MMA’s future is here, and his name is Sage Northcutt

This past Saturday, UFC 200 ended up being a very interesting show. Opinions on it vary from good to bad. There were many fights that stood out to me, even on the prelims. One fighter who caught my eye was the 20-year old Sage Northcutt.

At such a young age, “Super” Sage has impressed me and I’m sure the rest of the UFC world. Sage defeated Enrique Marin in unanimous decision (29-28 across the board). A key moment from that fight was when he was stuck in an armbar for an extended period of time. He dug deep and fought his way out of it, showing the grit of a true fighter. It was all Northcutt in the end, as he completely dominated the third round en route to a victory.

httpss://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7aeAVBj97mg

All in all, he was explosive out of the gate, and you could just tell how well-rounded of a fighter he was. Sage was first featured in Dana White’s Looking For A Fight. He impressed White so much after a win at Legacy Fighting Championship 44 that he was signed to the UFC. Dana must have had something click in his head when he saw Sage, and it has paid off so far. Which brings me to the point:

*Barring an injury or any type of regression, I believe Sage Northcutt could become the future of the UFC and a legend in the world of Mixed Martial Arts.*

Sage started fighting when he was in high school, and is 8-1 in his career. Already 3-1 in his UFC career, he has proved to be a premier athlete, also owning a 15-0 kickboxing record. A member of Texas A&M University, Sage has already made an impact in the octagon. According to MMA Fighting, the prelims for UFC 200 had over 1,786,000 viewers. Sage’s fight on Fox Sports 2 did 582,000 viewers, making it the most-watched show in the stations history. FS2’s broadcast ended up in the Top 10 among viewers that night. Coincidence? Possibly, but I truly believe Sage was a factor.

Fans love to see how a fighter progresses throughout the years. Like any athlete, fans want to watch someone ascend to the top of the mountain. The best part about “Super” Sage is that right now he is only in the lightweight division. With so many years available to hone his craft, he can dominate that division. Sage can also move up the rankings in the future if he chooses to do so. If he does that, the possibilities are endless. His journey is just getting started.

Remember the name “Super” Sage Northcutt. It might be one UFC fans around the world will be hearing for a long time. His next fight should definitely be something to look forward to. I am excited to watch the development of UFC’s youngest and hungriest competitor.