Since he was signed by the UFC in 2015, Sage Northcutt has been jumping around between lightweight and welterweight. He has so far been unsuccessful at 170-pounds, however, losing both of his 2016 fights against Bryan Barberena and Mickey Gall.

But despite these losses, Northcutt is still looking to continue his career at welterweight, mainly because of his troubles to make the 155-pound limit.

“Believe it or not, I’m actually planning on moving up to 170 for my next fight. Because fighting at 155, I believe the weight cut, the last three or four pounds is really tough,” Northcutt told Submission Radio in a recent interview. “I walk around under three percent body fat pretty much all the time, and the last three or four pounds is pretty tough for my weight cutting and I think it’s affecting my performance a little bit. So I guess we’re gonna see what happens.

“I have had some pretty tough weight cuts. Every single one to get down to 155 is definitely pretty tough to get there because the last little bit is definitely hard,” he added. “My body might stop sweating, or maybe it’s hard to lose the last few pounds. But I believe I’m getting older now. A few years in the UFC and my muscles are maturing more, I’m getting a little bit taller, stronger, more muscular. So we’re gonna see exactly what the game plan is, but I believe I am going up to 170.”

Given his track record fighting at 170 pounds, the 21-year-old Northcutt feels he will be more successful this time around as he expects to be able to make the necessary adjustments.

“Well, I had two fights in the UFC at 170. My first fight I went to 170 on like three or four days’ notice, so less than a weeks’ notice because I was scheduled to fight at 155,” Northcutt explained. “I was already cutting down to low 160’s to be able to get ready to finish that last part of my weight cut, and then my opponent got injured. Andrew Holbrook broke his foot, so they moved it to 170 last-minute.”

“I think it will be different, because my last fight at 170 against Mickey Gall, I didn’t have a training camp. I was in school, studying to be a petroleum engineer. My focus wasn’t focused full-time on fighting, I didn’t have the ability to have training partners and sparring and people correcting me and the best coaches in the world. So I think it’s gonna be a different experience now.”

Northcutt last fought two weeks ago in Austin Texas, where he defeated Thibault Gouti via unanimous decision. He currently holds a win-loss slate of 10-2 (with seven wins by stoppage).