The Sage Northcutt hype train is back on the rails, ladies and gentlemen! According to UFC officials, the 20-year-old karateka will return to the Octagon at UFC 200. His opponent? The Ultimate Fighter: Latin America 2 welterweight runner-up Enrique Marin.
Sage Northcutt (7-1) added to UFC 200. Will fight Enrique Marin (8-3).
— Brett Okamoto (@bokamotoESPN) March 31, 2016
Northcutt exploded onto the UFC scene in late 2015 as a means to promote Lookin' For a Fight, a reality series starring UFC president Dana White and former UFC welterweight champion Matt Serra. Just 19 years old at the time, Northcutt caught White's eye with his boy band looks and high-flying fighting style. He debuted in the UFC in October at UFC 192, knocking out Francisco Trevino, and followed that up with a big win over Cody Pfister at UFC Fight Night 80.
He lost in awkward fashion at UFC on Fox 18, however, when he tapped out to the seemingly overmatched Bryan Barberena. The end of the fight, which came from a half-guard arm triangle (a technique which rarely finishes high- or even mid-level grapplers), brought about a great deal of criticism, with a slew of fighters taking to social media to question Northcutt's skills and heart (warning: NSFW language).
The UFC is actively looking to get Northcutt back in the win column, though, and matched him against one of the least-credentialed fighters in the promotion.
Marin owns a ho-hum 8-3 record largely amassed on the Spanish regional circuit, with five wins coming via submission. He has faced no noteworthy opposition (a number of his past opponents have a .500 record or worse), and his run on TUF: Latin America 2 was not especially noteworthy, as he defeated the unheralded Kevin Medinilla and Hector Aldana by majority decision and submission, respectively.
Northcutt vs. Marin will take place at UFC 200 and, most likely, will land on the preliminary portion of the card. Keep an eye on Bleacher Report for more news on the card as it breaks.
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