ONE Championship: Sage Northcutt to return from four-year hiatus vs Ahmed Mujtaba at US debut

Northcutt has not fought since a brutal knockout loss to Cosmo Alexandre in 2019, which left him with multiple facial fractures

Former UFC star will meet Pakistan’s Mujtaba at ONE’s debut on US soil, set for May 5 in Denver, Colorado

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Sage Northcutt in the ONE ring. Photos: ONE Championship.

Published: 12:36am, 24 Jan 2023

Sage Northcutt is finally set to return to the ONE Championship Circle.

The 26-year-old American has not fought since he suffered a brutal 29-second knockout loss to Cosmo Alexandre in 2019, but is now slated to meet Pakistan’s Ahmed Mujtaba in a lightweight MMA clash at ONE Fight Night 10 on May 5 in Denver, Colorado – the promotion’s debut on US soil.

ONE revealed the booking on social media on Monday.

Northcutt’s fight with Alexandre, which was contested at welterweight, was his first under the ONE banner. The quick knockout he suffered left him with multiple facial fractures.

He was briefly booked to fight again in 2021, when he was matched up with Japanese MMA legend Shinya Aoki, but was ultimately forced to withdraw from that contest when he tested positive for Covid-19.

Mixed martial artist Cosmo Alexandre winds up an overhand against Sage Northcutt.

Before joining ONE, Northcutt (11-3) went 6-2 in the UFC. The striking specialist won his last three fights with the American promotion, defeating Michel Quiñones and Thibault Gouti by decision and Zak Ottow by second-round TKO.