Sage Northcutt still wants a fight with Japanese MMA legend Shinya Aoki: ‘We should do it’

For Sage Northcutt, the dream matchup against legend Shinya Aoki remains a burning desire that refuses to be extinguished.

The saga between the two has been a long and tantalizing one. Over the years, both men have engaged in a war of words through callouts and social media exchanges.

The closest the encounter came to fruition was in 2021, but circumstances prevented the bout from materializing.

Undeterred, Northcutt remains eager to turn it into a reality.

“Yeah, absolutely [I still want that fight]. We had it in the works before I had my last fight with Ahmed [Mujtaba]. We had it set and he said he still wants it. I think we should do it,” he said.

“I’ve been really focused on Shinya since after my last fight. Post-fight when we talked with all the media, it got brought up by someone out there saying, ‘How about you and Shinya?’ And it got brought up that it might possibly be the next thing. So since then, I’ve just been thinking about that.”

The potential showdown between Northcutt and Aoki promises a clash of styles that is enough to capture the imagination of fans worldwide.

The American sensation believes that his unique skill set could pose a serious challenge to the grappling wizardry of the former ONE Lightweight MMA World Champion.

“I think that fight [with Aoki] is one a lot of fans want to see. A top grappler and former World Champion versus a striker. And I’ve worked on my grappling a ton, so it’s going to be super exciting,” Northcutt said.

“I had quite a few years off, and I came back in my last fight, won by submission in the first round, and now I’m going to be possibly fighting Shinya. He’s one of the top guys in the division.”

His dynamic striking and relentless pace have led to spectacular knockouts, a trait he plans to utilize against the Japanese legend.

“I’m obviously going out there to try to win and finish my opponent. So I guess we’ll see after the fight,” he said.

Sage Northcutt only wants Shinya Aoki as next opponent

In the competitive landscape of the lightweight MMA division, Sage Northcutt finds himself surrounded by eager competitors wanting a piece of him.

However, Northcutt remains steadfast in his pursuit of a date with #5-ranked contender Shinya Aoki.

“It’s cool. People call other people out, but I got my focus on one fight at a time. So right now, I’m focused on fighting Shinya,” he said.

“He’s the former champion. He’s nobody to look over. That’s a big fight. I’m excited for that one. Hopefully, we get that here soon.”