UFC welterweight Diego Sanchez is the only remaining fighter in the UFC who is currently active, and was part of the original The Ultimate Fighter(TUF) which aired 15 years ago. After a long run, Sanchez has finally admitted that he is considering retirement.
He has fought a lot of memorable fights, and has been on the giving and receiving end of a lot of damage. His fight with Clay Guida got inducted into the Hall of Fame last year, very deservingly. Other notable wins of Diego Sanchez include Nick Diaz, Paulo Thiago and Mickey Gall. He has a fight against Jake Matthews at UFC 253, which might be his last one, as per his interview on the Real Quick with Mike Swick Podcast.
“This could be my last fight. This fight coming up. I will be fighting Sept. 26, Jake Matthews, location to be announced, so I don’t know if it’s going to be Fight Island, I don’t know if it’s going to be Vegas. They have me, I’m on deck, it’s my time to get on them wrestling mats and go to work, I don’t know where it’s gonna be.”
“I’m just grateful to have an opportunity through the crisis, coronavirus, and everything that’s going on all around the world, I have an opportunity,” he continued. “I’m just grateful to have any opportunity right now, because opportunity’s not just jumping around like it used to. You get an opportunity to make some good money, help your family, establish your future, you’ve got to jump on it. They sent me this contract, six weeks to get your ass in shape, Diego, and get your ass to the UFC and fight. I’m like, alright, we’re doing this.”
With 4 fights left in his UFC contract, it is uncertain whether he will be having them all.
“Look, here we go, I’ve got four more left,” Diego Sanchez said. “I’ve signed my last contract with the UFC. I’m gonna ride these last four fights out and I’m done. I can see at the end of the tunnel, I can see that light, but I’m not afraid of it anymore. Before, for so many years I used to be like, ‘No, I’m not even gonna think about that. I’m not gonna think about retirement.”
Diego Sanchez on Nick Diaz
Diego Sanchez also narrated the incident where an MMA journalist disclosed his e-mail ID to Nick Diaz, who used it to send Diego inappropriate emails.
“Nick Diaz used to send me emails,” Sanchez told Mike Swick (via MMA Fighting). “He found my email, he talked to one of the MMA journalists at the time, there wasn’t many. Gave him my email and he would e-mail me hate mails.”
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