Dana White blames himself for Sage Northcutt’s loss

UFC president Dana White says he “blew it” by letting Sage Northcutt fight, despite the latter’s condition.

On Saturday night, the UFC’s newest hot prospect Sage Northcutt experienced his first professional career loss against Bryan Barberena.

It was later revealed that the 19-year old fighter was suffering from a “real bad relapse” of strep throat, wherein he needed to be rushed to the emergency clinic two days before fight night.

Northcutt appeared on Monday’s edition of The MMA Hour, where he further delved into the specifics of his condition.

“Like, you can imagine if you fly on an airplane and your ears get stuffed up where they have to pop? It felt like that but times two or three, where I couldn’t even hear my coaches, what they were saying,” Northcutt told Ariel Helwani. “Even face-to-face, I couldn’t hear anything.”

During his appearance on Big Boy’s “The Neighborhood” on Wednesday, UFC president Dana White admitted to letting Northcutt carry on with the contest despite the condition.

“The kid was super sick and he still wanted to fight. His father said, ‘listen we still want to take the fight, we still want to take the fight,’” White said. “I should have pulled the kid from the fight. He’s 19 years old, he fought three times in [four] months. I should have pulled the kid from the fight.”

To his credit, Northcutt was able to fulfill his end of the deal as one of today’s most hyped athletes, taking on three fights in a span of four months. But according to White, part of the blame on “Super” Sage’s loss goes to him.

“The kid really wanted to fight and I let him fight. He was sick as hell,” White said. “I blew it.”

UFC president Dana White says he “blew it” by letting Sage Northcutt fight, despite the latter’s condition.

On Saturday night, the UFC’s newest hot prospect Sage Northcutt experienced his first professional career loss against Bryan Barberena.

It was later revealed that the 19-year old fighter was suffering from a “real bad relapse” of strep throat, wherein he needed to be rushed to the emergency clinic two days before fight night.

Northcutt appeared on Monday’s edition of The MMA Hour, where he further delved into the specifics of his condition.

“Like, you can imagine if you fly on an airplane and your ears get stuffed up where they have to pop? It felt like that but times two or three, where I couldn’t even hear my coaches, what they were saying,” Northcutt told Ariel Helwani. “Even face-to-face, I couldn’t hear anything.”

During his appearance on Big Boy’s “The Neighborhood” on Wednesday, UFC president Dana White admitted to letting Northcutt carry on with the contest despite the condition.

“The kid was super sick and he still wanted to fight. His father said, ‘listen we still want to take the fight, we still want to take the fight,’” White said. “I should have pulled the kid from the fight. He’s 19 years old, he fought three times in [four] months. I should have pulled the kid from the fight.”

To his credit, Northcutt was able to fulfill his end of the deal as one of today’s most hyped athletes, taking on three fights in a span of four months. But according to White, part of the blame on “Super” Sage’s loss goes to him.

“The kid really wanted to fight and I let him fight. He was sick as hell,” White said. “I blew it.”