5 possible opponents for Sage Northcutt's comeback fight

#2. Eddie Alvarez vs. Sage Northcutt

Their paths were unlikely to cross in the UFC but Sage Northcutt taking on an all-time great in Eddie Alvarez is such an exciting proposition. In fact, it could even be a proverbial passing of the torch for Northcutt.

Alvarez has long strutted his wares in the lightweight division across several MMA promotions, winning world titles in Bellator and the UFC before making his way to ONE. The entire reason he came to ONE was to win a historic third world title in the only major MMA organization he had yet to accomplish this feat.

However, Alvarez has had a rough go so far in his time in the Circle, getting viciously stopped by Timofey Nastyukhin in his debut, and then going on to lose by decision to Ok Rae Yoon earlier this year.

Whether Alvarez is simply unfortunate or is in sharp decline depends on who you ask. The fact of the matter is Alvarez is currently 1-4 in his last five, including a second-round TKO to Dustin Poirier in his last fight with the UFC.

Meanwhile, Sage Northcutt is young and undoubtedly the fresher of the two fighters. For Northcutt, beating Alvarez isn’t as far-fetched of an idea as it was a few years ago.

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#1. Eduard Folayang vs. Sage Northcutt

Perhaps the best option for Sage Northcutt, one who presents a terrific risk-to-reward ratio for him, is two-time ONE lightweight champion Eduard ‘Landslide’ Folayang.

Folayang is one of the most beloved names in Asian MMA, and has been competing at the highest level for over a decade. For a long time in ONE Championship, Folayang has been considered one of its premiere talents. However, the Filipino superstar’s best days are no doubt behind him.

‘Landslide’ has lost six of his last seven in the Circle. He’s currently on a four-fight skid, with his last win coming two years ago.

That’s not to say that Folayang isn’t still a dangerous fighter. He’s the kind of guy you just have to respect because of his capability and experience, and his unique wushu-based fighting style.

That being said, Sage Northcutt has a tremendous chance to beat an Asian MMA icon in Folayang and earn brownie points for his efforts.