Sage Northcutt ‘absolutely’ sure return was ‘more special’ because it was in the United States

At ONE Fight Night 10, Sage Northcutt found the perfect time to finally make his return to the Circle.

Coming into the promotion with lots of hype around him, Northcutt’s ONE Championship debut ended in just 30 seconds with a vicious knockout.

Though the loss itself was a tough one to take, the biggest setback was the injuries he suffered that kept him out of any form of competition for a long time.

Adding on top of that, some lasting effects from catching COVID-19, ‘Super’ Sage was inactive for four years before making his comeback earlier this year in May.

If there was ever the right time for Northcutt to return, it was ONE Fight Night 10 where the promotion hosted its first-ever event in the United States.

Live from the sold-out 1stBank Center in Broomfield, Colorado, the fans went crazy at the opportunity to watch some of the biggest stars on the roster compete in the US for the first time or in the case of Demetrious Johnson and Sage Northcutt, make their long-awaited returns.

After receiving a great reception from the fans in Colorado, Northcutt dusted off the cobwebs with an impressive submission victory over Ahmed Mujtaba in the first round that solidified his comeback.

In an interview with Spinnin Backfist, Sage revealed that competing in front of US fans gave him an added source of motivation.

“Absolutely, 100 per cent [my return was made more special because it took place in Denver in the United States]. That was something I really looked forward to, so I really liked that," said Northcutt.

Watch the full interview below: [Quotes from 29:20 onwards]

ONE Fight Night 10 is available to watch back in full via the free event replay on Prime Video.