Diego Sanchez admits that his next fight will be his last

UFC veteran Diego Sanchez is in the twilight of his fighting career and now he has finally made it clear to the world that his next fight will be his last fight.

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.

Sanchez has been criticized in recent years by fans and media for fighting too long considering the amount of head trauma he’s endured over his 15 years in the Octagon. A member of the UFC roster since 2005, Sanchez is by far the longest-tenured fighter the promotion has under contract. But at age 39 and coming off of several lackluster performances, including a lopsided decision defeat to Jake Matthews at UFC 253, it appears as though Sanchez is finally ready to hang ’em up.

Diego Sanchez opens up about his retirement

Taking to his social media on Sunday, Sanchez said it’s the “end of an era” as he confirmed his next fight will be his last. Check out what he wrote on his Twitter.

It’s my last fight my heart path has changed, it’s time to heal not hurt! One more Nightmare to give! It is honestly in @danawhite hands who I fight, I have no choice in it nor do the match makers #endofanera
— Diego Sanchez UFC (@DiegoSanchezUFC) January 10, 2021

It’s my last fight my heart path has changed, it’s time to heal not hurt! One more Nightmare to give! It is honestly in @danawhite hands who I fight, I have no choice in it nor do the matchmakers #endofanera

Following Sanchez’s UFC 253 loss to Jake Matthews, many wondered what would be next for him. Some thought he should retire but he made it clear he would look to continue fighting. Being in the mix for around 20 years, Diego is still extremely competitive at the age of 38. He has gone 3-2 in his last 5 fights and is keen to finish his career on a fight note.

While mentioning some possible opponents, Sanchez dropped the biggest name of all when he called out Conor McGregor. Although ‘The Notorious’ is retired from MMA, he remains the biggest figurehead in the sport. A fight against Conor McGregor brings in an astronomical amount of buzz to all parties involved.

“Nick Diaz is coming back. There are some other names, Nate Diaz, there’s a lot of big fights that would be appealing for the fans. I said I shoot for the moon, Conor McGregor is the number four fight. I envision myself dominating these next three fights and finishing my career with a fight with Conor McGregor. That’s my dream, that’s my vision. As I build my legacy and he does what he does, I’ll be waiting if he wants to do it at the end of the road.”

Purchase the UFC merch here.

To bet on an MMA event click here.