Diego Sanchez: Next in Line
It is time for another UFC Fight Night, which means it is time for
Diego Sanchez
(Pictures) to step into the Octagon
again.
Sanchez (16-0-0) will put his undefeated record up against veteran Joe Riggs (Pictures) (25-8-0, 1 NC) Wednesday night live on Spike TV from the Marine Corps Air Station Miramar.
Coming off the biggest win of his career, a unanimous decision over Karo Parisyan (Pictures) in August, the welterweight star said after that fight that he wanted to face mixed martial artists ranked above him in an effort to get a title shot.
With that in mind, Sanchez does not see this fight against Riggs as a step back.
“Joe Riggs (Pictures) is a tough guy,” he said. “He’s a good opponent. He’s who they picked for me to fight so I gotta do what the bosses tell me to do.”
“I would rather be training for something a little more challenging to myself,” he continued. “That was a challenge to get myself motivated for this fight.”
Riggs submitted Jason Von Flue (Pictures) via triangle choke on the same card Sanchez out-pointed Parisyan. “Diesel” has had an up-and-down career in the UFC, chalking up wins against the likes of Joe Doerksen (Pictures), Chris Lytle (Pictures) and Nick Diaz (Pictures). On the other side of the coin, he has lost to the likes of Ivan Salaverry (Pictures), Mike Swick (Pictures) and former welterweight champ Matt Hughes (Pictures).
Sanchez has taken notice.
“I look at Joe and I’m like you don’t know which guy is going to come in to the ring that night, so you have to prepare for the best Joe Riggs (Pictures),” he said. The stand-up game is where Riggs is at his best, while “Nightmare” Sanchez is known for his ground-and-pound.
“We’re both good wrestlers,” said Diego. “He’s bigger and stronger. I’m faster, quicker, more agile. It just makes for a chess match. I think our styles match-up better for whoever imposes their style.”
It’s been over a year and half since the first season of The Ultimate Fighter concluded. And after becoming the first TUF champ at middleweight, Sanchez has ripped off an impressive four consecutive wins in the Octagon.
Sanchez, who turns 25 on New Year’s Eve, feels he has earned the right to be considered one of the best welterweights in the world. “I know I have proved myself,” he said.
On many Internet forums, including Sherdog.net, the majority of the posters tend to disagree.
“There is always going to be haters,” said the Albuquerque-based welterweight. “I think that those are people that just want to see a guy that is unbeaten be beaten.
“It’s always going to be like that until I win those fans over with more impressive and electrifying victories.”
The 170-pound class in the UFC is doing its version of the “welterweight shuffle,” as competitors fight for a chance to face champ Georges St. Pierre (Pictures).
First up is Matt Serra (Pictures), the winner of TUF 4 who will get his shot in February. There are already talks of former champ Matt Hughes (Pictures) getting a rematch. Do not forget B.J. Penn (Pictures), who lost a close decision to the new champ in March of this year. And up-and-comer Jon Fitch (Pictures) is in the mix as well.
Right smack dab in the middle of things, of course, is Sanchez.
“I’m not in no hurry to be the champion,” he said. “I wanted to be the first guy to beat Matt Hughes (Pictures), but now I get a chance to beat the guy that beat Matt Hughes (Pictures) and B.J.”
Although he is says he is not in a hurry, Sanchez feels he is holding the next golden ticket.
“Hopefully everything goes right and I’ll be fighting the winner of GSP-Serra.” When asked if GSP would still have the belt, Sanchez simply said, “Definitely.”
“First of all, there aren’t going to be no other people before me,” he said. “It’s Matt Serra (Pictures); then it’s going to be me.”
As for possible match-ups with Penn and Hughes, Sanchez said, “I don’t have to work my way through those guys. Those guys need to work their way back up. B.J. has had his chance and Matt has had his chance. That’s just the way the game is.”
First things first though: A showdown with Riggs waits in the horizon.
Handicapping the outcome of the fight, Sanchez predicted a “second- or third-round knockout.”
