Sage Northcutt Posts Gruesome Post-Surgery Photo After 29-Second KO Loss
MMA fighter Sage Northcutt (11-3) got rocked in his ONE Championship matchup against Cosmo Alexandre (8-1) on Friday, and his injuries were severe enough to require surgery.
Bleacher Report's Jonathan Snowden tweeted an image posted on Northcutt's Instagram account:
If you haven't seen the clip of Northcutt getting knocked out, brace yourself:
UFC featherweight Cub Swanson offered Northcutt words of encouragement in his recovery:
Getting back in the ring after suffering eight fractures and undergoing a nine-hour operation seems like a...questionable choice. But that's what separates fighters from the people who write about them.
Based on Northcutt's Instagram message—"I'll be back!"—it appears he won't let his 29-second knockout against Alexandre keep him out for long.
Video: Sage Northcutt KO'd by Cosmo Alexandre in 29 Seconds in ONE Debut
Former UFC fighter Sage Northcutt had a less-than-ideal debut for ONE Championship on Friday against Cosmo Alexandre.
Northcutt made it 29 seconds into the first round before Alexandre dropped him with a huge right hook:
Prior to joining ONE, Northcutt had a solid run in UFC. The 23-year-old went 6-2 in eight fights with the promotion, winning each of his last three fights.
UFC President Dana White said the company opted not to renew Northcutt's deal because he "needs some work" and the organization wanted to "see where this kid ends up in a couple of years" before thinking about re-signing him.
Northcutt may not have been able to dispel White's belief with his performance on Friday, though he's still young enough to come back from this defeat and have a solid career.
ONE Championship: Predictions and How to Watch 'Enter the Dragon'
A lightweight championship title bout and the debut of former UFC welterweight "Super" Sage Northcutt headline ONE: Enter the Dragon's stacked card.
In the main event, Shinya Aoki returns to the cage just six weeks after winning the lightweight belt at ONE's most high-profile event to date last March. He'll take on 20-year-old phenom Christian Lee, who looks to become the youngest male champion in ONE history. Before their bout, Northcutt takes on former kickboxing and muay thai champion Cosmo Alexandre.
Here is everything you need to know about ONE: Enter the Dragon.
Where and How to Watch
This event will be held Friday, May 17, at the Indoor Stadium in Singapore.
Those in the U.S. can watch the contest for free on B/R Live.
The main card starts at 8 a.m. ET, preceded by an eight-match preliminary card that begins at 5 a.m.
The full card stands as follows:
Main Card
Shinya Aoki (c) vs. Christian Lee (lightweight world championship)
Nieky Holzken vs. Regian Eersel (inaugural lightweight kickboxing world championship)
Petchmorakot Petchyindee Academy vs. Giorgio Petrosyan (featherweight kickboxing world grand prix quarterfinal)
Yodsanklai IWE Fairtex vs. Samy Sana (featherweight kickboxing world grand prix quarterfinal)
Sage Northcutt vs. Cosmo Alexandre
Amir Khan vs. Saygid Guseyn Arslanaliev (lightweight world grand prix semifinal)
Kim Kyu Sung vs. Geje Eustaquio (flyweight world grand prix alternate bout)
Dejdamrong Sor Amnuaysirichoke vs. Miao Li Tao
Preliminary Card
Smokin' Jo Nattawut vs. Sasha Moisa (featherweight kickboxing world grand prix quarterfinal)
Alex Silva vs. Yoshitaka Naito
Garry Tonon vs. Yoshiki Nakahara
Dzhabar Askerov vs. Enriko Kehl (featherweight kickboxing world grand prix quarterfinal)
Mei Yamaguchi vs. Meng Bo
Shannon Wiratchai vs. Iurie Lapicus
Daniel Dawson vs. Brown Pinas (featherweight kickboxing world grand prix alternate bout)
Rahul Raju vs. Richard Corminal
Sage Northcutt vs. Cosmo Alexandre
Sage Northcutt
Age: 23
Height: 6'0"
Weight: 170 pounds
Stance: Orthodox
Record: 11-2
ONE Record: 0-0
After being billed as one of the next big things in UFC, Sage Northcutt decided to pass on their latest offer last November and instead opted for a ONE Championship contract in hopes of earning his first-ever mixed martial arts title.
Northcutt is a jack-of-all-trades, embracing the title of mixed martial artist and training in karate, taekwondo, jiu-jitsu and kickboxing under the tutelage of trainer and former UFC fighter Urijah Faber. "Super" went 6-2 during his nearly three-year career with the UFC, earning three finishes and three unanimous-decision victories.
