-Jitsu) is exactly where she feels strongest, but I’m pretty self-assured of all features of my game.”

Obtaining missed out on 50 percent a 12 months thanks to the coronavirus lockdown, Hughes is hoping to shut out her 2020 busier than it began, with a possible shift up to the following phase of her career by year’s close.

“I know there’s a risk of some states going back to Stage 1, so I’m hoping that does not truly come to fruition, but I’m hoping to struggle once or two times right before the conclusion of the calendar year,” stated Hughes.

“(A step up to the following amount) is type of what we’ve been eyeing. A earn (in opposition to Demopoulos) and we’ll be 5-, I consider we would absolutely get a contact and get appeared at. LFA has been almost nothing but good, but we’ll see what occurs.”