Sage Northcutt says athletes must ‘train for all sorts of scenarios’ to overcome the unpredictability of MMA

‘Super’ Sage Northcutt believes the key to success in mixed martial arts is being both mentally and physically prepared for anything that can happen.

After a disastrous ONE Championship debut in 2019, Northcutt returned to the Circle at ONE Fight Night 10 in May and reminded everyone why he was once considered one of the hottest prospects in MMA. Meeting former Pakistani MMA champion Ahmed Mujtaba, ‘Super’ scored a stunning 39-second submission with a slick heel hook.

Looking back on his lightning-fast win in an interview with The MMA Superfan, Sage Northcutt suggested that a strong mindset and an ability to adapt is a necessary skill for anyone hoping to make it in MMA.

“So having a solid mindset is super important,” Northcutt said. “Having the right mindset definitely can be pivotal, you know, the thing is nothing goes as planned. I mean you have different game plans, you train for all sorts of different scenarios, and very rarely does your game plans go out exactly perfect.”

The victory moved Northcutt to 12-3 overall and immediately had fight fans clamoring to see him back under the ONE banner.

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Sage Northcutt hopes to book long-awaited clash with Shinya Aoki

Before making his comeback in May, Sage Northcutt was slated for a scrap with Japanese MMA legend Shinya Aoki at ONE on TNT 4 in April 2021. However, ‘Super’ Sage was forced to withdraw from the contest due to complications with COVID-19.

Ever since, Northcutt has been chomping at the bit to reschedule their scrap, even offering to make the trip to Tokyo, giving ‘Tobikan Judan’ the home-field advantage.

Both fighters have expressed an interest in making the fight a reality, but thus far, no official announcements have been made. Are you still interested in seeing Northcutt mix it up with Shinya Aoki inside the Circle, or do you believe there are better fights for the young gun and his iconic counterpart?