Sage Northcutt not counting out ‘Reug Reug’ against undefeated ‘Buchecha’: “Wrestling can beat jiu-jitsu”

Sage Northcutt’s Brazilian jiu-jitsu game has evolved immensely during his hiatus from MMA, but wrestling will always hold a special place in his heart.

So much so, that the American star will not be counting out Senegalese wrestling specialist ‘Reug Reug’ Oumar Kane in his heavyweight class against BJJ legend Marcus ‘Buchecha’ Almeida at ONE Fight Night 13 on August 4.

This Friday, inside the fabled halls of Bangkok’s Lumpinee Stadium, the two behemoths will finally clash in a possible world title eliminator.

While Northcutt comes from a karate and kickboxing background, he was also part of Texas A&M University’s NCWA wrestling team.

‘Super’ knows firsthand just how dominant a fighter with a wrestling background can be, especially in a mixed martial arts bout.

Northcutt said ‘Reug Reug’s powerful wrestling base should come in handy against a submission hunter like ‘Buchecha’, especially since he can strike his way out of bad positions.

The American said in an exclusive interview with the Singapore-based promotion:

“In general, wrestling vs. jiu-jitsu, that’s always an interesting topic. A lot of times, wrestling can outperform and beat jiu-jitsu, and if you have strikes involved too, it can change everything.”

Since transitioning to MMA full-time, the iconic ‘Buchecha’ has remained unblemished in four fights with a perfect 100 percent first-round finishing rate to boot.

It’s not surprising for the 33-year-old to be deemed the favorite on this one, but as Northcutt points out, ‘Reug Reug’ shouldn’t be taken lightly either.

The hulking force of nature won five of his first six MMA contests, including three TKO finishes under the ONE banner.

If there’s anyone who can nullify ‘Buchecha’s ground mastery, it’s certainly a formidable immovable object like ‘Reug Reug’.

ONE Fight Night 13 will air live on US Primetime free of charge for existing Prime Video members in the United States and Canada.