Northcutt ‘Improving Every Day,’ Hopes To Become Most Well-Rounded Fighter
The sky is the limit for Sage Northcutt after the 21-year-old announced last month that he’s leaving college to pursue a full-time fighting career. Obtaining an education is obviously important, but Northcutt possesses a high level of talent that needs to be nurtured on a day-to-day basis.
Northcutt is hoping that a full-time commitment to mixed martial arts (MMA) will help him take his game to the next level. With “Super” set to compete later tonight (Sun., Feb. 18, 2018) at UFC Fight Night 126 live on FOX Sports 1 from inside Frank Erwin Center in Austin, Texas, against talented Frenchman Thibault Gouti, fight fans will soon find out if Northcutt has taken the next step in his career.
“It’s been way more comfortable since I withdrew from school,” Northcutt told MMAjunkie earlier this week. “Now I’m not studying to be a petroleum engineer. I’m able to focus full-time on the fight. Now the confidence is going up, and I’m feeling way more better because I know I’m improving every single day instead of taking the talent I had from when I was a little kid and going off that. Now I’m able to build that talent and get better.”
Luckily for Northcutt, his maturation as a fighter has been held under a microscope by head coach Uriah Faber, who has taken the young fighter under his wing as a member of Team Alpha Male. With “California Kid” by his side, the Texas native has been able to make the necessary adjustments to make him a more versatile fighter.
“Team Alpha Male’s been amazing,” Northcutt said. “I have my coach, Urijah Faber. He’s watching me do everything pretty much all the time. I’m training or grappling or sparring live. He’s over there making adjustments. He’s really hands on, so that makes a big difference.”
Despite some struggles at 170 pounds, Northcutt has produced a 3-0 record as a UFC lightweight. He’ll be looking to add to that undefeated clip this weekend in Austin while showcasing his ability to threaten wherever the fight happens to go.
“I want to be super well-rounded,” Northcutt said. “I want to be eventually be the best wrestler out there, be the best grappler out there, along with being the best striker – be all of them at one time.”
