“I just want to let it all out” – Sage Northcutt growing impatient to face Shinya Aoki in Tokyo on January 28

‘Super’ Sage Northcutt is counting down the days until his highly anticipated return to the Circle this Sunday (January 28) at ONE 165.

Emanating from Ariake Arena in Tokyo, Japan, fight fans will bear witness to one of the most stacked cards in ONE Championship history. Two epic ONE world title clashes will go down in The Land of the Rising Sun, but first, a high-stakes lightweight clash between Texas native Sage Northcutt and Japanese MMA icon Shinya Aoki will have viewers on the edge of their seats.

Speaking with The MMA Superfan ahead of his first appearance in 2024, Northcutt revealed his excitement over the opportunity to compete with the former ONE lightweight champion on combat sports’ biggest stage.

“Yeah, I feel great,” Northcutt said. “I've been training very hard. I got a great team behind me and I couldn't be more excited. Now, I just want to let it all out when I face Shinya Aoki. It’s something I’ve been waiting for.”

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Sage Northcutt is seeking the biggest win of his MMA career

Sage Northcutt will look to carry over the momentum he built in his 2023 return into the new year. After a brutal promotional debut in 2019 and a slew of subsequent injuries and illnesses, ‘Super’ struck back with a stunning 39-second heel hook submission of Ahmed Mujtaba at ONE Fight Night 10 in May.

A victory over a legend like Shinya Aoki could very well put him on the radar for lightweight title contendership. But getting that win is much easier said than done when you’re talking about one of the most well-rounded and respected mixed martial artists in Japan.

Will Northcutt rise to the occasion and claim the biggest win of his MMA career, or will ‘Tobikan Judan’ once again show the world why he is a living legend in combat sports?

ONE 165 airs live on Sunday, January 28, via global pay-per-view on watch.onefc.com.