10 Biggest MMA Prospects Pushed Too Soon

Sage Northcutt was a given to appear on this list, but not for the reason many expected.

Despite a few setbacks during his tenure, the UFC’s matchmaking for Northcutt was solid, with a steady increase in fighter quality culminating in his win over veteran Zak Ottow at Fight Night: Boise.

When ONE Championship signed Northcutt in 2019, the company threw away the stabilisers and pitted him with Cosmo Alexandre, a seven time kickboxing and Muay Thai champion who’d claimed five of his past seven MMA wins by knockout.

Northcutt, not used to fighting in a ring, was immediately cornered by Alexandre before being dropped with a vicious overhand, suffering eight facial fractures in the process.

Joe Rogan and Brendan Schaub were among those critical of ONE’s match-making, even believing Sage had been used as a scapegoat to showcase the Asian promotion’s superiority against the UFC. After once being held as a face of MMA, the fight leaves many, including UFC President Dana White, questioning Northcutt’s future in the sport.