The Texas native has lofty goals set for his time with ONE.
"I want to be the first champion of kickboxing, muay thai and mixed martial arts in ONE history," Northcutt told B/R Live.
He can't look too far into the future, though, as his first test in ONE comes against a former kickboxing and muay thai champion ready to show the 23-year-old it's a lot easier said than done.
Cosmo Alexandre
Age: 37
Height: 6'1"
Weight: 165 pounds
Stance: Orthodox
Record: 7-1
ONE Record: 0-0
Don't let his record fool you. Cosmo Alexandre is no novice to the combat world. Having competed professionally in muay thai, boxing and kickboxing as well as mixed martial arts, Alexandre owns a combined record of 98-20-1 across all four sports over a 15-year career.
Similar to Northcutt, Alexandre takes great pride in his diverse skill set. The Brazilian offers a mean combination of jabs and knees that could wobble any opponent. However, Alexandre hinted at a potential flaw in an interview with ONE.
"If he stands, it'll be a good fight. It'll be a really good fight."
The one clear deficiency in Alexandre's game is his wrestling, which Northcutt has supposedly been working on quite a bit in preparation for this bout. The seven-time muay thai and kickboxing champion doesn't seem terribly concerned, though.
"I've fought so many guys already," Alexandre said. "I know how it feels when somebody is pressuring you. I don't know if he's felt that already. I don't know if he's fought guys like me. I want to see how he feels when I kick hard his arm or when I knee hard his body."
Prediction
Alexandre is right when he says Northcutt has never competed against a guy like him. A 6-2 record in UFC is impressive, but the 37-year-old veteran is the most composed striker Northcutt will have faced up to this point.
Super likely won't out-strike the Brazilian, so his best hope of claiming a victory in his ONE debut is taking it to the mat and looking for the submission or at the least controlling the tempo of the match. If Northcutt gets into a striking session with his opponent, it's going to be a very long night. The question is, will Alexandre even give Northcutt the choice?
Alexandre defeats Northcutt by third-round knockout
Shinya Aoki vs. Christian Lee: Lightweight World Championship
Shinya Aoki
Age: 36
Height: 5'11"
Weight: 170 pounds
Stance: Southpaw
Record: 43-8
ONE Record: 9-2
Shinya Aoki is a 16-year veteran who has amassed 27 submission finishes in his career. The Japanese legend now returns to the cage after winning the title just six weeks ago.
Aoki is considered one of the most creative martial artists in the world, having submitted opponents through 10 different holds in the past. He'll look to get Lee on the mat and find his opportunity to capitalize on frankly any body part he sees fit.
Regardless of how big this moment is for both Aoki and ONE, he is not letting the moment get to him, as has always been the case throughout his career.
"I do not like being called a legend," Aoki said in a February press release (via Sportskeeda). "I just want to be an ordinary person, especially outside the ring or cage."
"I'm at my happiest when I'm concentrating on being a martial artist," Aoki said. "Beyond that, I walk about wearing T-shirts and shorts."
Christian Lee
Age: 20
Height: 5'10"
Weight: 156 pounds
Stance: Orthodox
Record: 11-3
ONE Record: 11-3
"I think Christian Lee is one of the most promising athletes on the ONE Championship roster. I don't think anyone would say otherwise."
That's a quote from Aoki himself, who heaped praise on the 20-year-old Lee. The Singaporean-based prodigy looks to become the youngest male champion in ONE history on Friday as he gets his second title shot in less than a year. He'll hope this attempt goes better than the first from last May, as he lost by split decision to current featherweight champion Martin Nguyen, who previously held both belts.
Lee's wrestling did a good job of negating Nguyen's striking, but that won't work against Aoki, who loves being on the mat. Lee, who got the finish in all 11 of his wins, must try to keep his distance to pick and choose his opportunities against the wily Aoki.
Prediction
Lee has a promising future ahead of him. The fact that he's 20 and is already getting a second shot at the title shows he's an exciting competitor and that the ONE brass thinks highly of him.
However, the ageless Aoki will welcome a plucky adolescent potentially overeager to make history under the bright lights. He's incredibly meticulous in the clinch and may just put on a master class for the young Lee en route to his signature arm-triangle choke submission.
