“Just being ready for whatever’s thrown out there” – Sage Northcutt has left no stone unturned for Shinya Aoki war

For ‘Super’ Sage Northcutt, the best way to come prepared for his fight against Shinya Aoki is to ensure he covers all ground.

The Evolve MMA and Team Alpha Male standout meets arguably the toughest test of his career when ONE Championship returns to Japan with a blockbuster ONE 165 bill this Sunday, January 28.

Like the combat sports world, everyone around his camp knows what the Japanese MMA legend will bring to the table inside the Ariake Arena, and with 30 submissions wins under his belt, it truly is a no-brainer.

Despite that, the 27-year-old Texas native says he won’t be too focused on ‘Tobikian Judan’s specialty on the canvas, as he wants to build a more well-rounded approach heading into their tie in Tokyo.

Speaking to The MMA Superfan, Sage Northcutt shared:

“Well, you know, everybody is looking at his films, and looking at what he's accomplished. He's known for his jiu-jitsu, but it is mixed martial arts. So just being ready for whatever's thrown out there, obviously keeping in mind about his grappling.”

Watch the interview here:

Having said that, Sage Northcutt has been meticulously upgrading his ground game alongside two of his coaches, MMA legend Urijah Faber and two-time Brazilian jiu-jitsu world champion Fabio Prado, both of whom will be in his corner for his third fight on the global stage of ONE.

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Sage Northcutt and Shinya Aoki need a big win at ONE 165

Whatever may unfold on fight night, the American athlete seems focused on bringing his A-game when he crosses paths with the former ONE lightweight MMA world champion.

Meanwhile, Aoki is in need of a win after dropping four on the trot across MMA and submission grappling. But the martial arts icon would have it all to do with a talent like Northcutt standing across from him at ONE 165.

Sage Northcutt bounced back from his shocking loss in his debut in style when he returned at ONE Fight Night 10 last May, getting the job done against Ahmed Mujtaba in 39 seconds.

Armed with confidence and looking very much at the peak of his powers, Sage Northcutt hopes to finish ‘Tobikan Judan’ in his backyard to move a step closer to his dream of owning ONE gold in the future.

ONE 165 airs live on Sunday, January 28, via global pay-per-view on watch.onefc.com.