Strong Boi Wants Light Fight

Photo by Mike Roach/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

Sage Northcutt racked up an impressive 6-2 record for UFC and won his last three fights inside the Octagon, including a knockout victory over Zak Ottow in his final Octagon appearance at UFC Fight Night 133 back in summer 2018.

That’s why Northcutt, 24, was expected to do “Super” things at his new home in ONE Championship. Instead, he had his face rearranged by grizzled kickboxing veteran Cosmo Alexandre in a fight that was contested at 185 pounds.

Consider that experience one and done.

“I’m still healing up, and I can’t wait to be able to get out there and fight again,” Northcutt told MMA Junkie. “I know it’s going to be a while, but I’m going to be strong and I’m going to go back to where I used to fight at 155. I was undefeated in the UFC in that weight class, I was 5-0, and I think I’m just naturally more for that weight class. So instead of fighting at welterweight, what ONE Championship calls it at 185 pounds that I went up to, I’m going (down) two weight classes to featherweight (155). It’s going to be good.”

ONE Championship abolished weight cutting back in 2017.

Northcutt (11-3) is not the only UFC import to struggle overseas. Former lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez crossed over to ONE Championship with plenty of fanfare, only to get smashed by Timofey Nastyukhin in his “New Era” debut roughly one year back.

Considering the extent of Northcutt’s injuries it’s unlikely we’ll see him back inside the cage before year’s end. Then again, with the coronavirus pandemic and the way it’s changed how fighters train, that might not be such a bad thing after all.