Aoki defeats Lee by second-round arm-triangle choke
Sage Northcutt: From So-Called UFC 'Reject' to ONE Championship's Newest Prodigy
It was quiet in the dining room of the Luxe City Center Hotel in Los Angeles, where ONE Championship held athlete interviews during their first press tour in the United States. Former UFC veterans—and now ONE stars—Demetrious Johnson and Eddie Alvarez finished up their media responsibilities in the main filming room, and there was one interview remaining.
After a prolonged time spent twiddling thumbs in an empty room and growing doubtful the final interview would even happen, a large man with biceps the size of legs, the chin of Superman, and a hairstyle rarely seen since the breakup of NSYNC walked in to single-handedly light up the room with his energy.
"Hi, I’m Sage! Nice to meet you."
Sage Northcutt, a former UFC welterweight who signed for ONE last November, made his presence known immediately at the Luxe City Center Hotel. However, that day in Los Angeles wasn’t the only time "Super" made a near-immediate impact.
At the age of four, Northcutt began his martial arts career by training in karate under the supervision of his father, who is a black belt. By 17, he won 77 world youth championships in the sport, was inducted into the Black Belt Magazine Hall of Fame, and is the youngest person to ever be on the cover of Sport Karate Magazine at nine.
Even with all the success he had as an adolescent, the 23-year-old told B/R Live he still would have done things differently in preparation for his future in mixed martial arts.
"I probably would’ve started training even sooner," Northcutt said. "You have to start doing some wrestling, some jiu-jitsu."
He would’ve also changed up another crucial aspect of his life.
"Use a different hair gel."
After amassing a 4-0 start to his professional mixed martial arts career, Northcutt caught the eye of UFC President Dana White, who featured him in the debut episode of a recruitment series called Looking For a Fight in 2014.
The Texas native made his UFC debut almost a year later, winning in 57 seconds. In less than three years with the promotion, Northcutt went 6-2 and won his final three matches. He began making a name for himself in the welterweight division as White offered him matches against top-10 opponents Demian Maia and Santiago Ponzinibbio during contract negotiations at the expiration of his original deal.
"The UFC wanted to keep me as one of their fighters," Northcutt said. "My contract ended and from there I was looking forward to getting to see all the offers on the table, not just from the UFC. I had to wait a 90-day period and the UFC tried to keep me. They offered me a fight in the top 10, but from there I went out to see ONE Championship."
It was Northcutt’s trip to Singapore and a meeting with ONE president Chatri Sityodtong that gave him the assurance he needed to change the course of his career.
"I watched their event, I spoke to Mr. Chatri, and when I got to see his love for the sport and for the fighters, that’s when I made up my mind to fight for ONE."
Two days prior to ONE’s announced signing of Northcutt, White claimed that the UFC "let Sage go" on the UFC Unfiltered podcast. "Sage is young, and Sage needs some work," White said. "Let him get some work in some other organizations, and we will see where this kid ends up in a couple of years. Maybe we will pick him back up again."
Northcutt disputed the statement on Ariel Helwani’s MMA Show (via MMANews.com):
"I know at first, the UFC said that I had been cut from the UFC, but it actually didn’t happen like that. I wasn’t cut from the UFC. Actually, the UFC wasn’t able to match the incentive being offered from ONE Championship so they actually had to physically release me. It was the best thing for them to release me.
"When it was said that I was being released or cut from the UFC to go develop as a fighter and go work on my skills, that wasn’t the case. I was actually offered to fight for the Top 10 in the UFC and fight Ponzinibbio in the main event in Argentina. I accepted that fight and we said, ‘OK, let’s do a one-fight contract for this so I could prove to myself that I can fight in the Top 10. I can go beat the Top 10 guys. Then, we can come back and we can create a contract with more fights.’
"But then, the UFC came back asking, ‘Do you want to fight Ponzinibbio?’ And we said yes. They came back after that and said, ‘OK, Sage, we’re going to ask you to do a two-fight contract.’ And me and my coaches actually said, ‘No, you know what? We’re not going to do that.’"
Waiting for Northcutt to finish his media duties at the Luxe City Center Hotel was Amanda Leighton, an actress known for roles in The Fosters, The Powerpuff Girls and This Is Us. Dating the martial artist for over a year now, Leighton accompanied Northcutt during the Los Angeles leg of ONE’s press tour, as she resides in the city. She spoke to B/R Live to discuss how they met.
"We actually met on Instagram through National Puppy Day."
… What?
