You could describe the bout between 20-year old Sage Northcutt vs 24-year old Mickey Gall in a bunch of different ways. The Heartthrob Royale. The Clash of the Kiddies. The Matchup That Makes You Feel Old.
I think we’ll go with the last one, since Sage’s choice of trash talk was to point out that Gall’s opponents “were both close to 40 years old…almost like fighting someone’s dad.” As somebody who is relatively close to 40 with plenty of dad friends, I admit that stung a bit.
UFC Picks for Northcutt vs Gall
But however you want to put it, it’s almost not fair how intriguing Northcutt vs Gall at UFC on FOX 22 is. Gall is just three fights into his pro career. Northcutt has been handled with training wheels inside the octagon. Neither fighter is anywhere near the top 15.
But Gall is the CM Punk Killer, and Northcutt is a living Ken doll with spiky blonde hair and a body that would make crossfitters drool. Gall wanted his walkout song to be “Hey Mickey You’re So Fine” and Northcutt was probably the only person in history to refer to Dana White as “Mr. White” – like he was some balding P.E. teacher from the high school he so recently graduated from.
And they’re both good-looking dudes with seemingly bright futures in the octagon. Even though this fight has zero impact on the welterweight title picture, don’t tell me you’re not interested in this fight.
It’s going down on December 17 on FOX. The UFC odds for this bout haven’t released yet, but let’s take a shot on what they could be. Remember to check BookMaker.eu for official UFC betting opportunities.
Fight Odds: Sage Northcutt -170 vs Mickey Gall +140
We have to make Northcutt the favorite. Gall has fought twice under the UFC banner, and neither of his opponents were even remotely qualified to be inside the octagon. His debut came against Mike Jackson, who only had one amateur bout to his credit. His other win came against CM Punk, who only began training MMA a year ago.
What we do know is that Gall is a legitimate BJJ brown belt, and he passes the eyeball test as a good athlete. But other than that, he’s a complete mystery. We have yet to see him throw a single punch and have no idea how good (or bad) his standup is.
With Northcutt, we have a much better sample size to draw from. He’s 3-1 inside the octagon, and those three wins came against guys who actually belong in the UFC. The lone loss came to Bryan Barberena, who later went on to prove that he was no fluke by beating an even better prospect in Warlley Alves.
What Keeps Northcutt from Being a Massive Favorite
Simply put, it’s the fact that Northcutt’s ground game is underdeveloped, and that just happens to be where Gall is strongest. Sage will have a marked advantage on the feet, but his takedown defense hasn’t been very impressive to date. He’s also had struggles with his gas tank, which is an issue that can set ceilings very low.
Still, he’s an explosive athlete that you can’t take your eyes off of. If he can keep evolving and beat a grappler like Gall, he could take a big step forward. And let’s not forget, he’s just 20 years old! He’s going to college AND fighting at the same time. When I was in college, I could barely get to class on time.
Ok, so Gall is right about Northcutt’s blonde spikes being corny. But I challenge you to take a look at photos when you were 20 and be proud of your hair choices then. Make no mistake, Northcutt has a chance to be great MMA betting value, and we will get to watch him grow up inside the octagon on December 17.
What’s up at UFC 207 as Ronda Rousey heads back to the ring? Check out UFC 207 Odds: Ronda Rousey Returns
