UFC welterweight Sage Northcutt spoke with FanSided MMA’s James Lynch on his upcoming opponent at UFC Boise, training at Team Alpha Male and his move back to 170.

When Sage Northcutt first started his mixed martial arts career in 2014, he would fight at either 165 or 170-pounds. Defeating his opponents in a quick, but the flashy manner that earned him the right to call himself ‘Super’, Northcutt eventually caught the attention of UFC President Dana White and was put on a fast track to stardom which began with his inevitable debut in the promotion at UFC 192.

But Northcutt didn’t make his debut any easier for himself. Aside from possible pre-fight jitters under the bright lights of the UFC, Northcutt dropped down to lightweight, a weight he hadn’t yet competed at, and took on Francisco Trevino. In less than a minute, Northcutt made short work of his opponent and showed exactly why he was being touted as “the next big thing”.

Two months later, he’d return to lightweight and finish Cody Pfister at UFC Fight Night: Namajunas vs. VanZant, but for his next outing, he’d return to the familiar weight of 170. He’d go on to lose by submission to Bryan Barberena, making it the first time Northcutt has lost in his career. From here, Northcutt would go back and forth between welterweight and lightweight, but his most recent fights at lightweight may have been the toughest for him because of the weight cutting process.

Speaking with FanSided’s James Lynch, Northcutt revealed why he’s decided to move back up in weight and compete at 170 again.

“My last few fights at 155, the weight cut has been pretty tough. The last few pounds, my body kind of stopped sweating,” explained Northcutt. “I could make the weight; it’s just that I want to go out there and put on a great show and try to go out there and finish off my opponent, so I feel like 170 is more of a natural weight for me.”

Northcutt is preparing to take on Zak Ottow at UFC Boise on July 14 at the CenturyLink Arena. A jiu-jitsu black belt with the striking to match, Ottow is assuredly a tough test for Northcutt, who is looking to get his third straight win. For Northcutt, readying for anything and everything that may come up in the fight is the most essential key to success, which is why a game plan may not affect how he goes in to fight.

“I’ve heard of Zak Ottow, he’s a pretty big guy. He used to weigh a lot more and he fights at 170 so obviously, it’s a different weight class and I’m looking forward to it,” said Northcutt. “I think I’m training every aspect of my game to be ready for the fight.

“There’s not really like a game plan you make specifically, I mean, you obviously try to come up with a game plan with your coaches but the fight is what it is when you go out there.”

Those coaches Northcutt refers to come from Team Alpha Male, which is led by former WEC bantamweight champion and UFC bantamweight title challenger Urijah Faber. Northcutt announced his decision to join the world-renowned gym a little over a year ago and has had members of the team in his corner during his last two fights.

“I could make [155]; it’s just that I want to go out there and put on a great show and try to go out there and finish off my opponent, so I feel like 170 is more of a natural weight for me.”

Before landing at Team Alpha Male, however, Northcutt did attempt to test out other gyms. But after meeting with Faber and training with the team, Northcutt ultimately decided to come and stay in Sacramento.

“I’ve actually tried going to a few different gyms before just to check them out to see if they’re the right fit for me and we went to go train with some friends of mine and Team Alpha Male I guess is always a gym that I wanted to check out,” said Northcutt. “Urijah Faber, I had met him at a previous fight before and got to say hi to him and see how cool he is. Anyways, he kind of reached out through Instagram and we ended up linking up through Instagram and ended up talking on the phone and then now I’m training at Team Alpha Male, so it worked out great.”

The move to Sacramento is a big one for Northcutt, who has gone his entire career training with those closest to him, especially his father, Mark. Despite the move, his father is still one of his head coaches and Northcutt is adapting to life on his own just fine thanks to the tutelage of his new coaches.

“Obviously I miss my family cause I’m living out here on my own and then not having them be there all the time is definitely a little different, but I have great coaches to be with and be looking after me so it’s going good,” said Northcutt.

As for his fight against Ottow, Northcutt is aware of its importance within the welterweight division. Getting a spectacular win is a great way to bring more attention to your abilities inside the cage and ‘Super’ is hoping to remind everyone just how good he is.

Although mum on how he sees the fight going, Northcutt is positive it will keep his momentum intact as he returns to welterweight more revitalized than ever.

“Going out there to try and win this fight at 170 [is] important because I’m always looking to go out there and win,” said Northcutt. “I want to put on a great show and just look at this fight right here right now and then move onto the next fight, so that’s what I’m focused on right now.”