"I have two French Bulldogs, and I did a post on National Puppy Day," Leighton said. "He posted one with his dog, too, and then he commented on my photo, and I commented back on his, and then we just started talking through text. He trains in Sacramento, and I live in Los Angeles, so we had our first date meeting halfway in Fresno. He drove three hours, and I drove three hours. It was cute."
As someone who’s heavily involved in the life of Northcutt, it only seemed fitting to ask how she feels about the ball of energy named Sage.
"He’s amazing," Leighton said. "He’s awesome. He’s so funny. He makes me laugh all the time. I see the way he talks to people about everything, and I feel like when he talks to people, they just light up. He has this energy all the time, and I think that’s amazing. When you’re like that, people see it, and they feed off of it. You can see that it makes them happy."
Now, Leighton will accompany Northcutt throughout Asia as he starts a new endeavor with ONE. Just like fellow ONE competitors Johnson and Alvarez, Northcutt also couldn’t help but be impressed by the relatability of management.
"Mr. Chatri has trained since he was a little kid, too, and getting to see him be the owner of the company, as well as Miesha Tata and Rich Franklin [ONE vice presidents] who are former champions and have walked in our footsteps, is really interesting," Northcutt said. "It kind of makes it more appealing to fight for the organization knowing that they’ve already been in our footsteps and had fights before. It makes it more fun for me, too."
Never being one to talk badly of other competitors, Northcutt enjoys the cultural difference between ONE and the UFC.
"All the fighters I’ve met here are extremely nice, and that’s one thing that stuck out to me about ONE Championship. All the fighters have respect, and that’s what makes ONE different from other fighting organizations. They’re not based on arguing and starting up fights before the fights. It’s based off true martial arts and the respect for each other like martial arts should be."
Along with that cultural difference is ONE’s additional martial arts divisions, such as muay thai and kickboxing, not offered at any other major promotion. This is something Northcutt, who garnered a 15-0 kickboxing record before switching to mixed martial arts in 2014, expects to take full advantage of.
"The past three years, all I’ve been doing is the mixed martial arts," Northcutt said. "I think fighting kickboxing and muay thai would be super fun. I believe I have the talent for it."
"Since I was a kid, I’ve trained karate and kickboxing," he continued. "I’ve won 77 titles in karate and was 15-0 as a kickboxer, so having the footwork and movement for that since I was a kid I think would translate back to kickboxing and even muay thai now as a professional. I want to be the first champion of kickboxing, muay thai and mixed martial arts in ONE history."
"Super" can’t look too far into the future, though, as his first test in ONE is Friday, May 17, against former kickboxing and muay thai champion Cosmo Alexandre. Alexandre went 5-1 with Bellator before joining the Asian promotion.
Unlike veterans Demetrious Johnson and Eddie Alvarez, Northcutt will try to prove that young Americans can compete abroad in a sport where they typically remain stateside. On top of that, he hopes to continue ONE's legacy as a mixed martial arts promotion committed to showcasing human values.
"Alexandre's a very good striker," Northcutt said. "He was a world kickboxing champion, and he’s had tons of fights. Not only am I looking forward to fighting him and putting on a great show, but I also want to make an impact around the world to people that need hope and inspiration."
After a near three-year stint with the UFC, welterweight contender "Super" Sage Northcutt makes his ONE Championship debut on May 17 at ONE: Enter the Dragon against Cosmo Alexandre in Singapore. Watch the event on B/R Live.
ONE Championship: How to Watch Nong-O Gaiyanghadao vs. Hiroaki Suzuki
After claiming the inaugural ONE bantamweight muay thai world championship less than two months ago, legend Nong-O Gaiyanghadao puts his belt on the line for the first time against fellow veteran Hiroaki Suzuki at ONE: Warriors of Light.
Here is everything you need to know about Nong-O vs. Suzuki.
Muay Thai
First, it's important to understand the differences in this match compared to other mixed martial arts bouts. Since it is a muay thai fight, the competitors are focused on striking through punches, kicks, elbows and knees. Grappling on the ground and wrestling are not allowed.
Instead of five-minute rounds, muay thai has three-minute rounds. Because Nong-O and Suzuki are competing with a championship on the line, this match can go up to five rounds.
Where and How to Watch
ONE: Warriors of Light will be held at Bangkok's Impact Arena in Thailand, the same country where the sport of muay thai originated.
Those in the U.S. can watch the contest free on B/R Live.
