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American mixed martial arts prodigy ‘Super’ Sage Northcutt is looking to make a statement in his next fight and wants to prove he’s worthy of a shot at ONE Championship gold. What better way to do that than to take on his division’s former king and an absolute legend in the MMA world?
Northcutt will take on former multi-time ONE lightweight MMA world champion and Japanese legend ‘Tobikan Judan’ Shinya Aoki at ONE 165: Superlek vs. Takeru.
The event broadcasts live from the Ariake Arena in Tokyo, Japan on Sunday, January 28th.
Speaking to ESPN in a recent interview, Northcutt says he understands the magnitude of his fight and wants to prove himself under the bright lights yet again.
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The 27-year-old phenom said:
“So, same goals [as I had at the start of my career]. I want to be the champion for ONE, obviously. I know mostly everybody wants to be the champ, but I really believe I can be it and I'm fighting an ex-champion coming up in just under a few weeks. Not only that, but one of the longest-[reigning] champs [in ONE]. So this is a huge fight for me.”
If Northcutt can defeat Aoki, who was not too long ago ranked fourth in ONE Championship’s lightweight MMA top five, it’s certainly within the realm of possibility that he can be thrown right into the world title mix.
‘Super’ Sage Northcutt guns for two-in-a-row in ONE Championship
Northcutt was last seen in action at ONE Fight Night 10 last May 2023, in ONE Championship’s first-ever on-ground show in the continental United States. The event took place before a sold-out crowd in Denver’s 1stBank Arena.
‘Super’ took home a first-round submission victory over dangerous Pakistani fighter Ahmed Mujtaba. Another victory over a tough opponent could put him in a fantastic position to land a world title shot in the near future.
Fans in the United States and Canada can catch all the action of ONE 165: Superlek vs. Takeru live via pay-per-view at watch.onefc.com. Check ONE Championship’s official website for more information on how to watch from your location.
