“I look for a finish” – Sage Northcutt confident he can stop the iconic Shinya Aoki wherever their fight goes

American mixed martial arts prodigy ‘Super’ Sage Northcutt believes he’s on the cusp of greatness in ONE Championship. All he has to do is defeat a Japanese legend, and the former multi-time ONE lightweight MMA world champion.

Of course, that task is easier said than done. The man he’s up against certainly needs no introduction, especially in front of a pro-Japan crowd.

Northcutt is set to face legendary ‘Tobikan Judan’ Shinya Aoki at ONE 165: Superlek vs. Takeru this weekend.

The event broadcasts live from the Ariake Arena in Tokyo, Japan this Sunday, January 28th.

Speaking to YouTube channel, The MMA Superfan, in a recent interview, Northcutt said he wants to make a statement against Aoki, and look for the finish in any way possible.

‘Super Sage’ said:

“You know, it's hard to say. I obviously don't want to give away my game plan but in every single fight that I go into, I'm always trying to visualize myself winning and I try to look for a finish out there, whether it's finishing him standing up, on the ground, or the rest, whatever it might be.”

Needless to say, Northcutt needs to beat Aoki in order to cement his spot in ONE Championship’s stacked lightweight division.

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Sage Northcutt looks to test his grappling skills against Shinya Aoki

Sage Northcutt successfully returned to action in May of 2023 after a lengthy layoff due to injury. He submitted Pakistani fighter Ahmed ‘The Wolverine’ Mujtaba in the very first round via heel hook, no less. However, going up against Shinya Aoki in the grappling department is a completely different beast.

Frankly speaking, it may not be the best idea for ‘Super Sage’.

Aoki is known as the ‘Grandmaster of Flying Submissions’ for a reason. He’s one of the most dangerous submission specialists in MMA history, arguably the greatest of all time.

Whether or not Northcutt can defeat Aoki is one thing, but going to the ground with a grappling legend is no doubt treacherous territory for the American star.

Fans in the United States and Canada can catch all the action of ONE 165: Superlek vs. Takeru via global Pay-Per-View on watch.onefc.com. Visit ONE Championship’s official website for more information on how you can watch from your location.