UFC: Sage Northcutt shouldn't be written off just yet, despite his loss to Bryan Barberena

Northcutt should look at the path taken by a former young Irish prospect who goes by the name of Conor McGregor

Sage Northcutt congratulates Bryan Barberena of the United States (GETTY IMAGES)

Last weekend, Sage Northcutt suffered his first ever professional MMA loss when he was submitted by Bryan Barberena in the second round of their welterweight clash in Newark, New Jersey.

Before even entering the Octagon on Saturday night, Northcutt was a man with a target on his back, with several people in and outside of the sport critical of the 19-year-old's fast ascension and reported pay packet of $40,000 for an appearance, plus $40,000 for a win.

The most vocal of critics have broadcasted that Northcutt has been handed an 'easy ride' since his entrance into the UFC and that he was undeserving of all the media attention that the organisation had given him.

On Saturday, however, his assignment was anything but easy. Barberena was far more experienced having turned professional back in 2009 and with ten wins under his belt already he had a clear experience advantage before entering the Octagon.

Stylistically, it was obvious he was a bad match-up for Northcutt with his grinding wrestling style and so it proved, as he wore down his teenage opponent to the point where he was forced to submit via an art-triangle submission that was only really half locked in.

The moment Northcutt's hand repeatedly tapped the side of Barberena to signal his submission, the knives were out for the teenage star all across social media. Fans and fellow pro-fighters alike mocked the Texan native for tapping to the weak submission, calling him the 'new king of the early tap' and proceeding to use his defeat for further fuel to the aforementioned argument that he was underscoring of the exposure he had been given by the UFC.

Speaking to the press just seconds after, Northcutt said only: "I’m just disappointed. That’s all I can say," as he made his way to the back and out of the media spotlight.

Whilst Northcutt was exposed and has much to learn from his defeat, he must remember that losses in MMA are not as crippling as they are in the world of boxing where one defeat can have a serious effect on the development of a young fighter's career.

Northcutt must only look at the path taken by a former young Irish prospect, who in 2010 suffered the second loss of his career to exactly the same submission having shown many of the same technical deficiencies as Northcutt did last evening. That same man will next month face Rafael Dos Anjos at UFC 196 where he will have the opportunity to stake his claim as the 'Greatest Of All Time' and attempt to become the first man in UFC history to hold two title belts at any one time - his name, of course, is Conor McGregor.

Northcutt must do as McGregor did back in 2010 and place confidence in his coaches to guide him the same way that he trusted his head coach John Kavanagh back in the early stages of his career. Kavanagh has great saying that he teaches to all his students, "you either win, or you learn," and the latter is exactly what Sage must do following his defeat this last weekend.

Backed by his father and the team at Tristar under head coach Firas Zahabi, Northcutt must place his trust in them to help him overcome some of his raw technical flaws and build on his incredible athleticism.

Saturday night was a setback in Northcutt's road to the top, but not in his personal development should he use the experience to better himself and listen closely to the advice given by his trusted circle surrounding him.

Northcutt has all the talent in the world and if he can use the defeat as a stepping stone, there's no reason whatsoever why he can't still go on to achieve everything we've been told he can from the outset of his UFC career.

As one of the greatest sporting cliches of all time says, “It's not whether you got knocked down; it's whether you get back up,” and that's exactly what Northcutt must now do.