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Sage Northcutt is in no rush to challenge for the ONE lightweight MMA world title, but he knows he’ll be challenging for the throne at some point in his career.
The American star is building up his reputation in ONE Championship, and he’d rather take on a former world champion before challenging Christian Lee for the lightweight MMA throne.
In an interview with The MMA Superfan, ‘Super’ Sage said he’s set his sights on the legendary Shinya Aoki. It’s the fight against the former ONE lightweight MMA world champion that has intrigued him for quite some time now.
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Northcutt said:
“You know, that’d be an awesome fight to make in the future. But right now, I'm focused on this fight going through with Shinya Aoki and having this fight first and that's where my mindset’s at. But after that, I could definitely see that in the future, you know, a fight with Christian Lee.”
A fight between Northcutt and Lee could become one of the most important matchups in ONE Championship history, but the 27-year-old is in no rush to face the two-division world champion.
Lee, who also holds the ONE welterweight MMA world title, is on indefinite hiatus following the tragic passing of his younger sister, Victoria, in December 2022.
Watch Sage Northcutt's entire interview below:
Sage Northcutt and Shinya Aoki’s botched first meeting ONE Championship
There is a reason, though, why Sage Northcutt has been clamoring for a showdown with Aoki inside the Circle.
Northcutt was penciled in to face Aoki in 2021, but the fight had to be canceled after the Team Alpha Male and Evolve MMA fighter contracted COVID-19.
Forced to sit out for nearly two years due to the virus’s complications, Northcutt tried his best to respectfully call out ‘Tobikan Judan’ on social media.
Northcutt ultimately recovered from COVID-19 and beat Ahmed Mujtaba in one of the most thrilling comeback fights in ONE Championship history.
‘Super’ Sage needed less than a minute to secure the first-round submission finish against Mujtaba that sent the American crowd into pandemonium at ONE Fight Night 10 in Denver.
