Sage Northcutt has always been absolutely shredded, whether he’s been competing at 155 pounds or 170. Since his last fight, however, the young talent has taken his physique to a whole new level.
Northcutt’s latest Instagram posts tell the story of his incredible bulk-up — which ultimately prompted a visit from the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA).
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bh93bytHiAl/
Here, we can see Northcutt chowing down on Sushi, allegedly weighing 190 pounds. That’s 35 pounds above the lightweight limit, if math isn’t your strong suit.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bh-eDqfHgRv/
In the post above, meanwhile, we can see part of the reason for Northcutt’s massive gains.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BiAbzWFHx9i/
And then there’s this post, in which Northcutt can be seen making former UFC bantamweight champion Cody Garbrandt look tiny.
Given the way Northcutt has ballooned up, it’s probably not all that surprising that USADA eventually came knocking on his door, keen to make sure that the fan favorite is keeping things clean.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BiCcNWZh8wz/
“What’s the deal lol,” Northcutt joked in a Thursday morning Instagram post shortly after his visit from USADA. “I put on 25lbs and I get drug tested ha ha.”
Though Northcutt is currently boasting the kind of physique most of us would kill for, it’s worth noting that the young fighter has a pristine record when it comes to drug-testing.
Northcutt is currently expected to battle Zak Ottow when the UFC touches down in Boise, Idaho. Given his massive weight gain, it should come as no surprise that this bout will occur at welterweight, not lightweight.
Northcutt will enter his welterweight showdown with Ottow on a two fight streak, having recently bested Michel Quiñones and Thibault Gouti, both by unanimous decision. These wins were preceded by a submission loss to Mickey Gall.
How do you think this extremely shredded version of Sage Northcutt will perform in the welterweight division?
This article first appeared on BJPenn.com on 4/26/2018.