Sage Northcutt KO'd in 29 seconds in ONE Championship debut, underwent surgery after




The once "Super" Sage Northcutt looks just like a regular MMA fighter now. 

The once hyped phenom was supposed to be the UFC's next poster child when they signed him to a contract at the age of 19. Now his post-UFC run is not off to an auspicious start.

The now 23-year old Northcutt was knocked out by Brazilian kickboxer Cosmo Alexandre in just 29 seconds Friday at ONE Championship: Enter the Dragon in Singapore. The bout was contested at 185 pounds.

The fight was over moments after it started as Alexandre landed a right hand square to Northcutt's jaw on the first exchange.

No more hype

Northcutt was a hot prospect entering the UFC as an undefeated 19-year old Taekwondo prodigy with a 5-0 record. 

He won his first two fights with the promotion before suffering losses to unranked fighters such as Bryan Barberena and Mickey Gall. He was on a three-fight winning streak when he left the UFC as a free agent last year. 

The Texas native who was once considered a blue-chip prospect and future star is now on the mediocre level of an 11-3 record (6-2 in the UFC). 

He moved to Urijah Faber's Team Alpha Male in Sacramento, California but it didn't seem to help his case Friday night.

Literally broken

Northcutt underwent a nine-hour surgery on Saturday to fix eight fractures in his face. He shared an update in an Instagram post. He was sitting on a hospital bed with a detailed X-ray of his skull in the background.

“Feeling blessed for the amazing care and all the support from ONE Championship, my family, friends and fans!” Northcutt wrote, in part. “My Terminator face is not too Shabby, Northcutt said.

He remains optimistic despite the injury. He did not provide a timetable for his return.

What's next?

The now 23-year old Northcutt who used to fight at 170 and 155 pounds in the UFC competes in ONE at 185 due to the Asian promotion's stringent weight-cutting regulations, which do not allow for dehydration.

Northcutt's debut may have not went as he expected but a different breed of fighters await, one that is closer to his kind of style.

Experience was on Alexandre's side which won him the fight that night. Northcutt must also find the motivation in order to adapt to the Asian promotion's culture and approach when it comes to fighting.

Northcutt is still relatively young and his very comfortable and indulged background made him start in the sport on top right away. He now has to let these setbacks sink in hard if he wishes to be at the top of the sport.

History indicates that ONE Championship does not favor former UFC fighters. Former UFC lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez suffered a TKO loss in his debut with the promotion last March.

Last Friday's event showed how ONE championship is just as good as the rest of the big name promotions around the world.


Can Sage Northcutt bounce back? Will the injury take a huge toll on his career? Leave a comment and let us know what you think.

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