“I feel like I always knew fighting was what I wanted to do. But when I was 18, I got into a street fight with this football player. He was a big guy and three years older than me. I really kicked his butt, and I realized I had a talent for this and needed to pursue it.”

American professional mixed martial artist

Diego Sanchez is an American professional mixed martial artist. Active as a professional since 2002, he is best known for his long run in the Ultimate Fighting Championship, where he won The Ultimate Fighter 1 middleweight tournament and later fought for the UFC Lightweight Championship in 2009. Sanchez also competed in King of the Cage, where he held the Welterweight Championship. His career spans multiple weight classes and major promotions, with his name closely tied to the early years of The Ultimate Fighter and the UFC's rise in popularity.