Tag: Diego Sanchez

Dana White tells Diego Sanchez he’s only a phone call away, but unsure he’d rebook farewell fight

Joshua Fabia is out of the picture, but Dana White isn’t fond of rebooking Diego Sanchez’s retirement fight.

If [autotag]Diego Sanchez[/autotag] needs him, Dana White says he knows how to get in touch with him.

According to White, he’s never had a problem with the “The Ultimate Fighter 1” middleweight winner – despite all the drama that has ensued in recent weeks. While Sanchez (30-13) recently claimed White won’t return his calls, the UFC president said the opposite is true. The “TUF 1” cast holds a special place in White’s heart.

“Diego Sanchez can pick up the phone and call me – any of those ‘TUF (1)’ kids. You know what I mean?” White told Yahoo Sports on Wednesday. “I had a falling out a few years ago with Josh Koscheck. If Josh Koscheck picked up the phone and called me, I would talk to Josh Koscheck. If any of those kids needed me, all they’ve got to do is pick up the phone and call me.”

No matter where Sanchez goes from here, White will always consider him a major player in the company’s ascent to greatness. Sanchez competed 32 times for the promotion over the span of a 15-year career that dated back to 2005. He was part of the influential inaugural season of “The Ultimate Fighter” that White alluded to that rose the promotion from the ashes of debt.

“Diego Sanchez, this will always be his house,” White said. “He will always be a part of the history of this company. As long as I’m here, he’ll always be respected for what he’s done for the UFC and ‘The Ultimate Fighter.’ I don’t really follow any of that sh*t. I don’t really follow any of that sh*t. I don’t really care what anybody says. When I tell you I don’t give a f*ck, I could not be more honest when I tell you I don’t give a f*ck. I love Diego Sanchez. I always will. If Diego needs me, all he needs to do is pick up the phone.”

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In late April, Sanchez announced he’d been released from the UFC, which the promotion later confirmed. The departure came after months of controversial events behind the scenes and in the public eye pertaining to Sanchez’s coach at the time, Joshua Fabia.

This past week, Sanchez announced he’d parted ways with Fabia, who in turn publicly criticized his former fighter shortly thereafter. While Fabia was removed from Sanchez’s circle, White is unsure it changes anything pertaining to a future “farewell fight.” White said he didn’t like the idea of Sanchez vs. Donald Cerrone, which was on the books at the time of Sanchez’s departure.

“I don’t know,” White said. “I honestly don’t know. Even when we were doing his farewell fight, I didn’t love the fact that he’s still fighting. No matter what I do, if I let Diego go, he’ll probably end up somewhere else. You know what I mean? That’s what I was thinking at the time. I love the kid. He wanted one more fight (and) I was going to give it to him. Then, all hell broke loose, and here we are today.”

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Joshua Fabia details ‘weird stuff’ Diego Sanchez did while partners, claims being taken advantage of

Joshua Fabia has fired off some hefty accusations about Diego Sanchez after their split.

Joshua Fabia has spoken out for the first time since cutting professional ties with [autotag]Diego Sanchez[/autotag].

Fabia had been coaching, managing and mentoring Sanchez (30-13 MMA, 19-13 UFC) for the past two years, but their relationship came to an abrupt end last week.

The controversial School of Self-Awareness founder pulled no punches when discussing Sanchez, claiming that the “The Ultimate Fighter 1” winner has been dealing with an array of issues.

“Diego was definitely a celebrity,” Fabia said in an interview on “Behind the Scenes” with Summer Helene. “He had some celebrity asshole tendencies. He didn’t like tipping, and he did some weird stuff in front of me that you know, threw up some red flags. But over time, just talking to him, it kind of just seemed, like I said, the celebrity stuff.”

