The lone fight featuring the ladies on the UFC Mexico City card saw Sam Hughes in hostile territory against Yazmin Jauregui.
The strawweight match-up was second in on the Fight Night event’s main card, with Hughes coming off a win over Jaqueline Amorim, and Jauregui hoping to bunce back from a loss to Denise Gomes.
Hughes landed the first notable strike of the fight, a leg kick, early as the pair circled at center, exchanging mostly single strikes until Jauregui popped off a combo. She began to press forward, resulting in a takedown attempt by Hughes — stuffed by Mexico’s Jauregui. Her takedown defense would serve Jauregui well, with her punches and kicks also keeping Hughes at bay.
As if on cue, Hughes then took the fight to the fence, but Jauregui easily slipped away. The rest of the round played out on the feet with Yazmin Jauregui having the edge.
Sam Hughes continued to pursue takedowns in round two, and continued to pay for it. Hughes was chasing a body lock at center, and was peppered with shots on the way in each time. Soon enough, Hughes was leaking blood from her nose, a cut having opened up on the bridge. Jauregui, meanwhile, mixed up her attacks, targeting the body, legs, head, and even throwing in a superman punch for good measure. As in the first round, Jauregui had the edge, though the gritty Hughes refused to back down.
The third frame of Yazmin Jauregui vs. Sam Hughes started with Jauregui flowing, loose, firing her hands and ending a combination with a high kick. Hughes’ corner had advised her between rounds that she might just be down two rounds to none, which was likely. But it was a leg kick by Jauregui taking Hughes off her feet, with time a factor and things just not going the American’s way. That didn’t change in the final minutes of the fight with Jauregui cruising to a decision win.
Official Result: Yazmin Jauregui def. Sam Hughes by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
