5 speculative 'win-win' MMA trades

#2 Christian Lee (ONE) for Sage Northcutt (UFC)

Sage Northcutt

Both Christian Lee and Sage Northcutt are young, dynamic, potential stars of the future but if either are to reach their true potential they may need to consider a change of scenery.

Northcutt quietly became a free agent earlier this year and doesn't appear to have resolved that situation yet. Considering the time and promotion the UFC invested in "Super" Sage early in his career alongside the fact he is riding a three-fight win streak, it seems highly unlikely that they wouldn't at least try to bring him back into the mix rather than letting him potentially walk away for nothing.

Should they do that, the UFC aren't likely to trade the 22-year-old in the immediate future. That doesn't mean they wouldn't be open to the idea at some point during the course of his next contract, particularly if he continues to stall when faced with top-level opposition.

At just 20-years-old, Lee is in the midst of the first losing streak of his young career, having first fallen short against ONE featherweight champion Martin Nguyen in his first title fight and following that up with an unusual, disqualification loss to Edward Kelly after dropping his opponent on his head with what was deemed to be an illegal suplex.

Both fighters are undeniably talented and have bright futures but with both having spent the majority of their young careers with just one promotion (or his entire career in Lee's case), I can't help but want to see how they fare in fresh surroundings.