The main card starts at approximately 9:30 a.m. ET. It stands as follows:
Nong-O Gaiyanghadao vs. Hiroaki Suzuki (bantamweight muay thai world championship)
Petchdam Academy vs. Elias Mahmoudi (kickboxing)
Shoko Sato vs. Mark Abelardo
Rodtang Jitmuangnon vs. Sok Thy (muay thai)
Pongsiri Mitsatit vs. Robin Catalan
Zhang Chenglong vs. Panicos Yusuf (kickboxing)
Kazuki Tokudome vs. Adrian Pang
Nong-O Gaiyanghadao
Age: 32
Height: 5'6"
Weight: 132 pounds
Stance: Orthodox
Record: 258-54-1
ONE Record: 3-0
Nong-O will be the people's champion on Saturday as he competes for the belt in front of more than 11,000 of his fellow countrymen.
The veteran's record speaks for itself, with an astounding 313 total bouts and a winning percentage of 82 per cent.
However, Nong-O has had a winding journey to get to Saturday's title match. After dominating the muay thai circuit in Thailand, he took a three-year sabbatical to coach in a Japanese mixed martial arts promotion before returning to the cage just over a year ago for his ONE debut.
Nong-O, considered to be one of the best muay thai athletes of the modern era, has schooled two fellow veterans and up-and-comer Han Zi Hao since his return, earning unanimous decisions in all three.
Just look at the show he put on last February:
The Thai is known for his clinical leg sweeps, earning points from judges throughout the match by sending his opponents crashing to the canvas. He's able to rely heavily on his opponent's positioning to use it against them, but he also isn't afraid to force opponents to defend a barrage of punches and elbows.
Nong-O isn't short on confidence heading into the bout.
"To be honest, I'm looking forward to my first knockout win in One Championship," Nong-O told Lerpong Amsa-Ngiam of The Nation. "I have to wait for the right opportunity."
The champion took his confidence a step forward, saying that "Thais are better than foreign fighters in terms of the technical aspects." Could he be right, or will his generalizations come back to haunt him?
Hiroaki Suzuki
Age: 34
Height: 5'4"
Weight: 145 pounds
Stance: Southpaw
Record: 41-11-1
ONE Record: 2-0
Hiroaki Suzuki is a terrific striker, specifically through punches. He faces his opponents head-on and relies on his power to stun or knock them out.
This match, however, will be a different test for the kickboxing veteran, as he must now adjust to the addition of elbow strikes and standup grappling that come with the muay thai ruleset.
One of his first experiences with muay thai came last January when he defeated Mohammed Bin Mahmoud by knockout in the last second of the bout.
Although a convincing victory, Mahmoud's lack of elbows and grappling attempts never fully tested Suzuki's ability to adapt to these skills he's mostly foreign to. One can assume that won't be the case with Nong-O.
"On the ONE Championship stage, my priority is to have an exciting fight," Suzuki told Newsie. I can't tell you which attacks I will use, but I will aim for a knockout. I want to say to Nong-O, 'Let's try to knock each other out. Let's try to give the fans an exciting match on the ONE stage in which one of us goes down.'"
This appears to be an attempt to bait Nong-O into pushing forward and go punch for punch with a kickboxer not used to grappling. He'll hope his message rings in the ear of Nong-O throughout the bout.
Suzuki's biggest concern should be his positioning after throwing punches. He lives and dies by going for knockouts, but Nong-O lives for taking advantage of unbalanced strikers and sweeping them to the mat while racking up points.
If Suzuki isn't careful and comes into the match too intent on an early finish, Nong-O could put on yet another masterclass.
Prediction
Hiroaki Suzuki can end a match in an instant the way he throws his punches, but Nong-O's technical ability is the perfect counter to his striking.
If Suzuki goes for the knockout blow throughout the match, Nong-O will surely earn enough takedowns to negate him entirely. On the other hand, if Suzuki decides to pick and choose his punches more often, he runs the risk of going the distance with Nong-O and hoping the Thai doesn't pile on small but effective strikes himself. That's a tough ask.
There's also something to Nong-O's belief that Thai muay thai athletes tend to be more technical simply because guys like Nong-O have been molded by the style since they were children, whereas Suzuki has hopped back and forth between muay thai, kickboxing and karate throughout his career. He's a jack of all trades and a master of none, but Nong-O is one of the best muay thai competitors alive.
If Suzuki is going to win, it will likely be through a knockout. The problem with that? Nong-O hasn't been finished in nine years. One of the most exciting athletes ONE has to offer should prevail here.