He continued, “Things like, you get a divorce and you have a child, but you get a one-bedroom condo. Things just didn’t make sense to me, but I’m thinking, ‘OK, he’s got his own plans. He knows what he’s gonna do. Maybe it’s just super temporary, like I don’t know.’ And I’m wondering why he’s driving around in a $3,000 Mercedes?’ Just questions that throw up flags, but I’m thinking, ‘He’s telling me he’s frugal. He’s saving his money. OK.’

“From everything on the outside, as a trainer that’s seeing somebody three days a week – I mean, I moved him into the condo. I helped him in the divorce and this little moment and everything seemed pretty much the same as anybody else under these circumstances, to a certain degree.”

Fabia and Sanchez got into numerous spats with the UFC before splitting, among them an argument with the broadcast commentary crew in their UFC 253 fighter meeting. The final straw was when Fabia requested the history of Sanchez’s medical records prior to his Donald Cerrone fight on May 8, which sparked some concern from the UFC. When Sanchez failed to confirm that he wasn’t suffering from any long-term medical conditions before the fight, the UFC decided to terminate his contract.

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Sanchez, who last week announced that he cut business ties with Fabia, has not commented on the matter. Fabia, on the other hand, didn’t mince his words, lobbing hefty accusations towards Sanchez.

“As I get to more information, as I’m with the lawyer and the lawyer talks to Diego and asks Diego about his education, and he starts talking about he was in special education,” Fabia said. “Holy sh*t. Huge red flags, man. This is not, at all, what anyone who perceived, and Diego is not anywhere near what anybody knows, man.

“And Diego has been an addict. He hasn’t told anybody for the past five months, I was his sponsor living with him, that I had to live there because he was broke and lost all his money and strung out on Kratom and alcohol and 30 other substances, that he has sexual abuse issues. No, he didn’t say any of that, man, and I’ve been holding up all this. I’ve been doing everything, and everybody’s coming at me.”

Fabia has been the subject of plenty of criticism for his unorthodox training methods, including allegedly teaching Sanchez a “death choke” ahead of his fight with Michael Chiesa at UFC 239. He was also seen chasing fighters, including Sanchez and Emil Meek, around the cage with a sharp blade in training, as well as a recent video that surfaced of Fabia punching and kicking Sanchez while he was suspended upside down.

But despite everything that’s been said about him, including UFC president Dana White labeling him “bats*t crazy,” Fabia thinks he’s been unfairly painted as the bad guy. In fact, he believes like he’s the one that’s been used for the past couple of years, not the other way around.

“I’ll put it out there, I’ll put out all the proof, I’ll put out all the videos, man,” Fabia said. “Diego has clearly been taking advantage of me for two years, as I have been fighting for him and putting myself on the line for him with zero benefit. I am the one getting death threats here.”

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Diego Sanchez splits from manager and coach Joshua Fabia

Diego Sanchez’s professional relationship with controversial figure Joshua Fabia has come to an end.

[autotag]Diego Sanchez[/autotag]’s professional relationship with controversial figure Joshua Fabia has come to an end.

Sanchez, the former UFC veteran and winner of “The Ultimate Fighter 1,” is no longer working with Fabia, who’s served as his coach and manager these past few years. The news of their split was reported Thursday by MMA Fighting, which received word from Sanchez and his attorney, Charles Lakins, who added that Sanchez cut business ties with Fabia.

Sanchez (30-13) began working with Fabia, owner of the School of Self-Awareness, prior to his Mickey Gall bout in March 2019. The two worked together for four UFC bouts, with Sanchez going 2-2 in those fights.

Over the years, Fabia began making headlines because of his unorthodox training methods, confrontations with UFC staff and other fighters, among other things. Most infamously, Fabia was a protagonist in Sanchez’s unceremonious release from the UFC last month.