To hold his spot in line, that result will suffice.
Sanchez (16-0-0) will put his undefeated record up against veteran Joe Riggs (Pictures) (25-8-0, 1 NC) Wednesday night live on Spike TV from the Marine Corps Air Station Miramar.
Coming off the biggest win of his career, a unanimous decision over Karo Parisyan (Pictures) in August, the welterweight star said after that fight that he wanted to face mixed martial artists ranked above him in an effort to get a title shot.
With that in mind, Sanchez does not see this fight against Riggs as a step back.
“Joe Riggs (Pictures) is a tough guy,” he said. “He’s a good opponent. He’s who they picked for me to fight so I gotta do what the bosses tell me to do.”
“I would rather be training for something a little more challenging to myself,” he continued. “That was a challenge to get myself motivated for this fight.”
Riggs submitted Jason Von Flue (Pictures) via triangle choke on the same card Sanchez out-pointed Parisyan. “Diesel” has had an up-and-down career in the UFC, chalking up wins against the likes of Joe Doerksen (Pictures), Chris Lytle (Pictures) and Nick Diaz (Pictures). On the other side of the coin, he has lost to the likes of Ivan Salaverry (Pictures), Mike Swick (Pictures) and former welterweight champ Matt Hughes (Pictures).
Sanchez has taken notice.
“I look at Joe and I’m like you don’t know which guy is going to come in to the ring that night, so you have to prepare for the best Joe Riggs (Pictures),” he said. The stand-up game is where Riggs is at his best, while “Nightmare” Sanchez is known for his ground-and-pound.
“We’re both good wrestlers,” said Diego. “He’s bigger and stronger. I’m faster, quicker, more agile. It just makes for a chess match. I think our styles match-up better for whoever imposes their style.”
It’s been over a year and half since the first season of The Ultimate Fighter concluded. And after becoming the first TUF champ at middleweight, Sanchez has ripped off an impressive four consecutive wins in the Octagon.
Sanchez, who turns 25 on New Year’s Eve, feels he has earned the right to be considered one of the best welterweights in the world. “I know I have proved myself,” he said.
On many Internet forums, including Sherdog.net, the majority of the posters tend to disagree.
“There is always going to be haters,” said the Albuquerque-based welterweight. “I think that those are people that just want to see a guy that is unbeaten be beaten.
“It’s always going to be like that until I win those fans over with more impressive and electrifying victories.”
The 170-pound class in the UFC is doing its version of the “welterweight shuffle,” as competitors fight for a chance to face champ Georges St. Pierre (Pictures).
First up is Matt Serra (Pictures), the winner of TUF 4 who will get his shot in February. There are already talks of former champ Matt Hughes (Pictures) getting a rematch. Do not forget B.J. Penn (Pictures), who lost a close decision to the new champ in March of this year. And up-and-comer Jon Fitch (Pictures) is in the mix as well.
Right smack dab in the middle of things, of course, is Sanchez.
“I’m not in no hurry to be the champion,” he said. “I wanted to be the first guy to beat Matt Hughes (Pictures), but now I get a chance to beat the guy that beat Matt Hughes (Pictures) and B.J.”
Although he is says he is not in a hurry, Sanchez feels he is holding the next golden ticket.
“Hopefully everything goes right and I’ll be fighting the winner of GSP-Serra.” When asked if GSP would still have the belt, Sanchez simply said, “Definitely.”
“First of all, there aren’t going to be no other people before me,” he said. “It’s Matt Serra (Pictures); then it’s going to be me.”
As for possible match-ups with Penn and Hughes, Sanchez said, “I don’t have to work my way through those guys. Those guys need to work their way back up. B.J. has had his chance and Matt has had his chance. That’s just the way the game is.”
First things first though: A showdown with Riggs waits in the horizon.
Handicapping the outcome of the fight, Sanchez predicted a “second- or third-round knockout.”
To hold his spot in line, that result will suffice.