Prediction: Nong-O Gaiyanghadao defeats Hiroaki Suzuki by unanimous decision to retain the ONE bantamweight muay thai world championship.
ONE Championship: How to Watch Sam-A Gaiyanghadao vs. Jonathan Haggerty
The ONE flyweight muay thai world title is up for grabs at ONE: For Honor on Friday. Sam-A Gaiyanghadao faces Jonathan Haggerty in the classic matchup between a decorated veteran and a young star ready to solidify his spot at the top.
But who are Sam-A and Haggerty? How did they get here? What's on the line for both men?
Here is everything you need to know about Sam-A Gaiyanghadao vs. Jonathan Haggerty.
Muay Thai
First, it's important to understand the differences in this match compared to other mixed martial arts bouts. Since it is a muay thai match, the competitors are focused on striking through punches, kicks, elbows and knees. Grappling on the ground and wrestling are not allowed.
Instead of five-minute rounds, muay thai has three-minute rounds. Because Sam-A and Haggerty are competing with a championship on the line, this match can go up to five rounds.
Where and How to Watch
This event will be held at Istora Senayan in Jakarta, Indonesia.
Those in the U.S. can watch the contest for free on B/R Live. Stream it here.
The main card starts at approximately 9:30 a.m. ET. It stands as follows:
Main Card
• Sam-A Gaiyanghadao vs. Jonathan Haggerty (flyweight muay thai world championship)
• Yushin Okami vs. Kiamrian Abbasov
• Tetsuya Yamada vs. Marat Gafurov
• Yodpanomrung Jitmuangnon vs. Tyler Hardcastle (muay thai)
• Priscilla Gaol vs. Nou Srey Pov
• Thanh Le vs. Yusup Saadulaev
• Paul Lumihi vs. Sunoto
• Dae Hwan Kim vs. Ayideng Jumayi
Sam-A Gaiyanghadao
Age: 35
Height: 5'6"
Weight: 125 pounds
Stance: Southpaw
Record: 366-46-9
ONE Record: 2-0
A legend of muay thai returns, as Sam-A Gaiyanghadao attempts to defend his ONE flyweight muay thai world championship for the first time.
The veteran's record speaks for itself, with an astounding 421 total bouts and a winning percentage of almost 87 percent. However, Sam-A had a winding journey to get to Friday's title match. After dominating the muay thai circuit in Thailand for almost 15 years, he took an 18-month sabbatical to coach in a Singaporean mixed martial arts promotion before returning to the cage in January 2018 for his ONE debut.
Since his return, Sam-A has schooled two younger opponents, earning knockouts in both matches.
The Thai is incredibly crafty, waiting for his opponent to make the first move before utilizing Anderson Silva-like dodges to negate any strike attempts coming his way. Even if you didn't know about Sam-A's record before seeing him compete, you'd quickly be able to tell he's seen it all throughout his career based on how naturally reactionary he is with his counterstrikes. He seems to always be a step ahead of his opponent.
"It feels good to be back," Sam-A said during open workouts. "Winning the world title is a huge honor for Thailand and I am proud to represent muay thai on the global stage of competition. My opponent is young and hungry, and determined to take my title. But I've faced a lot of adversity throughout my career. I am prepared to defend my belt and bring glory to my country. I am thankful for the opportunity to showcase my skills once more to millions of fans around the world."
Sam-A has done so much in his illustrious career, competing against some of the best in the world and constantly training with legends of the sport. The question remains, did his 18-month sabbatical away from competition hinder his ability to prepare for the electrifying ball of energy known as Jonathan Haggerty?
Jonathan Haggerty
Age: 22
Height: 5'7"
Weight: 125 pounds
Stance: Orthodox
Record: 14-1
ONE Record: 1-0
Haggerty is a terrific striker, specifically through utilizing an array of elbows. He faces his opponents head-on and relies heavily on push kicks to keep distance from eager opponents all while looking for a potentially devastating blow. Just look at this elbow from his most recent bout last January.
The Englishmen, looking to become ONE's first British champion, is no slouch and has already won two world titles in his five years as a professional.
"I started watching Sam-A when I was about 14," Haggerty told ONE. "I'd watch him and think, '[He's a] machine.' Now I'm competing against him, it's brilliant. I've come up so quickly, but now it's my time. I hope that's he's training hard because I'm not a pushover. I will be coming to bring the fight."
Young Haggerty's moment is here, and he's ready to take down one of muay thai's best.