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Sanchez, 39, was scheduled to fight fellow veteran and former Jackson Wink MMA teammate Donald Cerrone on May 8 at UFC on ESPN 24 but was pulled from the bout and replaced by Alex Morono. Later it was revealed the the UFC had terminated Sanchez’s contract after Fabia requested Sanchez’s medical records history with the company. The request sparked concern over Sanchez’s health from UFC officials, who asked to confirm that Sanchez was not suffering from any long-term medical injuries or conditions before he fought on May 8. Sanchez and Fabia didn’t confirm and thus the UFC terminated his contract.

According to MMA Fighting, Sanchez is supposed to make an official announcement on the split with Fabia next week.

Sanchez competed in the UFC from 2005 to 2021. He’s a former UFC title challenger, having competed for the UFC lightweight belt against then-champion B.J. Penn in 2009. He lost the fight by fifth-round TKO.

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Jon Jones ‘really disgusted’ by leaked Diego Sanchez-Joshua Fabia training footage

Jon Jones is “without words” after watching Diego Sanchez hang upside down and absorbing strikes from his trainer, Joshua Fabia.

Former UFC light heavyweight champion [autotag]Jon Jones[/autotag] is speechless.

On Friday, a roughly three-minute training video featuring now former UFC fighter [autotag]Diego Sanchez[/autotag] and trainer Joshua Fabia leaked on YouTube, which caused quite a stir. It has since been deleted, but footage continues to circulate on social media.

At one point in the video, Sanchez is suspended in the air upside down while Fabia punches, slaps and kicks him in the head and face. Sanchez simply hangs there and absorbs the strikes, eventually covering his face.

Jones, who was teammates with Sanchez for years at Jackson Wink MMA, has seen that footage, and he is disturbed to say the least.

“I am without words, really disgusted,” Jones tweeted Saturday. “As a person that used to know Diego, this is the last thing he needs.”

The leaked video is the latest twist since Sanchez was unceremoniously released by the UFC last week. That decision was made after Fabia contacted the UFC with a request for Sanchez’s complete medical history before his final fight with the promotion, which was to be against Donald Cerrone at UFC on ESPN 24. The request raised red flags for the promotion, leading to Sanchez being cut.

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Since then, Sanchez, 39, has questioned why the UFC was so alarmed by the medical records request and said he fears he could be killed for speaking out against the promotion.

Fabia, the founder of the School of Self-Awareness, teamed up with Sanchez in 2019 after his split from Jackson Wink and has been at the center of controversy ever since.

Sanchez, the original winner of “The Ultimate Fighter” in 2005, spent 16 years with the UFC.

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Video: Despite the recent drama, we share our favorite Diego Sanchez memories

If we’ve reached the end of Diego Sanchez’s career, to put it bluntly, it’s been a strange saga to close things out.

If we’ve reached the end of [autotag]Diego Sanchez[/autotag]’s career, to put it bluntly, it’s been a strange saga to close things out.

Sanchez has been in the news plenty of late, much of it thanks to his coach and manager, Joshua Fabia – who has been called “batsh*t nuts” by UFC president Dana White and has had fighters and fans alike clamoring, even begging Sanchez to ditch him.

The drama train doesn’t show a lot of signs of stopping, particularly with Sanchez saying he fears for his life – that he thinks the UFC might come after him.

Sigh.

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But let’s try to flip the script a little bit, at least in terms of what we’re focusing on. We asked our “Spinning Back Clique” panel of “Gorgeous” George Garcia, Brian “Goze” Garcia and Nolan King to talk about their favorite Sanchez memories. They discussed it with host John Morgan.

You can watch their discussion in the video above, or check out this week’s full episode below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2UKre8JhVY0

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Diego Sanchez afraid UFC will come after him: ‘I’m fearful for my motherf***ing life’

Diego Sanchez has not minced words since his unceremonious release from the UFC, and he’s genuinely concerned that he could pay for them.

[autotag]Diego Sanchez[/autotag] has not minced words about the UFC in the aftermath of his unceremonious release, and he’s genuinely concerned that he might pay for it.

