Sam Hughes Submits Shauna Bannon with Rear-Naked Choke
Hughes Extends Win Streak with Surgical Finish in Strawweight Clash
On September 6, 2025, inside the Accor Arena in Paris, Sam Hughes delivered a dominant performance against Ireland’s Shauna Bannon, securing a submission victory via rear-naked choke at 1:58 of Round 2. The strawweight bout kicked off the UFC Paris prelims, and Hughes wasted no time asserting control with relentless grappling and positional dominance.
Round-by-Round Breakdown: Hughes Controls, Then Finishes
The fight opened with Bannon initiating the clinch, but Hughes quickly reversed position and landed a takedown. From top control, Hughes transitioned to side control and briefly trapped Bannon in a crucifix, landing clean shots before Bannon scrambled back to half guard. Despite Bannon’s late escape, Round 1 clearly belonged to Hughes.
In Round 2, Hughes opened with crisp striking that caused Bannon to lose balance and fall to the canvas. Hughes immediately capitalized, moving into side control and then taking the back. With Bannon flattened out in the center of the Octagon, Hughes locked in a rear-naked choke and forced the tap.
“Hughes quickly moved back into side control before taking Bannon’s back and cinching in a rear-naked choke in the center of the Octagon. With nowhere to go and unable to fight the hands, Bannon had no choice but to tap out” — LowKick MMA
Hughes’ Momentum Surges in Strawweight Division
With the win, Hughes improves to 12-6 MMA, 7-5 UFC, and extends her win streak to three. The finish marks her second submission victory inside the Octagon and reinforces her reputation as a gritty, well-rounded threat in the 115-pound division.
Bannon, now 7-3 MMA, 2-3 UFC, showed flashes of resilience but was ultimately outclassed on the ground. The loss raises questions about her ability to handle high-level grapplers in the division.
“Shauna Bannon was no match for Sam Hughes on the ground… Hughes controlled Bannon before eventually securing the rear-naked choke at the 1:58 mark of Round 2” — MMA Junkie
What’s Next for Sam Hughes?
Hughes’ performance at UFC Paris was a statement. With her grappling dominance and finishing ability, she’s ready for a step up in competition. A matchup against fellow contenders like Luana Pinheiro or Tabatha Ricci could test her striking and further elevate her standing in the division.
For full fight highlights and post-event coverage, visit UFC’s official prelim recap, LowKick MMA’s breakdown, and MMA Junkie’s video analysis.