"I've got 15 fights, but my fight IQ is amazing and I'm coming for the stoppage," he added. "I'm going to stop Sam-A."
The General comes in as a massive underdog, but anyone as inexperienced on paper as he is will always appear that way when compared to Sam-A. Haggerty has all the tools to pull off one of the biggest upsets in ONE history, but can he put them all together when it matters most? If Haggerty isn't careful and starts the match too intent on an early finish, Sam-A could put on yet another master class.
Prediction
Haggerty has proved he can lead a promising future for muay thai. Earning a win over a legend like Sam-A, especially by knockout, would truly be a passing of the torch.
He could very well be the next big thing. However, it's still the era of Sam-A. The six-time world champion is keen to remind us all he's still the guy.
Haggerty has already said his goal is to force the issue with Sam-A, stay on him throughout the match and make him uncomfortable. However, Sam-A's quickness in dodging opponents, as well as his world-class counterstriking, is the perfect remedy for an eager foe looking for the finish. If Haggerty goes for the knockout blow throughout the match, Sam-A could catch him reaching more than a few times.
A Haggerty win would likely be by knockout. The problem with that? Sam-A hasn't been finished in over four years. The legend should prevail.
Prediction: Sam-A Gaiyanghadao defeats Jonathan Haggerty by fourth-round KO to retain the ONE flyweight muay thai world championship.
ONE Championship: How to Watch Martin Nguyen vs. Narantungalag Jadambaa
The ONE featherweight world title is on the line, with champion Martin Nguyen defending his belt for the first time against veteran Narantungalag Jadambaa.
It's been nearly two years since Nguyen won the featherweight title, having spent his previous four bouts competing in other divisions.
But who are Nguyen and Jadambaa? How did they get here? What's on the line for both men?
Where and How to Watch
This event will be held Friday at Mall of Asia Arena in Manila, Philippines. Those in the U.S. can watch the contest for free on B/R Live.
The main card starts at approximately 8:30 a.m. ET, and preceding it is a seven-match preliminary card that begins at 6.
The full card stands as follows:
Main Card
• Martin Nguyen (c) vs. Narantungalag Jadambaa (flyweight world championship)
• Yosuke Saruta (c) vs. Joshua Pacio (strawweight world championship)
• Tatsumitsu Wada vs. Gustavo Balart (flyweight world grand prix quarterfinal)
• Leandro Issa vs. Fu Chang Xin
• Ibrahim El Bouni vs. Andrei Stoica (kickboxing)
• Luis Santos vs. James Nakashima
• Edward Kelly vs. Sung Jong Lee
• Andre Meunier vs. Anderson Silva
Preliminary Card
• Eric Kelly vs. Kwon Won Il
• Saemapetch Fairtex vs. Ognjen Topic (muay thai)
• Ahmad Jasoor vs. Xie Bin
• Niko Soe vs. Eko Saputra
• Lerdsila Phuket vs. Momotaro (muay thai)
• Bi Nguyen vs. Dwi Wulan
• Ramon Gonzales vs. Akihiro Fujisawa
Martin Nguyen
Age: 30
Height: 5'8"
Last Weigh-in: 144 pounds (bantamweight bout)
Stance: Orthodox
Record: 11-3
ONE Record: 8-3
Nguyen has never been afraid of a new challenge.
After winning the ONE featherweight world championship in August of 2017, he reached new heights by becoming the first-ever two-division champion in ONE history in his next bout less than three months later.
"The Situ-Asian" nearly did the unthinkable just four months later, when he competed for Bibiano Fernandes' bantamweight title in hopes of becoming the first three-division champion in mixed martial arts history.
A split decision loss to Fernandes brought Nguyen's unheard of title expedition to a halt, but it was his thrilling finishes and knack for putting on a show that caught the attention of ONE fans.
Finishing his opponents in all but one of his wins with the promotion, Nguyen continues to make a name for himself in dominant fashion. He packs a dazing punch that knocked out former champions Eduard Folayang and Marat Gafurov, and he hopes to do the same against Jadambaa.
Nguyen looks to avoid a judges' decision, as he is only 1-2 in bouts that went the distance. If there's a downside to his game, it's Nguyen's inability to consistently land strikes throughout a bout against a patient opponent willing to wait for counterstrikes. That was on full display in his most recent bout, a unanimous-decision loss to Kevin Belingon last July.
To be fair, that match was in a bantamweight division Nguyen found difficult to adjust to. The quickness of Belingon and Fernandes provided mismatches for a competitor who is always looking for the decisive blow.