Sanchez (30-13 MMA, 19-13 UFC), who was supposed to co-headline Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 24 event against Donald Cerrone, was pulled from his fight and released by the UFC after he and manager Joshua Fabia asked the UFC for his medical records.

Fabia requested Sanchez’s medical records throughout his 16-year tenure with the promotion, which alarmed the UFC about Sanchez’s health. Although Sanchez passed all the medicals leading up to the fight, the UFC was not ready to put him in there if he couldn’t confirm that he wasn’t suffering long-term medical issues. Sanchez and his team provided insufficient evidence in their response, and Sanchez was subsequently pulled from the fight before he was cut.

It’s been more than a week of drama for the original winner of “The Ultimate Fighter,” who gave a lengthy interview to SiriusXM’s “MMA Today” in which he expressed concern over potential consequences of what he’s had to say about the UFC and its treatment of fighters after their careers end with the promotion.

“I’m going to tell you guys frankly, right now, I’m fearful for my motherf*cking life,” Sanchez said. “I’m fearful that this company, this billion-dollar monopoly company worldwide is going to come after me. Something might happen to me in two years, maybe in a couple years. Maybe I wreck my truck. Maybe, ‘Oh, Diego overdosed, some suicide sh*t.’ I don’t know, but I would not put anything past the level of evil that is within this corporation.”

He continued, “If I was to expose some of the stuff that I know about, because I’ve been in this motherf*cker longer than than anybody else and been the only one that survived the b*tch, that went through the dark tunnel and came out the other side.”

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Sanchez, who claimed that he and Fabia have recorded conversations with UFC officials for the past two years as “insurance,” released a video last week purporting to show him (in a wheelchair) and his team stranded at the airport after being left behind by UFC-arranged transportation upon return from Abu Dhabi. He then released video from his UFC 253 fighter meeting ahead of his bout with Jake Matthews last September, which showed Fabia confronting the UFC’s broadcast team about their commentary and treatment of Sanchez.

Toward the end of Sanchez’s interview on “MMA Today,” Sanchez was brought to tears over his request to just get a meeting with UFC president Dana White, which he said never came to fruition.

“I’m going to say this to Dana White: Dana, what’s up, Dana? What’s up, Dana? Man, I tried for two years to get a meeting with you,” Sanchez said. “Oh sh*t. I was the first ‘Ultimate Fighter.’ Didn’t that show do something for the company when it was $60 million in debt? Oh, all those ‘Fight of the Night’ (bonuses). All that TV time (on) Spike TV, Fox TV, ESPN, all of them, and you can’t meet with your boy? I’m there in Vegas training. I’m going to Vegas, and I’m training there weeks on weeks on weeks. I put 60 to 70 weeks in the UFC PI, just to try to get a meeting with you, Dana. Just to try to meet you in crossing.

“But you won’t meet with me? Because you don’t want to hear what I have to say? You don’t want to talk to me? You don’t want to talk to my batsh*t crazy manager? Why? Because he might bring some light? He might bring some awareness to what you’re hiding in the dark? I’m still open to meeting with you, Dana. Be a f*cking man. Be a real f*cking boss, when I’ve bled, I’ve sweat, I’ve f*cking cried. I’ve f*cking cried for this f*cking company. I’ve f*cking sacrificed more than you will ever know. And you can’t f*cking have 45 minutes to meet with me?”

You can watch the full interview in the video below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PXjA2Gyq4vQ

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Diego Sanchez questions UFC’s reaction to medical records request: ‘I’m never gonna get sh*t’

“If Dana White won’t answer my calls now … once I’m done and I’m out of the UFC, do you think I’m gonna be able to get a hold of anybody?”

As far as [autotag]Diego Sanchez[/autotag] is concerned, he was just trying to make things easier on his future self by asking the UFC for his medical records.

Sanchez, a Season 1 winner of “The Ultimate Fighter,” was pulled from his May 8 fight against Donald Cerrone and subsequently released from the UFC. Sanchez’s fight with “Cowboy” was expected to be his farewell from the promotion.

