Meet Sage Northcutt

Sage Northcutt is a 19-year-old fighter out of Katy, Texas. Currently competing in the UFC’s lightweight division, he’s scheduled to fight against unranked veteran Cody Pfister tomorrow in Las Vegas. UFC president Dana White has heavily promoted the bout, and named Northcutt one of the UFC’s stars of the future during a recent appearance on ESPN’s First Take.

Northcutt first came to White’s attention in late August, when he defeated Rocky Long with a second-round neck crank at a Legacy Fighting Championship event in Lake Charles, La. After the win, Northcutt, who’s said he can’t remember the last time he wasn’t happy, looked fresh and enthusiastic.

Image via AXS TV/Youtube

White was in the crowd. His reactions to Northcutt’s impressive physique and performance were filmed for an online series in which he, his friend Nick “The Tooth,” and former welterweight champion Matt Serra travel to events, scouting new athletes for his promotional empire. While he was initially skeptical, he was quickly won over.

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Just over a month after defeating Long, Northcutt made his UFC debut in Houston against Francisco Trevino, knocking him out in less than a minute. After the bout, he seemed even happier than usual. It was another high-pressure situation, but as he always seems to, he performed impeccably.

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Northcutt’s wholesome persona, good looks, and impressive feats in the cage have made a big impression on his promoters. They’re bringing him along carefully, but marketing him hard. Recently, they made a video about his UFC debut, featuring behind the scenes footage from fight night and from the hard training he did leading up to the event. Northcutt talks about his background as a champion karate master, and shows off the many trophies and prizes his hard work, dedication, and positive mental attitude have won him.

Images via UFC/ Youtube

“When I consider the short duration of my life,” wrote Pascal, “swallowed up in the eternity before and after, the little space which I fill, and even can see, engulfed in the infinite immensity of spaces of which I am ignorant, and which know me not, I am frightened, and am astonished at being here rather than there; for there is no reason why here rather than there, why now rather than then. Who has put me here? By whose order and direction have this place and time been allotted to me?”

Images and top image via UFC/ Youtube