Rising star Northcutt exudes positivity
Humble lightweight out to prove he’s more than just a pretty face
There might not be a more overwhelmingly positive person in the Ultimate Fighting Championship than lightweight prospect Sage Northcutt.
In fact, it might be difficult to find one in any profession.
Nearly every query from the assembled media at Tuesday’s open workouts on the casino floor at the MGM Grand was greeted with a giant smile and a polite “Thanks for the question, sir.”
He didn’t even flinch when the subject turned to accusations from Cody Pfister, his opponent on Thursday night’s card at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, that he is sure Northcutt is “juicing” because of his impressive physique at just 19 years old.
“It’s funny,” Northcutt said through a huge smile. “I want to tell him thanks for saying that because that’s a huge compliment to me. If he thinks so, that’s very nice of him to say. I’ve actually been tested four times already.”
Northcutt said he has been upset at some point in his life, but he can’t remember when or what prompted the emotion.
“I can’t think of a time,” he said. “There’s obviously a time for that, but, no, I can’t think of it.”
His jovial demeanor, combined with the looks of an Abercrombie & Fitch model and explosive athletic ability, have made him an instant star after just one fight in the UFC.
Pfister understands he was probably booked as a showcase opponent for Northcutt to score another dominant win after Northcutt debuted with a 57-second knockout of Francisco Trevino in October.
But Pfister also knows what a victory could do for his career.
“I was super excited to get offered this fight,” he said. “This is a great opportunity. I know they’re hyping him up big. This is a great fight. I feel like he’s under a lot of pressure and that pressure’s going to break him. That definitely works to my advantage. I’m just so excited to go out there and do what I love.
“I’m going to go out and steal Ultimate Fighting Championship lightweight prospect Sage Northcutt, a 19-year-old Texas A&M student, delivers a sidekick while working with his trainer during an open workout at the MGM Grand on Tuesday. Northcutt will face Cody Pfister in just his second UFC fight in a bout on UFC Fight Night 80 at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas on Thursday. the hype. They’ll know who Cody Pfister is after this. Sage who?”
Pfister says the UFC has made too much out of Northcutt and believes after Thursday that Northcutt will be nothing more than a footnote in UFC history.
“I just think it’s a lot of overhype,” Pfister said. “I guess he’s (UFC president) Dana (White)’s new boy, his lapdog for the moment, but I’m sure he’ll kick him to the curb after I go and put him down. They’re going to throw him to the (expletive) like they do everybody else.”
Even that might not dampen Northcutt’s enthusiasm. He trains between classes at Texas A&M, where he is studying petroleum engineering.
His career is nearing a point where he may have to make a decision on whether to continue his schooling. Much may depend on the results of his next few fights.
“I’m trying to see how everything plays out one step at a time, and then very possibly in the future, I might take a break from school to train full time,” he said. “It’s really just an honor to be back (in the cage) this soon. It’s just a huge opportunity to keep progressing. I’m not going out there, not that I don’t want to, but I’m not yet fighting the top 10 guys or anybody up there because I still have a lot to learn.”
He’s already starting to feel more comfortable with all of the peripheral responsibilities of his career.
“This is actually way better than my UFC debut,” he said. “Going into that, you wonder about what every little step is going to be like. What’s open workouts going to be, what are the interviews going to be like. It’s such an honor to be a part of all of this. I’m just blessed to be here, and it sure is fun.”
He’s having a blast with his newfound celebrity, too. Northcutt often posts videos on social media of himself performing athletic feats, including one in which he folded a frying pan in half.
Pfister wasn’t impressed. “I think he needs to buy better pans,” he said jokingly.
The bout will be part of UFC Fight Night 80, the first of three cards in Las Vegas this week. That event will be headlined by a women’s strawweight contender bout between Paige VanZant and Rose Namajunas.
A featherweight contender fight between Chad Mendes and Frankie Edgar headlines “The Ultimate Fighter 22 Finale” card Friday at The Cosmopolitan.
Two championship bouts headline UFC 194 on Saturday at the MGM Grand Garden. Featherweight champion Jose Aldo will meet interim champ Conor McGregor in a title unification bout, and Chris Weidman will defend his middleweight belt against Luke Rockhold. — Contact reporter Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com or 702-224-5509. Follow him on Twitter: @adamhilllvrj.