Instead, his unceremonious exit came after Sanchez’s manager, Joshua Fabia, reached out to the UFC’s medical team requesting the fighter’s records throughout his 16-year history with the promotion. That set off alarm bells for the UFC, whose chief legal officer, Hunter Campbell, reached out to Sanchez and Fabia to clarify what was going on.

In a video posted Friday to his Instagram page, Sanchez said he received a text message from UFC matchmaker Sean Shelby underscoring the importance of replying to Campbell.

“It was a message saying, ‘Diego, you need to check your email, because Hunter sent you an email, and it’s extremely important that you read this email and respond to this email by tomorrow, or the fight is going to be canceled,'” Sanchez said.

Sanchez (30-13 MMA, 19-13 UFC) indicated that message from Shelby took him by surprise, and he “replied the best way I could to Hunter’s email, and that’s with my lawyer’s advice.”

https://www.instagram.com/tv/COT19dNHU5s/?igshid=x9v3kn72emxz

“UFC wanted me to state that I am not experiencing any neurological issues and that I have no long-term health side effects from fighting a career of (16) years in the UFC,” Sanchez said. “My advisers told me, ‘Basically what they’re trying to do is, right before you finish your last fight, they’re trying to make sure they have documentation of you saying that you never sustained anything. So basically you’re being forced, being bullied into waiving your medical rights, possible (UFC) medical liabilities.’ With that being said, the email was sent to Hunter, and the response was very fast. … The letter said they have chosen to pay me 100 percent for the fight, show money, win money, and sponsorship money.”

Although the timing is unclear, at some point a phone call took place between Campbell and Fabia, who leaked the audio. On the call, Campbell expressed concern and quoted Fabia as saying “long-term effects of Diego being an MMA fighter” were the basis for requesting Sanchez’s medical records. According to Campbell, the UFC would not be “putting anybody in that cage that doesn’t feel 100 percent or thinks they’re suffering from any medical issues” and was prepared to part ways with Sanchez if he and Fabia couldn’t confirm otherwise.

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In his Friday video, Sanchez said he’d already underwent and passed the required medical tests to compete at UFC on ESPN 24. He questioned why his request for his medical records changed anything.

“Why, when this has already been done, do I have to state this, state that?” Sanchez said. “Yeah, my manager did ask for my list of medicals from throughout my career. I’ve had a lot of injuries. I want to have my history. This is my medical history. I want to have it on file. I want to have what the UFC has. It’s my medical health, right? And as far as I’m concerned, I don’t feel like, after I’m done, if (UFC president) Dana White won’t answer my calls now, won’t let me have a meeting now, once I’m done and I’m out of the UFC, do you think I’m gonna be able to get a hold of anybody? Do you think anything’s gonna go through? No, nothing’s gonna go through. I’m never gonna get sh*t from them.”

Sanchez also addressed the controversy surrounding Fabia, whose unconventional training methods have raised eyebrows. Fabia’s critics claim that the School of Self-Awareness founder has brainwashed Sanchez since taking over as his trainer and manager in 2019.

Sanchez said there’s nothing to worry about.

“If this was the case, I wouldn’t be sticking by his side, having his back,” Sanchez said. “The truth of the whole matter is me and him having each other’s back against a billion-dollar monopoly world-wide organization.”

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Joshua Fabia leaks phone call with UFC’s Hunter Campbell over Diego Sanchez medicals

The Diego Sanchez train may have made its last stop in the UFC, but the car that carries all the drama continues to barrel forward.

The [autotag]Diego Sanchez[/autotag] train may have made its last stop in the UFC, but the car that carries all the drama continues to barrel forward.

And the majority of that drama seems to consistently be centered on Sanchez’s coach, Joshua Fabia.

