“Super” Sage Northcutt has been making waves since he was first discovered on Dana White’s Lookin’ for a Fight nearly four years ago. The 22-year-old welterweight (sometimes lightweight) golden boy alternates between receiving fan adulation and praise to hardcore criticism over his purses, which were last publicly disclosed as $60K/$60K in November 2017, following UFC Fight Night: Poirier vs. Pettis. That number may not seem like much, but there are plenty of fighters on the UFC roster that don’t make those figures, including the new flyweight champion, Henry Cejudo, who somehow agreed to take a pay cut in his bout against Demetrious Johnson ($100K flat purse; no win bonus).
Northcutt fought out his UFC contract last month against Zak Ottow and is now a free agent. This was a wise move on Northcutt’s part, as it gives him options, and he’s looking at them earnestly. In a recent interview with Ariel Helwani, Sage detailed some of the things he’s discovered on the free agency market. H/T to MMA Mania for some of the transcribed quotes.
“For the UFC to re-sign me, I think that would be something that’s great. I don’t see why they wouldn’t try to offer something, so I’m just waiting to find out. But, I think me being young—I’ve only had one year total of actual MMA training if you look at it, so I consider my MMA training started the day I stepped foot in Urijah Faber’s gym.
Now, I’m at a camp constantly, I’m not in college studying to be an engineer, I’m getting to put all my time and efforts to study my martial arts to be the best fighter I can be. Really, I’ve only had one year of experience and I’ve improved greatly, so no matter if it’s the UFC or Bellator or ONE FC, whatever league it is, I’m gonna be the champion. I’m training to be the champion and I become the champion at whatever I put my mind to, so I believe I will be the champion. I think the UFC will be able to realize that, so I guess we’ll see what they have to say.”
”I am a free agent, yes sir,” Northcutt said. “I’m not sure how it works, what my contract says or anything, but yes I am a free agent now and I know that going to other leagues like Bellator or ONE FC or whatever it may be, that guys or friends of mine, for example Rory MacDonald, people that fought for the UFC like Machida, they’re making double if not triple what they were making fighting for the UFC.”
”So I guess we’re gonna see what happens, but the difference is these guys are making more than what the guys are making fighting for the title in the UFC make. So I guess we’ll have to see and find out what happens.”
Sage was careful to express his gratitude to Dana White and the Fertittas for bringing him into the UFC’s warm embrace, but also astutely noted how the organization isn’t just looking for talent, they’re also looking for star power.
”I don’t want to say underpaid,” he said. “The UFC and the sport of MMA, it’s not about just talent, which I wish it was. The hard work, the grind, the energy that you put into it and how you perform out there. It’s not just about that and you could be a top ten guy, but maybe fans don’t tune in and watch some of the top ten guys because they haven’t even heard the guy’s name.”
“Sometimes someone walks into a room and everyone gravitates to that person. I don’t know how that works, but the UFC is looking for that, the UFC is a business that banks not just on talent but also how many people want to watch you fight and entertain them.”
At a time when the UFC needs promotable stars, Sage’s free agency exploration should be handled with care, because the sharks will definitely be circling.