Sanchez was a high school state champion in wrestling as a senior before he started training mixed martial arts while working for UPS. Sanchez eventually joined Jackson's Submission Fighting, still while working for UPS, managing the time between work and training.[citation needed]
Mixed martial arts career
Early career
Sanchez made his MMA debut in 2002 in the promotion Ring of Fire, despite having injured his heel the night before. Sanchez mostly went for takedowns, while his opponent, who was a more developed striker, bloodied the young Sanchez. However, Sanchez continued to use his wrestling expertise, landed another takedown in the second round, taking his opponent's back, then sinking in a rear-naked choke, causing his opponent to tap. This made Sanchez the winner by submission, who then earned $600 for the bout. He then went on to compile an undefeated 11-0 record before becoming a contestant on The Ultimate Fighter.
The Ultimate Fighter
Sanchez was chosen as a participant in the first season of the reality show, The Ultimate Fighter. Presented as a young, focused middleweight who only had one goal, to become a UFC champion. He won a contract with the UFC after defeating fellow finalist Kenny Florian via TKO, becoming the middleweight winner for the first season of the show. On the show, Sanchez was known for being the "odd-ball" of the group, practicing yoga at odd moments and trying to extract "energy" from a lightning storm, and was also a self-proclaimed "Zen master".
Ultimate Fighting Championship
Welterweight
Sanchez during the weigh-ins before a fight
Sanchez made his post-TUF debut defeating journeyman Brian Gassaway by submission due to strikes at UFC 54 on August 20, 2005.[6]
Sanchez continued his undefeated streak with a unanimous decision victory over judo specialist Karo Parisyan at UFC Fight Night 6 on August 17, 2006. This fight earned him the Fight of the Night award.
Sanchez faced Joe Riggs on December 13, 2006, in the main event of UFC Fight Night 7. Sanchez landed a right hook that knocked Riggs down, followed by a running knee that knocked Riggs out at 1:45 of the first round. Sanchez subsequently tested positive for the agents found in marijuana and was sentenced to a three-month suspension.[8]
Sanchez was then cleared to fight Josh Koscheck at UFC 69.[9] At the weigh-ins for the event, Sanchez shoved Koscheck while they stared each other down. Sanchez ended up losing a unanimous decision to Koscheck, ending his undefeated run, in a fight that was virtually all stand up. Koscheck managed to keep Sanchez at bay with superior hand speed and footwork until the bout timed out, to take the win 30–27 on all three judges' cards.[10] Several weeks after the fight, Dana White announced that Sanchez was sick on the eve of the fight and almost had to retire when a test came back indicating he had Hepatitis C.[11] Doctors eventually concluded the test results were not correct, but could not diagnose his sickness, so the fight went ahead as planned. The day after the fight Sanchez had a hole in his thigh the "size of a coffee cup" and was diagnosed with a staph infection.[12]
In his next bout, Sanchez lost his second straight fight by split decision to Jon Fitch at UFC 76 on September 22, 2007, before rebounding against David Bielkheden at UFC 82 with a submission win in the first round due to strikes. Following the win, Sanchez stopped Luigi Fioravanti via TKO due to strikes at 4:07 of the third round at The Ultimate Fighter 7 Finale. After pulling out of a fight with Thiago Alves due to an injury, Sanchez announced he would be moving to the lightweight division.[13]
Lightweight division and UFC Lightweight title shot
He made his lightweight debut in his next fight on February 21, 2009, at UFC 95 against Joe Stevenson.[14] Training for the bout Sanchez worked with professional boxers Joey Gilbert and Lupe Aquino, Brazilian grappling experts Xande and Saulo Ribeiro and wrestling coach Bob Anderson.[15] Although Stevenson pressed the action throughout the bout, Sanchez landed the better strikes and won by unanimous decision.[16] Both fighters earned a Fight of the Night bonus award.[17] Diego credits Tony Robbins for giving him mental preparation for this latest fight, and was seen entering the bout chanting "Yes!" repeatedly. This would go on to inspire the "Yes!" chant, popularized by professional wrestler, Daniel Bryan.
