"It is all over! Sage Northcutt! Just like that!"
The new UFC hype train, aka "Super" Sage Northcutt (7-0, 2-0 in UFC), will be hitting the rails one more time before turning 20 as last night during UFC Fight Night: dos Anjos - Cerrone 2, UFC officials confirmed he will fight on January 30 against fellow undefeated lightweight Andrew Holbrook (11-0, 1-0 in UFC).
Debuting at UFC 192, the 19-year old Texas A&M student jumped onto everyone's radar by knocking out Francisco Trevino in 57 seconds. Then, he followed up his spectacular performance with another good showing, this time a second round guillotine choke victory of Cody Pfister last week in Las Vegas. What will Northcutt do this time?
Well, he hopes he can keep his undefeated record while adding the first blemish to Andrew Holbrook's. Although the 29-year old Holbrook made his debut in the octagon more than two months before Northcutt, he has been in no more fights since making his debut. In his only bout, Holbrook won a split decision, a very questionable result through this journalist's eyes, against Ramsey Nijem by the scores of 29-28, 28-29, and 29-28.
Headlined by an important light heavyweight matchup between #2 Anthony "Rumble" Johnson and #4 Ryan Bader, there is no doubt, with Northcutt versus Holbrook added, UFC Fight Night: Johnson - Bader has become must-watch MMA.
For post-fight coverage of UFC Fight Night: Johnson - Bader and UFC 196: Lawler - Condit, look no further than VAVEL USA.
UFC Fight Night: Johnson - Bader Scheduled Card
---20-5 Anthony Johnson - 21-4 Ryan Bader
---15-4 Tarec Saffiedine - 30-10 Jake Ellenberger
---8-1 Olivier Aubin-Mercier - 8-1 Joaquim Silva
---17-4 George Sullivan - 22-6-1 Alexander Yakovlev
---9-3 Tony Martin - Felipe Olivieri
---10-8 Alex Caceres - 10-6 Masio Fullen
---34-7 Josh Barnett - 35-9 Ben Rothwell
---7-0 Sage Northcutt - 11-0 Andrew Holbrook