by More than eight months after expressing frustration with the promotion, Sage Northcutt has been granted his ONE Championship clearance.
After signing with the company in 2019, Northcutt (12-3) has appeared just twice under the ONE Championship record, going 1-1. The defeat was brutal, as he suffered a violent 29-second knockout against Cosmo Alexandre in May 2019, which caused multiple facial fractures and led to extensive surgery and a nearly four-year layoff.
He earned his only promotion win in May 2023 with a 39-second heel hook finish and was scheduled to face Shinya Aoki at the ONE 165 event in Tokyo in January. The fight was stopped late in the game and Northcutt took issue with the “completely inaccurate” depiction of what transpired, leading to the fight’s cancellation.
Things have been largely quiet since then, but on Friday ONE Championship released a statement on its official website announcing that the UFC veteran had received an “amicable” release from his promotional contract.
“ONE Championship and Sage Northcutt have mutually agreed to his release from the organization,” the statement read. “ONE wishes Northcutt all the best in his future endeavors.”
It didn’t take long for Northcutt, 28, to react to the news with joy and confidence about his future.
“Looking forward to 2025 and looking forward to some big fights!” Northcutt wrote on Instagram.
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