PFL prospect Sammy Jo Luxton can’t overlook the second she thought she was about to die.
Luxton was imagined to be gearing up for her promotional debut after signing with the PFL following a blistering 18-second head kick knockout in March 2024 that earned her a number of consideration. As an alternative, she was first identified with most cancers that required her to endure emergency surgical procedure. It seems that was the least of her medical issues.
If that wasn’t sufficient, all of this was taking place whereas Luxton was coping with the cruel actuality that her father was about to cross away following a large coronary heart assault.
“My grandma handed away out of the blue. Six weeks later, my dad had a coronary heart assault and bought put into an induced coma,” Luxton instructed MMA Combating. “I went down to sit down bedside with him. Whereas I used to be there bedside, I then wanted emergency surgical procedure. So I used to be within the ward under my dad after which the hospital needed to principally put me in a wheelchair and wheel me as much as his ward so I might be there when he died.
“Six weeks after that, I put myself again into coaching and I used to be wanting ahead to being within the PFL European match. Little beknownst to me, there was an an infection going via my physique from the operation, which prompted me to have sepsis.”
Sepsis is a life-threatening situation that occurs when the physique responds improperly to an an infection. When Luxton first began feeling the consequences from the doubtless lethal situation, she simply thought her physique was worn down from a taxing coaching camp preparing for a combat. She quickly found her scenario was much more dire.
“I didn’t notice it, I assumed it was simply my physique simply nearing to the tip of combat camp,” Luxton revealed. “I’m simply sore, I’m drained and I wasn’t very nicely. I began having tremors on the mat after which I ended up began seizing and I used to be rushed to the hospital the place my [temperature] was 42 (107 levels Fahrenheit) in order that’s principally life or demise by that time.”
Beneath these excessive circumstances as a result of excessive fever and sepsis, Luxton was at hazard of getting extreme organ injury and even failure. She was rushed to the hospital for remedy and the British-born fighter will at all times bear in mind what she heard one of many nurses say as she was struggling to outlive.
“I bought sepsis and I couldn’t stroll or speak. It was scary,” Luxton mentioned. “There was an apprentice nurse engaged on my ward and I began getting chest pains. They laid me flat and so they bought the [defibrillator], my coronary heart charge was via the roof and he or she began going, ‘She’s 25, she’s too younger to die!’
“I can’t even clarify the sensation however my complete physique simply loosened up as a result of I’m like, ‘I’m about to die’ and all I may take into consideration was what my household had gone via that 12 months after which dropping me as nicely? That’s terrible to even take into consideration.”
Fortunately medical doctors had been in a position to cut back her fever and get the sepsis underneath management however that solely meant Luxton would reside to see one other day.
As a lot as she liked MMA, the now 26-year-old athlete successfully conceded that between the tragic lack of her father and the ordeal she confronted along with her personal well being, she questioned if her dream of at some point changing into a champion was gone.
“I ended up popping out of it and I assumed the universe instructed me I’m not going to combat anymore,” Luxton mentioned. “That was the universe placing a full cease there prefer it wasn’t for me.”
It didn’t assist issues a lot that she was nonetheless grieving the lack of her father, who had been such a singular power all through her life, significantly when it got here to her preventing profession.
Luxton’s father was her greatest supporter and by no means missed an opportunity to cheer on his daughter as she pursued a profession in fight sports activities. Dropping him made Luxton perceive why UFC Corridor of Famer Khabib Nurmagomedov had such a tough time shifting ahead after he misplaced his father, Abdulmanap, his greatest affect in life and preventing.
“Whenever you lose somebody that near you, that near your combat camp, my dad took me to my first-ever coaching session after I was 10 [years old]. He took me to my first combat,” Luxton mentioned. “He was there for the remainder of my profession. We traveled the world collectively and he had massive desires for me as a fighter.
“So when the European match got here up, he booked his flights and resort for the ultimate as a result of that’s how positive he was of me to make it. I actually didn’t assume I might have the ability to come again mentally and do it with out him.”
Between dropping her father after which practically dropping her personal life, Luxton put preventing behind her. Nevertheless, as soon as she was bodily able to getting again within the fitness center, she a minimum of needed to make use of that as a conduit to rebuild herself to full well being once more.
Over time, Luxton began including a little bit bit extra to her plate and he or she started feeling like her outdated self once more. Name it an indication or simply an odd coincidence, however it wasn’t lengthy after Luxton determined she may have the ability to resume her profession that she obtained an sudden name.
“I used to be nonetheless out and in of the hospital via November simply doing my checkups, put up operation, put up sepsis,” Luxton mentioned. “It was November once they mentioned, ‘You’re absolutely wholesome now.’ I feel that was the purpose the place I used to be coming into coaching and it wasn’t only for enjoyable. I knew I used to be at full well being after which I used to be hitting the pads and I used to be getting my velocity and my cardio again and I simply felt good about myself.
“It was the very begin of this 12 months the place I mentioned I need to combat. My family and friends had been like take your time, in case you want a number of extra months, do this however I mentioned no, actually hand on my coronary heart, I really feel able to go now. That’s once we bought provided a combat like every week later.”
Receiving a name from the PFL gave Luxton nearly the precise reverse feeling she had a 12 months earlier when she was grieving the lack of her father and coping with her personal critical well being disaster.
“That’s how I form of twist it from the universe is placing me right down to the universe is attempting to convey me again up,” Luxton mentioned. “As a result of I hadn’t had a lot contact with PFL over the Christmas and New Yr interval after which it was fairly random they phoned me asking ‘Do you need to combat?’ I took it with each arms.”
She attacked coaching with an entire new ferocity as a result of all the pieces was practically stolen away from her earlier than she had an opportunity to get began. Now, as she prepares for her debut at PFL Belfast on Saturday, Luxton is preventing for greater than herself.
“I bought pushed all the way in which right down to the purpose of retirement and I’ve introduced myself again into this combat and I’m grabbing it with each arms as a result of that’s what I used to be made to do,” Luxton mentioned. “I’m not a singer. I’m not a dancer. I’m a fighter in order that’s what I’m going to do.
“I need that world championship round my waist. I’m doing it for [my father’s] legacy now. Everyone that is aware of my dad, he was a correct cheapskate so he hated paying the ticket costs. He was like, ‘They hold going up and up’ and now persons are like, he’s bought the most effective seat in the home free of charge. In order that’s what I’m going to take with me. As soon as I get in there, I do know I’ll have the ability to hear him shouting what I ought to be doing. That’s what’s going to take me to the highest.”
Whereas her full focus is again on preventing, Luxton by no means takes without any consideration how fortunate she is to have the power to do that once more. The ordeal of the previous 12 months has given Luxton a brand new perspective on life and it’s a narrative she doesn’t thoughts sharing with the world.
“Actually, my life in 2024 may have been a film and I hope as quickly as I turn into a world champion, I get these producers on the cellphone!” Luxton mentioned. “I need Margot Robbie [to play me]. So she greatest begin coaching.”
