UFC superstar Sage Northcutt is now considering a transition back into the welterweight division for his next octagon performance.
The 22-year-old mixed martial arts phenom is taking the sport by storm. At such a young age, Northcutt has already made his way onto the roster of the world’s most famous mixed martial arts promotion.
Undefeated within the UFC as a lightweight, “Super” Sage has taken on and defeated some seriously tough and talented opponents during his career. Now the fighter is considering another shot at the welterweight division.
Northcutt most recently earned a unanimous decision victory over Thibault Gouti in the lightweight class. That being said, the fighter has competed at 170 pound on multiple occasions in his career.
Speaking to Submission Radio, Sage Northcutt offered his reasoning for the possible switch to welterweight.
“Believe it or not, I’m actually planning on moving up to 170 for my next fight. Because fighting at 155, I believe the weight cut, the last three or four pounds is really tough. I walk around under three percent body fat pretty much all the time, and the last three or four pounds is pretty tough for my weight cutting and I think it’s affecting my performance a little bit. So I guess we’re gonna see what happens.
“I have had some pretty tough weight cuts. Every single one to get down to 155 is definitely pretty tough to get there because the last little bit is definitely hard. My body might stop sweating, or maybe it’s hard to lose the last few pounds. But I believe I’m getting older now. A few years in the UFC and my muscles are maturing more, I’m getting a little bit taller, stronger, more muscular. So we’re gonna see exactly what the game plan is, but I believe I am going up to 170.”
“Well, I had two fights in the UFC at 170. My first fight I went to 170 on like three or four days’ notice, so less than a weeks’ notice because I was scheduled to fight at 155. I was already cutting down to low 160’s to be able to get ready to finish that last part of my weight cut, and then my opponent got injured. Andrew Holbrook broke his foot, so they moved it to 170 last-minute.”
“I think it will be different, because my last fight at 170 against Mickey Gall, I didn’t have a training camp. I was in school, studying to be a petroleum engineer. My focus wasn’t focused full-time on fighting, I didn’t have the ability to have training partners and sparring and people correcting me and the best coaches in the world. So I think it’s gonna be a different experience now.”
