Now, the former UFC star has a new home. As first reported by MMA Junkie, Northcutt (12-3) has inked a deal with the PFL.

Terms of the contract have not been released. Northcutt is expected to compete as a welterweight (as he had initially in ONE Championship, though under their modified weight rules, that saw him fighting as high as 185lbs).

Northcutt made a splash in the UFC, signing with the company as a teenager and amassing a 6-2 record. He parted ways with the promotion following a 2018 win over Zak Ottow, testing the free agency waters and settling on a deal with ONE Championship.

That did not go well. In his 2019 ONE debut against Cosmo Alexandre, he suffered multiple facial fractures, requiring surgery and an extended layoff. He would not compete again until 2023, returning at ONE Fight Night 10 to submit Ahmed Mujtaba in Colorado. That fight also saw him move back down in weight.

Northcutt has not fought since. Earlier this year, he requested and was granted his release from ONE Championship. His name also turned up in the UFC Antitrust settlement, as one of numerous former UFC fighters urging a judge to accept the deal.

“As a professional fighter, I have only had one fight in the last five plus years and have not earned a steady income. Receiving settlement funds now would truly be life-changing money for me and for other members of the class,” wrote Northcutt. “It would put me on firmer financial footing and allow me to purchase a home near my training camp in Northern California.”

No debut date under the PFL banner has been set for Sage Northcutt. The promotion has yet to officially announce his signing.

The post PFL Signs Former ONE, UFC Star Sage Northcutt appeared first on Cageside Press.

Northcutt (12-3) was a budding star for the UFC when, in 2018, he jumped ship to rival promotion ONE Championship as a free agent, on the strength of a 6-2 record and on a three-fight win streak at the time. His debut against Cosmo Alexandre in 2019 was an unmitigated disaster, however, with Northcutt knocked out and left suffering facial fractures.

He was then hospitalized with COVID-19, cancelling a planned comeback against Shinya Aoki in 2021 as the effects of the viral disease lingered.

In 2023, Northcutt finally stepped into the ONE Championship cage for the second time, submitting the little-known Ahmed Mujtaba with a heel hook to claim a Performance of the Night bonus.

Northcutt was scheduled to face Aoki once again in March of this year, in Tokyo. Visa troubles saw him pulled from that bout. And on Friday, both fighter and promotion confirmed they had amicably parted ways.

“Excited for 2025 and looking forward to having some big fights,” Northcutt wrote on social media, without specifying where those fights might come.

In a brief statement on their official website quoted by Northcutt, ONE officials wrote simply “ONE Championship and Sage Northcutt have mutually agreed to his release from the organization. ONE wishes Northcutt the best in his future endeavors.”

Earlier this month, Northcutt’s declaration of support for the proposed UFC antitrust lawsuit settlement came to light. In it, Northcutt stated that he “enthusiastically supported” the settlement, as well as saying that “As a professional fighter, I have only had one fight in the last five plus years and have not earned a steady income. Receiving settlement funds now would truly be life-changing money for me and for other members of the class. It would put me on firmer financial footing and allow me to purchase a home near my training camp in Northern California.”

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The usually soft-spoken Northcutt had plenty to say on Thursday as he took to social media to address the situation, which arose because a number of his corners did not have the proper visas to work in Japan.

Northcutt’s full statement is below. It does not paint ONE in a good light to say the least.

One Championship is implying that I pulled out of the Shinya fight for unforeseen circumstances. That is completely inaccurate.. I sent One Championship the necessary paperwork they required to get my coaches visas 48 days ahead of the event. I was told by them over the phone and by text my main jujitsu coach Fabio Prado did not need a visa since I paid for his airfare flights and trip so he was not classified as a working employee that needed a visa and that my other coach could get in as a tourist so he didn’t need one either. My coaches were there for almost a week, and I was not informed that two of them could not coach until hours before my match. I received a text from an unknown number that texted me for the first time that day that was a ticket salesman asking me about getting my two coaches complimentary tickets to watch my fight in the audience. I personally believe that One Championship was not going to inform me that my coaches were not allowed to corner me until I arrived at the arena to fight if I did not hear from a ticket salesman hours earlier. We were also told hours before my match that if my coaches violated the visa requirements and were caught on camera, they could be arrested and there was a 99.8% conviction rate on all arrests. I made it clear to One Championship that I was not flying from America to Japan if I didn’t have my three coaches. I was told before I left to Japan by an executive that I would not have to fight without my coaches. They knew before I left that I would not be able to have two of my coaches. They never told me my coaches could be thrown in prison for any visa violation. There has been a lot of stuff going on behind the scenes with One Championship with what caused me to withdraw from my last fight as well as other things that I will talk about at a later time on Facebook, Instagram, and with media outlets.
• drug testing
• weight cutting/ policies
• active athletes/ roster
• One’s stability… etc