Sanchez on Friday published on his Instagram account a video of a recorded phone conversation, reportedly from April 9, between Fabia and the UFC’s chief legal officer, Hunter Campbell. “Smoking Gun conversation with UFC Lawyer,” Sanchez posted with the video. “Listen to it for yourself… None of this is normal fans, friends, family, fighters and casuals🙏🏼”

https://www.instagram.com/tv/COTOeQjjHrQ

The gist of the conversation – which runs around 7 minutes long and culminates with what sounds like Fabia and purportedly Sanchez laughing after ending the call – is Campbell’s concern about a request Fabia made to someone in the UFC’s medical office for all the fighter’s records throughout his history with the promotion.

That request, Campbell said on the call, meant he had to ask Sanchez and Fabia if Sanchez was not prepared, either physically or mentally, for his co-main event fight against Donald Cerrone. That fight was scheduled for May 8 before Sanchez was pulled from the fight earlier this week, and subsequently released by the UFC.

“The direct quote I received was, you stated that the quote ‘long-term effects of Diego being an MMA fighter’ were your basis for requesting it,” Campbell said to Fabia on the call. “So I went through this with (former UFC fighter) Mark Hunt, and here’s the reality: If you’re concerned or (Sanchez is) concerned that he’s having negative effects, then we’re not going to fight him and I’m going to pull the fight right now and we’re going to call it a day and we’ll release him and he can go do something else with his life, because I’m not putting anybody in that cage that doesn’t feel 100 percent or thinks they’re suffering from any medical issues.”

That seems to be what Sanchez’s post referred to as “the smoking gun” – that Campbell made reference to releasing him, which came to fruition. But what appears to be the reality is, Fabia’s request to the UFC’s medical staff triggered the red flag that led to Campbell, along with UFC matchmaker Sean Shelby, reaching out to find out if Sanchez was having issues they needed to know about.

“Well, it has more to do with how is his physical body, and all the treatments that he’s had over 17 years of injuries in his hands, his face, and all over his body that I’m referring to,” Fabia said. “If he needs medical attention after his career, how is he supposed to move on without medical records? That’s what I’m concerned about. That’s all it is. If he has to go see another doctor about his hip or his back or any of these things, how is that doctor – why would we have to pay for new imaging, new everything, when it should be on file? I don’t understand what the problem is.”

Fabia also expressed aggravation over what he said was the UFC’s request for information from the Sanchez side less than four weeks from the fight. He wondered why those requests weren’t made 10 or 12 weeks before the fight, after it was signed.

If Fabia didn’t understand what the problem is, Campbell made it more clear with his response.

“Here’s what I’m going to do: I’m going to send an email to you guys,” Campbell said. “I’m going to express my concerns. I need a confirmation in writing that he’s physically able to compete, he’s not suffered any ill effects of being an MMA fighter, he doesn’t feel like he has any brain issues or cognitive issues. I’ve got to go through the whole battery that I do with everybody that sort of makes a claim that at least they’re telling me that you made in this situation. And if he’s not comfortable doing that, then we pull the fight and we move on. It’s very simple.

“… I can’t ever be in a situation where 10 years from now, I’ve got a guy that’s drooling on himself in a hospital, and I’ve got another guy saying, ‘Yeah, we told the UFC before his last fight that he was having all these issues and they put him in there anyway.'”

Fabia said Sanchez was not having any issues from a medical standpoint.

“We’ll jump through whatever hoops you need,” Fabia said. “Diego is 100 percent fine, as he is here with me right now. He’s fine, man. Everything’s good.”

According to a report from Yahoo! Sports, Sanchez passed his pre-fight medical tests and was cleared to fight. But after Campbell emailed Sanchez’s attorney, the way he described in the call with Fabia, and asked for written confirmation from Sanchez that he was not having medical issues, the response was insufficient enough that it apparently prompted Sanchez’s release from the UFC.

