The 20 year-old ‘Super’ Sage Northcutt got back to winning ways tonight against Enrique Marin at UFC 200 with a unanimous decision win on the scorecards.
Round One:
Northcutt catches Marin with a jab. He lands a kick upstairs and then a punch. Marin with a punch.
Good head kick for Northcutt, but Marin wears it ok. Front kick for Northcutt. He looks for a jumping knee, but Marin then moves into the clinch and pushes him up against the cage.
Marin lands a knee as he continues to apply pressure from this position. He goes for the takedown, but Northcutt keeps his balance. More knees from Marin. He drops down for a takedown and gets it.
Northcutt goes for a leg lock attempt and uses that to sweep on top. Nice work from Northcutt and he’s then able to take Marin’s back.
Northcutt with some short punches to the head. Marin moves to his back and gets Northcutt into half guard. Northcutt postures up and lands a strike.
Marin able to get back to his feet and straight into the clinch against the cage. Northcutt breaks free and lands a knee to the body and then swoops into a takedown attempt. It doesn’t pay off though and Marin tries to take his back. Northcutt able to shake him off though.
Northcutt on top now as Marin turtles up. Marin scrambles on top again though as the round comes to a close.
Round Two:
Marin with a leg kick. Now a jab. Northcutt lands his jab, then targets the body with a punch. Good right hand connects for Northcutt.
Both men exchange in the pocket. Northcutt steps in with a punch and then back out. He goes for a stomp to the leg.
Northcutt initiates a takedown, but it doesn’t work out for him and Marin ends up on top. Marin in north-south position now and tries for a kimura. He changes to an armbar and Northcutt is having to work hard to try to prevent it.
Marin extends his arm, but Northcutt shows great heart to hang in there and manages to escape and end up on top in Marin’s guard. Good stuff from Northcutt.
Northcutt leaves some space and Marin scrambles and gets on top again. Northcutt has potential, but there’s a lot of holes in his ground game at the age of 20.
Marin is back in north-south position and again goes for the kimura. Northcutt defends and then it’s back to the armbar. He’s not able to extend it this time and Northcutt survives, ending up on top as the round comes to a close.
Round Three:
Marin lands a punch to start. Right hand for Northcutt. Both men exchange in the pocket. Front kick attempt from Northcutt. Into the clinch now, which was what Northcutt’s corner didn’t want.
Marin presses him up against the cage. He goes for the legs and lands a takedown. Northcutt gets to his knees as he tries to stand, but Marin is doing his best to keep him down.
A few punches from Northcutt and he’s able to stand, but Marin remains clinched and gest to his back momentarily. Marin back to working for another takedown. As he tries to suck his legs out from under him Northcutt lands some strong elbows to his head.
Marin drags him down, but Northcutt gets on top. Before he can do much with it, Marin powers back up and is back to looking for the takedown. Marin takes his time and eventually gets Northcutt down again with a minute to go in the fight.
Marin almost in full mount now, but Northcutt gets to his knees and then stands. Northcutt rolls and ends up on top in Marin’s guard.
Nice elbow from Northcutt. He presses Marin’s head to the cage as he postures over him and looks for ground and pound as the fight comes to a close.
Decision:
Close fight then, but the judges are unanimous in their decision, and ‘Super’ Sage Northcutt gets the nod to return to winning ways (29-28 x3).
A good test for Northcutt then that confirms he’s got a long way to go in his ground game, but he showed the heart of a fighter to get out of that early armbar attempt and he can no get back into training with a win under his belt.
