Teenage pro fighters are rare in MMA. Prizefighting has not always been synonymous with child athletes, at least not mainstream. Though this may be true, the concept is not entirely uncommon in the world of martial arts. Most martial artists start young to develop the mastery and technique required to perform at the highest level.The Olympics have seen the greatest forms of martial arts done by athletes who are not allowed driver's licenses. We don't see many of them in professional sports, particularly in pro fighting. Unlike other sports like basketball or football, combat sports have dire physical repercussions that are almost guaranteed in every contest. The seriousness of the possible injuries is perhaps way too much for a minor to get into. View this post on Instagram Instagram PostExcept perhaps Muay Thai, especially in its origin country, Thailand. Thais regularly have pro fights between children as young as 10 years old. This part of their sport is primarily embedded in their culture and traditions as a people, being that Muay Thai is their national sport. It has drawn a lot of criticism and controversy, but we'll let you decide where you stand on that.Today, we will talk about teenage athletes who have excelled in the more famous sport of MMA. This is quite a short list as the surging sport has not seen a lot of high-level fighters under the age of 20. Nonetheless, we found five that made headlines and are already making waves in MMA as we speak. Though most of these fighters are in their 20's now, they made a huge splash in the sport back when they were still teens. With that said, let's get on with the list.#5. Dana White's MMA prospect Sage NorthcuttIn 2014, 18-year-old martial arts prodigy 'Super' Sage Northcutt made his pro MMA debut by wheel-kicking Tim Lashley into orbit in the first round. After four more fights with a 100% finishing rate, he caught the eye of UFC president Dana White. The former karate world champion and undefeated kickboxer had the looks, skill and mass appeal to make it big in the sport. View this post on Instagram Instagram PostNorthcutt was discovered on White's YouTube show 'Looking For a Fight', where the larger-than-life CEO travels around the country looking for hot young prospects. Northcutt was fighting on Legacy FC, where he submitted Gage Duhon in the first round while White watched from the crowd. After one more win, the UFC officially signed the then-19-year-old Northcutt, making him one of the youngest signees in the company's history.The martial arts prodigy used his elite karate skills and strong wrestling background to score back-to-back wins in the UFC upon his debut. He had an abrupt halt to his ascent via second-round losses to Bryan Barbarena and Mickey Gall. However, he bounced back with three straight dominant wins before leaving the UFC in 2018.ONE Championship@ONEChampionship🤯 Cosmo Alexandre SHATTERS Sage Northcutt 🤯 REWIND to May 2019, when “Good Boy” rudely welcomed Sage Northcutt to ONE in 29 SECONDS! @CosmoAlexandre #WeAreONE #ONEChampionship9:00 AM · Sep 18, 202112412🤯 Cosmo Alexandre SHATTERS Sage Northcutt 🤯⏪ REWIND ⏪ to May 2019, when “Good Boy” rudely welcomed Sage Northcutt to ONE in 29 SECONDS! @CosmoAlexandre #WeAreONE #ONEChampionship https://t.co/DK3bvdGhqsAt the age of 23, Northcutt debuted in Asia's no.1 fight organization, ONE Championship, with a lot of hype surrounding him. He then lost via a devastating knockout to Cosmo Alexandre in the first round. The once-teenage MMA superstar will look to get back in the winning column in his next outing.