Sage Northcutt’s place in the fight was taken by John Lineker, who was submitted by Aoki in an openweight bout. The fight falling through leaves Northcutt with just one fight since 2019, a win over Ahmed Mujtaba.

Now 27, Northcutt has fought just twice since signing with ONE Championship after leaving the UFC in 2018. From 2015 to his exit from the company on a three-fight win streak, he had been considered one of the promotion’s blue chip prospects, and a budding star with the potential to cross over to the mainstream market.

However, after signing with ONE Championship, Northcutt suffered facial fractures in his promotional debut Cosmo Alexandre, leading to surgery and an extended layoff.

The post Sage Northcutt Says ONE Championship Aware of Team’s Visa Issues Ahead of ONE 165 appeared first on Cageside Press.

Northcutt (12-3) made his return to action for the first time in four years, almost to the day, at the Colorado-based event, ONE Championship’s first on U.S. soil. Both the night and Northcutt’s comeback were a success, with Sage getting the job done in under a minute.

Having been able to show some of his newfound grappling skills in the bout was a plus for the upbeat Northcutt, who spoke to media outlets including Cageside Press at the ONE Fight Night 10 post-fight press conference.

The fight, he noted, “was definitely pretty fast. I’ve been working my grappling though, a lot. So over the last few years, I’ve been really honing in on it, and working it a ton. So I’m really excited that I got to win out there, get a submission, and got to show some of that grappling.”

As to who he wants next, Northcutt is never one to make callouts or trash talk, pretty much at all. But given he had a previous match-up in place with a Japanese legend of the sport, he’d like to get that back.

“I did have a fight, I did have one set up with Shinya Aoki, and I think that would be a super-exciting one,” Northcutt stated. “Looking from my finishes now, you can see my grappling’s improved a lot, and I got to show some grappling.”

“He’s a great grappler, I think that would be a really exciting match.”

ONE Chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong’s ears perked up at the mention of Aoki.

“I think that would be great, a fantastic fight. So I want to make that fight,” said Sityodtong. “I’ve just got to talk to Shinya. It would be great. Shinya versus Sage, especially in Japan, it would blow up Japan.”

Watch the full ONE Fight Night 10 post-fight press conference with Sage Northcutt and Tye Ruotolo above.

The post Following ONE Fight Night 10, Sage Northcutt Wants to Rebook Shinya Aoki Fight appeared first on Cageside Press.

Northcutt, who exited the UFC on a three-fight win streak to sign with ONE as a free agent, had drawn Pakistan’s Ahmed Mujtaba in his return. With a 10-2 record to start the night, Mujtaba entered on a two-fight win streak.

Northcutt was active off the opening bell, firing a high kick. But he went down off a Mujtaba jab, perhaps more off-balance than rocked. Unfortunately for Mujtaba, he opted to follow Northcutt to the ground, rather than letting him back to the feet, where the American might have been a little gun shy after four years away.

On the ground, Northcutt quickly found a leg, and locked up a heel hook seemingly before Ahmed Mujtaba knew what hit him. Mujtaba was tapping within seconds, the submission coming well inside of a minute.

After 4 years, it took less than a minute. Super Sage! #ONEFightNight10 pic.twitter.com/EVWdwgs1lY

— Prime Video (@PrimeVideo) May 6, 2023

After the fight, Northcutt said that he feels “like a complete fighter now,” noting that his wrestling and jiu-jitsu were greatly improved. Mujtaba learned that the hard way on Friday. Northcutt, meanwhile, had an extra reason to celebrate, as he was awarded a $50,000 bonus for the win.

