UFC on FOX 18 results: Bryan Barberena slows Sage Northcutt hype with submission win

Bryan Barberena

NEWARK, N.J. – With some elbows and a squeeze from half-guard, short-notice replacement Bryan Barbarena wiped the smile off Sage Northcutt’s face.

Barbarena (11-3 MMA, 2-1 UFC) capitalized in the second round after Northcutt (7-1 MMA, 2-1 UFC) got a little too flashy for his own good, pounding on the 19-year-old phenom before locking in an arm-triangle that brought a quick tap.

The welterweight bout opened today’s UFC on FOX 18 main card at Prudential Center in Newark, N.J. It aired on FOX following prelims on FOX Sports 1 and UFC Fight Pass.

Barbarena wasn’t even fully in the classic position to get the submission, but he sent the air wheezing out of Northcutt’s hype bubble at the 3:06 mark of the second round.

Northcutt and the UFC took a gamble in recruiting Barbarena on eight days’ notice in a fight one class above Northcutt’s natural 155 pounds. And while the fight started promisingly for the youngster, things went rapidly downhill.

Northcutt charged in at the outset and landed several good right hands before depositing Barbarena on the mat. One of the exchanges cut Barbarena over the left eye, and yet he rallied to his feet, where he landed a right hook as the two traded leather in the final seconds of the frame.

Northcutt seemed poised to widen his lead until he tried to execute move more suited to a kung fu flick than the octagon as he planted his hand and threw a hook kick. Barbarena took the gift and ran with it, holding top position and softening up his young opponent with elbows.

Rather than scramble to his feet, Northcutt displayed his inexperience by clinging to Barbarena in hopes of winning a standup. A reprieve was not to be found.

Gradually, Barbarena advanced position until he locked up Northcutt’s head and arm in half-guard, and from the opposite side necessary to finish, no less. Despite the apparent technical disadvantage, Northcutt tapped as the pressure mounted. It was his first defeat as a professional while Barbarena, a product of the famed MMA Lab, reverses a decision loss to Chad Laprise in his previous fight.

Up-to-the-minute UFC on FOX 18 results include:

• Bryan Barberena def. Sage Northcutt via submission (arm-triangle choke) – Round 2, 3:06
• Tarec Saffiedine def. Jake Ellenberger via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
• Diego Ferreira def. Olivier Aubin-Mercier via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
• Rafael Natal def. Kevin Casey via TKO (punches) – Round 3, 3:37
• Wilson Reis def. Dustin Ortiz via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
• Alexander Yakovlev def. George Sullivan via knockout (punches) – Round 1, 3:59
• Alex Caceres def. Masio Fullen via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
• Randy Brown def. Matt Dwyer via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
• Damon Jackson vs. Levan Makashvili majority draw (29-27, 28-28, 28-28)
• Tony Martin def. Filipe Olivieri via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 3, 3:02

For more on UFC on FOX 18, check out the UFC Events section of the site.

(MMAjunkie’s Matt Erickson contributed to this report on site in Newark.)