"I've come to the conclusion that I've moved on from that [lightweight] belt," Nguyen told Steven Rae of The Body Lock. "I learned from my mistakes and I learned a lot about my body."
Back in the weight division that molded him, Nguyen's motivation appears to be at an all-time high. With a win against Jadambaa, he would become the longest reigning featherweight champion in ONE history on May 17.
"I'm hungry again, I'm ready to go. So come April 12, you'll see the same hungry fighter, yet willing to kill."
The question remains: Has his nearly two-year absence from the division hindered him, or has it only made him even more of a danger to fellow featherweights?
Narantungalag Jadambaa
Age: 43
Height: 5'7"
Last Weigh-in: 145 pounds (bantamweight bout)
Stance: Orthodox
Record: 14-5
ONE Record: 6-2
Jadambaa is no stranger to the top of the featherweight division.
The 43-year-old, looking to become the oldest ONE champion in history, held the belt for over a year when he won it in 2014.
He subsequently dropped the title during his first and only defense against Gafurov, and he lost their 2016 rematch as well.
Now, after winning both of his bouts last year following a near two-year hiatus, the Mongolian is ready for a new chance at the crown. Granted, it's a chance he wasn't expecting until Nguyen himself offered Jadambaa a world title shot last July.
"To tell the truth, I didn't expect to get a world title shot so soon," Jadambaa told ONE. "I was very surprised by his offer. It will give me the greatest of pleasure to face him, but [his kind gesture] won't influence me during the fight."
Jadambaa's high-level judo presents a contrast in styles with Nguyen, as the former will look to bring the bout to the mat while the latter prefers to stay on his feet.
Jadambaa will hope Nguyen is rusty on the mat, as he hasn't faced a wrestling-oriented competitor since his last featherweight bout against Gafurov in 2017. If the Mongolian can control the tempo of the match, the odds will be in his favor against the all-or-nothing strikes of Nguyen.
"I improved my techniques, and will show you a powerful and strong mixed martial arts style in the fight," Jadambaa said. "I expect the bout in Manila will be a historic and unforgettable fight."
It certainly will be historic for one of these athletes. Will Nguyen become the longest reigning featherweight champion in ONE history, or will Jadambaa stand the test of time and become the oldest ONE champion ever?
Prediction
Jadambaa's return to featherweight title contention has come much quicker than even he expected. Even at 43 and after being out of action for nearly two years, he still wields a relentless drive to get back to the top of the division.
However, Nguyen stretched his boundaries to previously unheard of heights over the past two years, gaining in power during his time in the lightweight division and learning from the quickness offered among the bantamweights' best.
Now, Nguyen is back in his comfort zone with the featherweights, and he's looking to wipe out the division. A statement win against legend Jadambaa will be yet another legacy-building feather in the cap of one of ONE's most decorated athletes.
Prediction: Martin Nguyen defeats Narantungalag Jadambaa by second-round TKO to retain the ONE featherweight world championship.
ONE Championship Highlights: Demetrious Johnson Wins, Eddie Alvarez KO'd
Demetrious Johnson enjoyed a winning debut in ONE Championship, choking out Yuya Wakamatsu on Sunday, but it was a night to forget for fellow newcomer Eddie Alvarez.
Johnson was made to work hard at times by Wakamatsu, but he eventually got the job done in the second round after locking in a guillotine choke on his opponent, per BR Live (U.S. only):
"He's good about crossing distance, and the type of game he plays, he wants you to cross distance so he hits you with his right hand and left hook," Johnson said after the win, per Jeff Wagenheim of ESPN. "So for me, I just had a hard time crossing distance carefully. ... But sometimes you battle through adversity in the cage or in life. You just keep on pushing through it."
Alvarez, the event’s other big star, didn’t get off to a winning start, though, as he was knocked out in the opening round of his fight with Timofey Nastyukhin.
The Russian stunned Alvarez with a blistering left-right combination and backed up Alvarez against the cage to finish the contest:
"It's my style," said Nastyukhin after his upset win, per Wagenheim. "I love to finish fights in the first round by knockout, so I did it."
Johnson arrived in ONE Championship having established a reputation as one of the finest flyweights in MMA history.
In his previous outing, he was beaten at UFC 227 by Henry Cejudo in a split decision, but he’d won 13 bouts in a row prior to that loss, including a record 11 successful title defences.
Alvarez’s loss was his second in succession, as he was knocked out by Dustin Poirer in July last year.