Fighters Only

Issue 056

November 2009

Diego Sanchez is one of the few fighters to truly live up to his nickname. The ‘Nightmare’ has proved during his four-and-a-half-year career with the UFC that he is one of the fiercest and most focused competitors in the entire sport.

STATISTICS

Name Diego ‘Nightmare’ Sanchez

Age 27

Height 5’10”

Category Lightweight

Record 21-2-0

Fighting Style Kickboxing / Brazilian jiu-jitsu

Fights out of San Diego, California

Active since 2002

A former welterweight who won the middleweight bracket of the first season of The Ultimate Fighter, Sanchez started his MMA career in 2002 at only 20 years of age and used his high school wrestling background as a base on which to build his MMA skills. Born and raised in New Mexico, Sanchez was one of the original members of Greg Jackson’s MMA team, Jackson’s Submission Fighting. He left the team in 2007 and relocated to San Diego to train with (among others) BJJ wizard Saulo Ribeiro, who awarded Sanchez a brown belt in the art.

Sanchez is known for his fast paced, aggressive fighting-style. Of his 12 fights with the UFC seven have gone the distance, but four of those were all-out energetic encounters (against Nick Diaz, Karo Parisyan, Joe Stevenson and Clay Guida). Two of those contests were awarded Fight of the Night.

The ‘Nightmare’s’ next foray into the Octagon will be his toughest test to date, and one he has been clamoring after since his drop to 155lb in February of this year. The 27-year-old has positioned himself as number one challenger for the title and will face UFC lightweight champion BJ Penn before the end of the year.

Focus

Coming from a poor, underprivileged background, Sanchez’s upbringing is the fuel he needs to fire his way to the top. Already utterly committed to becoming the best fighter possible, Sanchez worked with self-help guru Tony Robbins to further develop his focus. He shocked fans with his bizarre entrances at UFC 95 and at the TUF 9 finale, repeatedly affirming “Yes!” as he walked to the Octagon.

Cardio

Sanchez’s fitness is one of his greatest assets. A machine at 170lb, he looks even better at his new fighting weight of 155lb, and can fight at full pace for as long as needs be. The only fight in which he has ever looked out of shape was against Koscheck, though it was later revealed Sanchez was suffering from a bad staph infection prior to the contest.

Left High Kick

Sanchez, a southpaw fighter, has utilized his left high kick to good effect, dropping Luigi Fioravanti and Clay Guida with the attack.

Career Snapshot

2002

Makes MMA debut, winning by submission. Fights three times in six months.

2003

Fights four times, picks up three submission wins and a TKO.

2004

Four more fights, four more wins. Goes the distance for the first time.

2005

Wins TUF 1 as a middleweight, joins ranks of the UFC.

2006