Sanchez was paid his full show money, plus his scheduled win bonus and athlete outfitting pay – even though he didn’t fight, Yahoo! reported.

Thursday, Sanchez released video from UFC 253 this past fall showing Fabia confronting the UFC’s broadcast team in Abu Dhabi ahead of his fight with Jake Matthews. Prior to that, he released video showing Fabia furious at the airport in Las Vegas after the Sanchez team apparently was left behind by the UFC’s transportation upon return from Abu Dhabi.

And later in the day, Sanchez posted that he was “free at last” and tagged Bellator, ONE Championship, BKFC and others to alert them of his free agency.

Fabia has been under fire essentially the entirety of his time spent coaching Sanchez. He reportedly ran afoul of the Nevada Athletic Commission when he said before Sanchez’s fight with Michael Chiesa that Sanchez knew a move that could kill Chiesa. Then there was the video of him posted online running at fighters with a knife in the cage as an apparent defensive technique drill.

In Abu Dhabi for UFC 253, Fabia confronted former UFC welterweight champion Matt Serra in a restaurant for not knowing who he was, not mentioning him in an interview, and being disrespected over that. And in the video released earlier this week showing Fabia and Sanchez dressing down the UFC 253 broadcast crew after Sanchez’s interview with them, that storyline of Fabia saying he’s not respected continued.

Sanchez, who was a longtime member of the Jackson-Wink camp in Albuquerque, N.M., before leaving to train with Fabia, has defended his coach to the quick on repeat, saying any criticism of him is “disrespectful.”

UFC president Dana White this week told Yahoo! Sports that Fabia is “batsh*t nuts.”

“Somehow, this creep got into Diego’s life and has been controlling him,” White told the site. “You saw the video of him chasing guys in the octagon with a knife. How f*cking nuts is that? He goes to the commission and tells them that he’s taught Diego this death touch. It goes on and on with this guy. He goes into the production meeting and tells the commentators what they should be saying? The guy is batsh*t nuts. He worked his way into Diego’s life and has gotten control over him. I just want the best for Diego.”

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Dana White blasts Joshua Fabia following Diego Sanchez’s release: ‘The guy is batsh*t nuts’

After Diego Sanchez was released by the UFC, Dana White went off on his coach Joshua Fabia.

With [autotag]Diego Sanchez[/autotag] no longer under contract, UFC president Dana White went off on the veteran fighter’s coach, Joshua Fabia.

Sanchez (30-13 MMA, 19-13 UFC), who was scheduled to face Donald Cerrone in the UFC on ESPN 24 co-main event on May 8, was officially released by the UFC on Thursday, after he and his team allegedly failed to confirm that Sanchez was not suffering from any short-term or long-term medical issues.

Speaking to Yahoo! Sports, White said he has a lot of respect for Sanchez, but blames his downfall on his coach, “School of Self-Awareness” founder Fabia, who has been under plenty of public scrutiny ever since he took Sanchez under his wing.

“I have an incredible, amazing relationship with Diego, and I like him very much, and I hope he is OK,” White said. “One of the sad things that happens, not just in fighting but in sports, and I want you to quote me on this, are these creepy weirdos who come from God knows where and leech onto fighters or athletes. They never do any good for them.

“Somehow, this creep got into Diego’s life and has been controlling him. You saw the video of him chasing guys in the octagon with a knife. How f*cking nuts is that? He goes to the commission and tells them that he’s taught Diego this death touch. It goes on and on with this guy. He goes into the (fighter-broadcaster) production meeting and tells the commentators what they should be saying? The guy is batsh*t nuts. He worked his way into Diego’s life and has gotten control over him. I just want the best for Diego.”

Though Sanchez passed his medicals for UFC on ESPN 24, there’s been an ongoing rift between him and the UFC. “The Ultimate Fighter 1” winner expressed his discontent towards the UFC’s treatment of him by posting a video from October 2020, when he says he and his team were left stranded at the airport in Las Vegas after arriving from his UFC 253 loss to Jake Matthews in Abu Dhabi.

