Barberena shocks Northcutt with submission victory

The Sage Northcutt hype train was derailed in stunning fashion.

Late-notice replacement Bryan Barberena, fighting on just eight days notice, was expected to be just another rung on the ladder in the rise of "Super Sage." Instead, after surviving an initial rush from Northcutt, Barberena submitted the 19-year-old in the second round on Saturday.

Northcutt came out of the gates hot, firing off straight punches that backed Barberena up against the cage. He maintained the advantage with a takedown, but Barberena was able to escape without suffering much damage. The first round went to Northcutt; the second round was a completely different story.

Barberena took advantage of an off-balance Northcutt and scrambled into top position. He opened up a cut on Northcutt's head with a forearm, then went to work on an arm-triangle choke. Despite the difficulty of completing that submission from half guard, Barberena tightened up until Northcutt tapped out.

The loss is the first of Northcutt's brief career. He was fighting for the third time in four months.