More than eight months after voicing frustration with the promotion, Sage Northcutt has been granted his ONE Championship release. After signing with the company in 2019, Northcutt (12-3) has only competed twice under the ONE Championship record, going 1-1. The loss was a brutal one, as he suffered a violent 29-second knockout against Cosmo Alexandre in May 2019 that caused multiple facial fractures and led to extensive surgery and a nearly four-year layoff. He picked up his lone promotional win in May 2023 with a 39-second heel hook finish, and was scheduled to face Shinya Aoki at January’s ONE 165 event in Tokyo. The fight was called off late in the game, and Northcutt took issue with the “completely inaccurate” portrayal of what unfolded that led to the bout being canceled.