Sam Hughes Says Boyfriend Bet $1K On Her at UFC 287; Would Violate Company Rules

Sam Hughes told reporters after her unanimous-decision win over Jaqueline Amorim at UFC 287 that her boyfriend bet $1,000 on her to win the match, which would be in violation of the UFC Athlete Conduct Policy.

Hughes said that her boyfriend bet on her as a +400 underdog ($1,000 to win $4,000):

Aaron Bronsteter of TSN said that the admission "could have severe ramifications."

The policy reads as follows:

"Athletes are prohibited from placing any wagers (directly or through a third party) on any UFC match, including placing any wagers on themselves. In most states with legalized sports betting, wagering by a UFC athlete (directly or through a third party) on any UFC match is illegal and may result in criminal sanction. Athletes should also be aware that in most states these same prohibitions apply to some or all of (i) relatives living in the same household as an athlete, (ii) an athlete's coaches, managers, handlers, athletic trainers, medical professionals and staff, and (iii) any other person with access to non-public information regarding participants in any UFC match. An athlete that becomes aware or has knowledge of any wagering in violation of these restrictions must immediately notify UFC of such incident in accordance with this UFC Athlete Conduct Policy."

The UFC stated in its policy that it has full authority to "impose sanctions" following an investigation and that penalties can "take the form of contractual penalties, suspension of performance under the independent contractor agreement, and/or termination of the independent contractor relationship, and may include conditions to be satisfied to continuing to contract with ZUFFA."

As for the fight, it was an impressive win for Hughes, who found herself in trouble but refused to tap and ended the match as the aggressor:

The 30-year-old Hughes, who fights in the strawweight division, has now won three of her last four matches to move to 8-5 as a professional (3-4 in UFC). Amorim had won her first six professional fights before making her UFC debut Saturday.