Sage Northcutt reveals having 9-hour surgery to repair facial fractures from knockout

Sage Northcutt’s first career knockout loss came at a costly price.

Northcutt’s anticipated ONE Championship debut went down Friday in Singapore, and it was essentially a worst-case scenario. Northcutt (11-3) was knocked out in brutal fashion just 29 seconds into his fight with Cosmo Alexandre (8-1), getting left face first on the canvas after taking a huge punch.

Although Northcutt was alert and walking around the ring following the knockout, the damage was extensive. He shared an update from the hospital on Saturday night and revealed that he’d undergone a nine-hour surgery for eight facial fractures sustained in the contest.

Unsurprisingly, though, Northcutt was upbeat when delivering the message (via Instagram):

Fresh out of surgery…I had 8 fractures and a nine hour intense operation. Feeling blessed for the amazing care and all the support from @onechampionship, my family/friends and fans! My Terminator face is not too Shabby.. “I’ll be back!” Next post is catheter removal…stay tuned-JK

Northcutt did not provide a timeline for his potential return, but apparently it’s possible not to keep him out for long. UFC featherweight Cub Swanson shared some insight from his own experience (via Twitter):

Hey @sagenorthcutt I had almost the exact same injury in 2011 & I was back in the Octagon a few months later. I’m sure you’ll comeback stronger than ever too

For more on ONE Championship 96, check out the MMA Events section of the site.