ONE Fight Night 10: 3 Reasons Why Ahmed Mujtaba Is Tough Test For Sage Northcutt

Add as a preferred source on Google

Ahmed Mujtaba's tenure in ONE Championship has seen him go from promising prospect to a dangerous name in the lightweight division as the Pakistani prepares for his seventh outing in the ONE Circle.

But "Wolverine's" next assignment will be the biggest test of his career. He meets "Super" Sage Northcutt when ONE ventures West for the first time on Saturday, 6 May, for ONE Fight Night 10: Johnson vs. Moraes III in Colorado's 1stBank Center.

The sold-out event in the United States will mark Northcutt's return to competition following a four-year hiatus away from the Circle. And Mujtaba will be no easy task for the American. Let's look at three reasons why Mujtaba will be a tough test for Northcutt.

He's A Stoppage Specialist: With 12 professional bouts to his name, Mujtaba doesn't like to go the distance. The Pakistani punisher has amassed three knockouts and five submissions in his eleven victories, with his last two outings both ending inside the opening frame.

As Mujtaba has continued to climb the ladder in ONE's lightweight realm, his recent victories give him the confidence to serve another defeat, this time to the popular Northcutt.

He's Been More Active: Having been in The Home of Martial Arts since 2016, Mujtaba's run through the lightweight bracket has been impressive. While Northcutt has been sidelined since 2019, Mujtaba has gained a plethora of experience and momentum.

Now, the 30-year-old will enter his third straight contest against a big name and deservedly so. Mujtaba surely has the mental edge, and he'll feel every bit more confident as he welcomes Northcutt back to the sport.

His Winning Streak: As aforementioned, Mujtaba recently extended his winning streak to two in a row with two first-round finishes. The AKA product first dispatched Rahul Raju by knockout back at ONE: UNBREAKABLE III in 2021.

He smashed through the Indian in under 60 seconds to reassert himself in the lightweight fold. He followed that victory with a sublime submission of decorated BJJ player Abraao Amorim last November at ONE 163.

The first-round inverted triangle choke stunned the division and propelled Mujtaba into the upper echelon. With two convincing victories to his name, Mujtaba will provide a real challenge for the returning Northcutt, and whoever wins will certainly be projected into the World Title picture.