ONE 165: Sage Northcutt vs. Shinya Aoki firefight booked for ONE Championship's return to Japan

Sage Northcutt is confirmed to be back in action at the start of next year. After months of waiting, he has got the exact opponent that he has been calling to face.

At a press conference in Tokyo, Japan, earlier today, ONE Championship Chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong announced the first two fights for the promotion’s huge return to the 'land of the rising sun'.

The Evolve MMA and Team Alpha Male has finally got his wish to be matched up with MMA legend and former ONE lightweight MMA world champion Shinya Aoki for a high-stakes lightweight contest on January 28 inside the Ariake Arena in Tokyo.

Anyone who has followed the return of ‘Super’ Sage Northcutt will know that he has had one name in mind for his next challenge under the ONE Championship banner.

The card is set to be headlined by the long-anticipated flyweight kickboxing superfight between Muay Thai phenom and ONE flyweight Muay Thai kingpin Rodtang Jitmuangnon and kickboxing superstar Takeru Segawa.

With just two fights announced so far, this card is already shaping up to be one of the unmissable events of 2024.

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Sage Northcutt’s brief history with Shinya Aoki

Most fans who are familiar with Sage Northcutt will know that he isn’t the type to call opponents out or hold onto some kind of grudge.

Despite this, he has been very vocal about facing Aoki since making his successful return to the circle at ONE Fight Night 10 earlier this year.

Northcutt made it perfectly clear that he and Aoki still have a score to settle after the American submitted Ahmed Mujtaba in less than a minute.

The two men were scheduled to meet in 2021 until a long battle with COVID-19, in which he suffered lasting effects, kept Northcutt on the sidelines for a further two years.

Now that he is back in full fighting shape, the American hopes to close out this chapter with Aoki, a true legend of the all-encompassing sport.