Official Result: Sage Northcutt def. Ahmed Mujaba by submission (heel hook), Round 1, 0:39

The post ONE Fight Night 10: Returning Sage Northcutt Earns Quick Heel Hook Submission of Ahmed Mujtaba appeared first on Cageside Press.

Atop the card, flyweight great Demetrious Johnson, looking to close out his trilogy with Adriano Moraes, with the pair’s series tied 1-1. The exit of “Mighty Mouse” from the UFC meant a potential trilogy with Henry Cejudo had never come to pass, making the rubber match with Moraes the first of his career.

The flyweight title fight was accompanied by two others on Friday. Muay Thai sensation Rodtang faced Edgar Tabares, while Mikey Musumeci took on Osamah Almarwai for grappling gold.

In non-title action, Stamp Fairtex looked to dance her way out of Colorado against Alyse Anderson, while Roberto Soldić and Zebaztian Kadestam faced off for a chance at interim welterweight gold, in the absence of champ Christian Lee.

ONE Fight Night 10 airs live on Amazon Prime Video on Friday, May 5 — full results can be found below. The preliminary card action can also be streamed below, starting at 7PM ET.

ONE Fight Night 10: Johnson vs. Moraes 3 Results

Main Card

Demetrious Johnson (c) def. Adriano Moraes via Unanimous Decision — for the ONE flyweight championship
Rodtang Jitmuangnon (c) def. Edgar Tabares via R2 KO 1:34 — for the ONE flyweight Muay Thai championship
Mikey Musumeci (c) def. Osamah Almarwai via RNC 8:03 — for the ONE flyweight submission grappling championship
Stamp Fairtex def. Alyse Anderson via R2 KO 2:27
Zebaztian Kadestam def. Roberto Soldic via R2 KO 45
Sage Northcutt def. Ahmed Mujtaba via R1 Submission (Heel Hook) :39
Aung La Nsang def. Fan Rong via R2 Submission (Guillotine) :48
Tye Ruotolo def. Reinier de Ridder via Unanimous Decision — submission grappling
Jackie Buntan def. Diandra Martin via R1 KO 2:34 — Muay Thai

Preliminary card

Kairat Akhmetov def. Reece McLaren via Unanimous Decision
Ok Rae Yoon def. Lowen Tynanes via Unanimous Decision

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On Monday, promotion officials announced that Sage Northcutt (11-3) will compete for the first time in roughly three years when he faces Ahmed Mujtaba (10-2) in Broomfield, Colorado on May 5, 2023.

News of the match-up was first reported by Sports Illustrated.

🚨 SAGE NORTHCUTT IS BACK 🚨 Witness his return to action against Ahmed Mujtaba at ONE Championship's U.S. on-ground debut at ONE Fight Night 10 🔥 Tickets are selling fast so get yours NOW!

🎟 Tickets 👉 https://t.co/z9kFexq6RK
⭐️ VIP tickets @stagefront pic.twitter.com/k8vnZ5T5KJ

— ONE Championship (@ONEChampionship) January 23, 2023

“Super” Sage Northcutt was a budding star for the UFC from 2015 to 2018, posting a 6-2 record across eight fights inside the octagon. Unable to come to terms on a new contract, Northcutt entered free agency while on a three-fight win streak, and took his talents to ONE Championship, only to stumble out of the gate when he was knocked out by the little-known Cosmo Alexandre.

Alexandre, a decorated kickboxer, broke Northcutt’s jaw in the fight.

After a lengthy stretch recuperating from the injury, Northcutt had been expected to return to action at ONE on TNT IV in April of 2021, against Japanese legend Shinya Aoki. With Northcutt contracting COVID-19, however, the bout was called off.

When he finally does make his return, Sage Northcutt will do so against a ONE Championship regular in Ahmad Mujtaba. The Pakistani known as “Wolverine” has fought exclusively for the promotion since 2016, and has won his last two bouts.

May 5’s ONE Fight Night 10 will air on Amazon’s Prime Video platform, and is headlined by the rubber match in the trilogy between Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson and Adriano Moraes. The card takes place at the 1stBank Center in Broomfield, CO.

