Blue chip prospects Sage Northcutt (4-1, 4 KOs, 3 SUBs) and Mickey Gall (3-0, 3 SUBs) will meet at UFC on FOX 22, which takes place Saturday, December 17, 2016 at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, CA. The card airs on Fox starting 8 p.m. ET. Bet on the latest UFC odds at BookMaker.eu now!
In one of the most compelling prospect bouts in recent memory, 20-year old Sage Northcutt and 24-year old Mickey Gall will meet on the main card of this Saturday’s UFC on FOX 22. Though the fight has little meaning in terms of the title picture, it’s the most meaningful fight of their young careers - and both men seemingly have endless potential.
On top of that, it’s a classic striker vs. grappler matchup, with Northcutt owning nearly 80 world championships in sport Karate and Gall having one multiple jiu-jitsu tournaments since his teen years. I wouldn’t blame you for being more excited about this matchup then the main event.
Bet on UFC odds at BookMaker.eu
Sage Northcutt +126
Mickey Gall -149
Over/under 1.5 rounds, over +100, under -120
Please note, UFC odds are updated daily and subject to change.
The Case for Gall
Gall is a perfect 3-0 in pro MMA, with all three of those wins coming by way of rear-naked choke in the first round. His level of opposition in the UFC has been laughably bad, with his debut coming against an 0-1 Mike Jackson and his encore win over the 0-0 CM Punk. Beating a former WWE superstar did loads in making a name for himself, but did nothing in terms of his standing in the octagon.
But what’s clear from those bouts is that he has legitimate grappling skills. A student of Gracie jiu-jitsu with a brown belt under David Adiv, Gall’s has textbook, UFC-caliber submission offense. If a fighter is a grappling novice - like CM Punk or Mike Jackson - Gall will easily turn them into a balloon animal.
It’s also apparent that Mickey is a good athlete - he moves well, is agile and drives well on his takedowns. A former high school wrestler and football player, Gall has physical tools to work with - he just needs more experience.
The Case for Northcutt
What makes Northcutt so captivating is his electric athleticism. Put him in the NBA draft combine, and he’d likely score top remarks in a bevy of tests. Anyone with his level of physical blessings comes with an extraordinarily high ceiling - the tremendous upside potential that every scout drools over.
On top of that, Northcutt was born into MMA, having competed in sport karate competition from age 4 - before most people even learn to read. What we’re seeing today is a genetic lottery winner whose first language is combat sports. It’s part of the reason why he’s already such a big star.
Against Gall, Northcutt will have a distinct advantage on the feet. Gall’s standup is a huge unknown, but we can safely assume it’s nowhere near the level of a fighter with so many international striking championships under his belt. And when it comes to experience, Northcutt has been fighting UFC caliber fighters to the tune of a 4-1 record - something we can’t say for Gall.
Betting Guide
Bryan Barberena exposed Northcutt’s lacking ground game, which plays directly into Gall’s strengths. But Sage allegedly was dealing with a staph infection that seriously hampered his strength and stamina. It will be much tougher for Gall to get a healthy Northcutt to the ground, and he will have a difficult time with Sage’s explosive striking.
Expect Northcutt to use his cat-like quickness to sprawl effectively against Gall, then pick him apart with his wide arsenal of kicks. Gall has yet to face anyone like Northcutt - there aren’t many fighters who can strike like him - and the step up in competition is steep. I love the fact that you can get underdog odds on Northcutt.
UFC odds pick: Northcutt to win at +126
How to Bet
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UFC on Fox 22 takes place on Saturday, December 17, 2016 at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, CA. The card airs live on FOX starting 8 p.m. ET.