On June 20, 2009, Sanchez won a split-decision victory against Clay Guida at the finale of The Ultimate Fighter: United States vs. United Kingdom Finale.[18] Sanchez won Fight of the Night honors, his second such award in a row.[19] Opening up with a seemingly endless barrage of jabs and right uppercuts for the first minute he shook Guida, in the first round Sanchez also connected with a head kick that floored his opponent. Sanchez maintained a superior standup through the first round and the rest of the fight, though Guida rallied and made a contest of the next two rounds in a closely contested match. The fight went on to win "Fight of the Year" by several MMA magazines and the UFC.[20][21]
At UFC 107 on December 12, 2009, Sanchez fought and lost to B.J. Penn for the UFC Lightweight Championship. Early in the first round, Penn landed a right hand that dropped Sanchez, followed by flurry of punches that almost prompted referee Herb Dean to stop the fight. Although Sanchez was able to recover enough to stay in the bout, he was outclassed in the following four rounds that saw Penn dominate with superior stand up, whilst all 27 takedown attempts made by Sanchez were negated by Penn's superior defense. Early in the fifth round, Penn landed a head kick that caused a large cut to be opened up on the forehead of Sanchez. Herb Dean called the action to a halt for doctor's advice and the fight ended at 2:37 by TKO, marking the first time Sanchez has been stopped in a fight.[22] This also marked only the second fight in UFC history to end in the fifth round. At the post-fight press conference, UFC President Dana White was quoted saying Sanchez was "about as busted up as I've ever seen a guy."[23] Sanchez had his bottom lip completely split open, with his left eye swollen shut and a large cut above his left eyebrow.[24]
Return to Welterweight
Sanchez at the UFC 100 Fan Expo event in Las Vegas in 2009
Sanchez returned to the welterweight division and faced John Hathaway on May 29, 2010, at UFC 114.[25] In the first round of the fight, Hathaway caught Sanchez with a knee to the head as Sanchez attempted a takedown. Hathaway then dominated with ground and pound while all of Sanchez's takedown attempts were negated by Hathaway's strength. The rest of the fight saw Hathaway utilize his superior striking reach, giving him the unanimous decision (30–27, 30–27, 30–26), handing Sanchez his second consecutive loss.[26]
Sanchez rejoined Jackson's Submission Fighting for his next fight with Paulo Thiago on October 23, 2010, at UFC 121.[27] In this fight, Sanchez utilized his wrestling to control and punish Thiago in the second and third rounds. He also picked up Thiago and slammed him to the mat while screaming, Sanchez won the bout via unanimous decision.[28] This win earned him the Fight of the Night award.[29]
Sanchez defeated Martin Kampmann by a unanimous decision on March 3, 2011, at UFC Live: Sanchez vs. Kampmann in a bout that earned Fight of the Night honors.[30] In the bout, Kampmann dropped Sanchez in the first round, and continued to get the better in the exchanges but Sanchez continuously pressured Kampmann into the cage to force wild exchanges in the second and third rounds. By the end of the fight, both men were bloodied up especially Sanchez, whose face was a bloody mess. Sanchez won the fight via unanimous decision.[31] The bout earned both fighters the Fight of the Night award.[32]
A bout between Sanchez and Jake Ellenberger was briefly linked to UFC 141.[36] However, a lingering hand injury kept Sanchez out of action until February 2012.[37]
The Ellenberger/Sanchez bout took place on February 15, 2012, at UFC on Fuel TV 1[38] Ellenberger defeated Sanchez via unanimous decision in a bout that earned both fighters Fight of the Night honors.[39]
Return to Lightweight
Sanchez then returned to lightweight and faced Takanori Gomi on March 2, 2013, at UFC on Fuel TV 8.[40] Sanchez failed to make the 156 lb weight limit at the weigh ins, weighing at 158 lbs. He was fined 20 percent of his earnings and the bout was contested at a catchweight of 158 lb.[41] Sanchez defeated Gomi via controversial split decision.[42] 12 of 12 media outlets scored the bout in favor of Gomi.[43]
Sanchez faced Gilbert Melendez on October 19, 2013, at UFC 166.[44] He lost the fight via unanimous decision. The bout earned Sanchez his seventh Fight of the Night bonus award.[45]
Sanchez faced Myles Jury on March 15, 2014, at UFC 171.[46] He lost the fight via unanimous decision.[47]
Sanchez faced Ross Pearson on June 7, 2014, at UFC Fight Night 42.[48] Sanchez was outstruck in every round, even getting knocked down in the second, but was awarded the win via controversial split decision. 14 of 14 media outlets scored the bout in favor of Pearson, 13 with scores of 30-27.[49] UFC president Dana White indicated that the organization will informally treat the bout as a win for Pearson and that he would be compensated with a $30,000 win bonus.[50]