Sanchez went on to post two videos from his UFC 253 fighter meeting, showing himself and Fabia confronting the UFC’s broadcast team over a perceived lack of respect. Fabia went on a rant, attacking the broadcast crew, and things got a bit testy between everyone in the room.

On Thursday, Sanchez posted on his Instagram story that he was “free at last,” tagging Bellator, ONE Championship, Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship and others as he looks for a new home. Throughout his 16-year UFC tenure, Sanchez has fought in four different weight classes and challenged for the UFC lightweight title in 2009 when he was stopped by B.J. Penn. The 39-year-old has been in some of the most memorable wars in UFC history against the likes of Clay Guida, Gilbert Melendez and Martin Kampmann, among others.

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UFC releases ‘TUF 1’ winner Diego Sanchez, ending more than 16-year run

After more than 16 years with the promotion, “The Ultimate Fighter 1” winner Diego Sanchez has been released from the UFC.

[autotag]Diego Sanchez[/autotag]’s storied UFC tenure has come to an end.

After more than 16 years and 32 fights with the promotion, “The Ultimate Fighter 1” winner Sanchez has been released from his UFC contract.

MMA Junkie verified news Sanchez (30-13 MMA, 19-13 UFC) had been cut from the roster with a UFC official on Friday.

The official news comes on the heels of a social media post from Sanchez on Thursday indicating he’d parted ways with the promotion. Sanchez said he was “free at last,” and tagged multiple other organizations such as Bellator and ONE Championship.

Sanchez was scheduled to fight Donald Cerrone at UFC on ESPN 24 on May 8, but was removed from the contest on Wednesday with no clarification as to why.

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Not long before Sanchez was out of the bout, he posted an online gripe from October 2020, when he says he and his team were left stranded at the airport in Las Vegas after flying home from his UFC 253 loss to Jake Matthews. Everyone else on the flight back to the States from “Fight Island” in Abu Dhabi got their rides from the airport, but the Sanchez team, including coach Joshua Fabia, were left behind.

And Thursday, perhaps portending his free agency announcement, Sanchez posted two lengthy videos from UFC 253 showing Fabia and Sanchez confronting, of all people, the UFC’s broadcast crew over Sanchez’s treatment on previous broadcasts.

Sanchez, under what many have inferred is under Fabia’s guidance, has grown increasingly hostile toward the UFC and his treatment. The 39-year-old started his MMA career in 2002 and never has lost more than two straight fights.

He won the first season of “The Ultimate Fighter” at middleweight, then dropped to welterweight, where his wins included one over Nick Diaz. Eventually, he made his way to lightweight, where he fought B.J. Penn for the title in 2009.

Over the years, Sanchez became known perhaps just as much for the demeanor he exhibited through lengthy and odd-to-some open workout sessions, walks to the cage that included a “YES! YES!” mantra, and his often zen-like mentality in interviews as he was for his never-quit spirit in the cage.

And once he hooked up with Fabia, the storyline seemed to shift to be as much about his work with the coach as it was about his performances in the cage. That reared its head again Thursday when Sanchez released videos of Fabia ranting at the UFC 253 broadcast team in Abu Dhabi.

Prior to his loss to Matthews this past October, Sanchez had a controversial disqualification win over Michel Pereira in front of his home fans in February 2020. He took an illegal knee in the third round, and it appeared to critics that his decision to not continue in the fight was based on his knowledge that the knee was illegal and the fight was in the third round and would be a win for him and not a no contest.

Sanchez’s UFC run is now over, but he certainly made his mark. His split decision win over Clay Guida in June 2009 is part of the UFC Hall of Fame “fight wing,” he has the third most fight time in UFC history (6:37:07), is one of eight fighters to step in the octagon 30 or more times, and is ranked in the top 10 for most victories in company history.

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