The post Sage Northcutt Books Return Against Ahmed Mujtaba for ONE Championship’s U.S. Debut appeared first on Cageside Press.

ONE Championship officials have confirmed to Cageside Press that Northcutt is out of his ONE on TNT IV fight on April 28. Instead, former lightweight champion Eduard Folayang will step in against Shinya Aoki.

MMA Fighting was first to report the news.

Northcutt (11-3) has not competed since a brutal loss to Cosmo Alexandre in May 2019, his debut with the promotion following his exit from the UFC. The knockout saw him suffer multiple facial fractures, requiring extensive surgery.

Per a statement from the promotion, Northcutt could not be cleared to compete after contracting COVID-19 several months ago.

“Due to lingering COVID-19 issues, Sage Northcutt is not cleared by his doctors to compete on April 28 [at] ONE on TNT IV,” the promotion wrote. “This is disappointing for ONE, Turner, but most importantly Sage and his family as they were looking forward to this and spent months preparing. Sage had COVID a few months ago and was doing his best to get himself in a good place but late last week the doctor, during his final checks, could not clear him.”

Folayang (22-10) last competed in October 2020, losing a unanimous decision to Antonio Caruso. Aoki (46-9, 1NC), one of the most storied Japanese mixed martial artists, is currently on a three-fight win streak, with two submission finishes in that span.

ONE on TNT IV is headlined by a light heavyweight title fight between Aung La N Sang and Vitaly Bigdash. The two are tied in their career series with one win apiece.

The post Sage Northcutt Out, Eduard Folayang in Against Shinya Aoki at ONE on TNT IV appeared first on Cageside Press.

“Super Sage” is finally fighting again.  Two years after suffering facial fractures in his ONE Championship debut, Sage Northcutt will be returning to the ring to face Japanese MMA legend Shinya Aoki at a ONE event on April 28.  The news was broken by Northcutt in an interview with ESPN on Wednesday morning.

The 24 year old Sage Northcutt (11-3) first rose to prominence when he signed with the UFC as the first fighter discovered on Dana White’s Lookin’ for a Fight in 2015 at 19 years old.  At the time, he was the youngest fighter ever to be signed with the promotion. During his four year UFC run, Northcutt accumulated a 6-2 record before leaving the company in free agency.  In 2019, he signed with ONE and made his debut against veteran kickboxer Cosmo Alexandre.  Northcutt lost the fight by first round knockout, suffering facial fractures that required surgery and have kept him sidelined since the fight.

MMA veteran Shinya Aoki (46-9, 1NC) is looking to continue his road back to the ONE championship title as he pursues his fourth victory in a row.  Aoki has fought for ONE since 2012 and has enjoyed a nearly 20 year professional career fighting in several major Asian promotions including PRIDE, DREAM, RIZIN, DEEP, and now ONE.  Notably, the ONE lightweight limit is 170 pounds as opposed to 155 pounds that is traditionally seen in most promotions and Aoki has even gone up to 185 pounds to challenge for titles in ONE.

The fight will be part of an event also featuring the recently announced women’s atomweight Grand Prix to determine a challenger for Angela Lee who is currently taking a hiatus from competition.  The event is also expected to air on prime time in the United States on TNT.

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On Friday at ONE Championship’s Enter the Dragon card in Singapore, Christian Lee made history. In part, because he defeated Shinya Aoki to claim the ONE lightweight world championship. But also because he cemented his family’s name in the record books as the first brother-sister champion duo within a major mixed martial arts promotion.

Sister Angela Lee, of course, is the promotion’s reigning atomweight champion. She recently came up short in a bid to claim a second title at strawweight, against China’s Xiong Jing Nan.

In addition to the lightweight main event, Enter the Dragon also saw the debut of former UFC star Sage Northcutt. ‘Super’ Sage went 6-2 in the UFC before fighting out his contract and parting ways with the promotion. He received a rude welcome to Asia, however, when he was knocked senseless by Brazil’s Cosmo Alexandre.

The punishing knockout blow, just 29 seconds into the fight, resulted in a nine hour operation for eight resulting fractures. Northcutt, however, was in good spirits, and has already said that he will be back despite the severity of the injuries.

Check below for video and photo highlights from Enter the Dragon in Singapore, courtesy of ONE Championship!

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