Sanchez was expected to face Norman Parke at UFC 180.[51] However, Parke pulled out of the bout in early October citing a knee injury and was replaced by Joe Lauzon.[52] However, on October 23, it was announced that injuries to both Sanchez and Lauzon led to the pairing being scrapped altogether.[53]
In January 2015, Sanchez had surgery to repair his collarbone that was broken in training.[54]
After the one fight stint at featherweight, Sanchez returned to the lightweight division and faced Jim Miller on March 5, 2016, at UFC 196.[57] He won the fight by unanimous decision.[58]
Sanchez faced longtime peer Joe Lauzon on July 9, 2016, at UFC 200.[59] He lost the fight via TKO in the first round, resulting in his first TKO loss. The only previous TKO loss Sanchez had is when B.J. Penn stopped him with a head kick at UFC 107.[60]
Sanchez faced Craig White on September 8, 2018 at UFC 228.[67] He won the fight by unanimous decision.[68]
Six months later, Sanchez faced Mickey Gall on March 2, 2019 at UFC 235.[69]
Sanchez won the fight via second round TKO.[70] This marked Sanchez's first stoppage victory since 2008, it also earned him his first Performance of the Night bonus award.[71]
As the final fight of his prevailing contract with the UFC, Sanchez faced Michael Chiesa on July 6, 2019 at UFC 239.[72] He lost the fight via unanimous decision.[73][74]
On May 28, 2019, it was announced that the fight between Sanchez and Clay Guida at The Ultimate Fighter 9 Finale, where Sanchez defeat Guida by split decision, on June 20, 2009, will be honored to enter the UFC Hall of Fame during the international fight July 2019.[75]
Sanchez was suspended for three months by USADA for tested positive for Ostarine and S-23, the family of selective androgen receptor modulators (SARMs), where the prohibited substance was found from a tainted supplement. The suspension retroactive from October 26, 2019, and he was eligible to fight again on January 26, 2020.[76]
As the first bout of his new five-fight contract, Sanchez returned to the octagon when he faced Michel Pereira at UFC Fight Night 167 on February 15, 2020 in Rio Rancho, New Mexico.[77][78] After being dominated through the bout, he eventually won the fight via disqualification after Pereira landed an illegal knee on the ground in the third round, which rendered Sanchez unable to continue.[79][80]
Sanchez was scheduled to face Donald Cerrone on May 8, 2021 at UFC on ESPN 24.[83] However, Sanchez was removed from the fight on April 28 for undisclosed reasons[84] and he was replaced by Alex Morono.[85] Despite not fighting, Sanchez claims the organization paid him his guaranteed purse, win money and sponsorship money.[86]
Sanchez posted a few videos on his Instagram account showing disagreements that his trainer, Joshua Fabia had with the commentary team, where Fabia believed that the organization was attempting to slight Sanchez with its coverage. Among his claims were that the UFC was aiming cameras at him to catch him and Sanchez in bad situations, or otherwise expose Fabia's unorthodox coaching style. Fabia's infamous training sessions have been widely covered since Sanchez started working with him, including Fabia chasing his fighters around with a knife. After the release of these videos, Diego was released from the UFC.[87][88]
On May 20, 2021, Sanchez announced that he had parted ways with Fabia.[89][90]
Eagle Fighting Championship
As the first bout of his three-fight contract, Sanchez made his debut against Kevin Lee in a 165 lbs bout on March 11, 2022 at Eagle FC 46.[91][92][93] Sanchez hurt Lee's lead leg early in the fight with leg kicks, but would be overwhelmed by Lee's wrestling for a majority of the fight, losing by unanimous decision.[94]
Other combat sports
Submission grappling
Sanchez was scheduled to participate in a four-man grappling tournament organized by Grapplers Quest at the UFC Fan Expo in Toronto, between April 29 and 30 of 2011.[95] In the first round, he defeated Andrew McInnes by submission via kneebar.[96] Sanchez lost to Ryan Hall by points in the final round.[97]
Sanchez was scheduled to face Jake Ellenberger at Submission Underground 8.[98] Ellenberger won via fastest escape time.[99]
Sanchez was booked to compete against fellow MMA veteran Jake Shields in a grappling match at High Rollerz 4.[100] Sanchez lost the superfight.[101]
Sanchez married Theresa Tapia in January 2024.
Sanchez was married to Bernadette Sanchez and has a daughter with her.[105]
At the "JacksonWink MMA Fight Night 2" exhibition event on December 1, 2017, Sanchez faced Isaac "The Shermanator" Marquez, a man who was born with Down syndrome who dreamed of one day competing in a real mixed martial arts bout. Sanchez helped train Marquez who dedicated the fight to his late mother who died from dementia. "Most Down syndrome adults don't live past 45." Sanchez said ahead of the bout. "Isaac is 32, and I just wanted to see this young man be healthy. Exercise and martial arts are one of the most healthy things you can do." In a friendly spirited match, Marquez defeated Sanchez with a first-round submission armbar win and received a huge ovation when Sanchez tapped out.[106]
