A fighter is only as good as his last contest and often remembered by the last punch he threw, the last submission pulled off or even the close decision.
Albuquerque, New Mexico’s Diego “Nightmare” Sanchez is in store for a test tonight in Las Vegas.
Sanchez (15-0) will put his undefeated record on the line as he takes on judo ace Karo Parisyan (Pictures) (23-3) in the biggest fight of his career.
Parisyan was slated to take on welterweight champion Matt Hughes (Pictures) at UFC 56 but had to pull out due to an injury suffered while training.
Sanchez knows this is a big fight and also knows his opponent well.
“Karo is an excellent athlete, and a true born warrior,” the New Mexican welterweight said.
The appreciation would end there as Sanchez offered his take on his own abilities.
“I just think that I’m a more complete fighter and I think that’s what’s going to get me the victory,” he said.
Both are known for their grappling skills and effective ground-and-pound, but the “Nightmare” does not think that this fight will even make it to the ground.
“I think it’s just going to be a scrap,” said Diego. “I do know that I’m going to try to knock him out standing.”
Sanchez even offered his prediction of when the fight is going to end.
“I really honestly don’t think it’s going to go past the first round,” Sanchez prognosticated. “I just really don’t think that he can take me down. I think that I’m going to knock him out.”
A win for the young yet experienced fighter would place him at the top of the welterweight food chain, which is already filled with top-notch athletes like Parisyan, B.J. Penn (Pictures), George St. Pierre and UFC champion Matt Hughes (Pictures).
Sanchez is not overlooking this fight but recognizes the importance and significance of what a win could do for him.
“Hughes and St. Pierre is a definite toss up,” he analyzed. “I think that if I’m able to finish Karo with a knockout it would be something that Pierre couldn’t do. I think that that would definitely put me in the No. 1 spot, if that happens — when it happens,” Sanchez quickly corrected himself.
With the winner of The Ultimate Fighter 4 slated to get a title shot in 2007, Sanchez said he does not like that idea one bit.
“I don’t think that a reality show should determine who fights for the title while other fighters are training so hard and taking steps in their career the way everyone else should,” said the first winner of The Ultimate Fighter, the SpikeTV-based reality show that heralded a dramatic upsurge in the popularity of UFC and mixed martial arts in North America.
If needed Sanchez says he will step in the Octagon with whoever is champ.
“If Dana and the UFC want to give me the title shot I’m ready and willing to fight either St. Pierre or Hughes,” he said. “It’s all in their hands really.”
Sanchez’ last contest, a tight decision win over John Alessio (Pictures), left a sour taste in the mouth of fight fans.
“First off it’s very hard to fight a fighter that isn’t willing to engage and step into the pocket and commit to an actual fight,” Sanchez said, defending his performance in May’s UFC at Staples Center in Los Angeles. “It’s hard to fight a fighter that’s not going to really attack.”
In the minds of fight fans the decision could have gone either way. The three judges at cage side scored the fight in Sanchez’s favor leaving many people to think Sanchez is not ready for a fighter with Parisyan’s skill.
Trainer Greg Jackson feels differently.
“It’s going to be the toughest fight of Diego’s career but Diego is in great position because he is in the toughest point in his career,” said the head trainer at his successful Albuquerque gym. “He’s experienced [and] now he knows what to expect. It’s going to be a war and a true test.”
Jackson laid out exactly what Diego has to do to win this fight.
“We have to stay one step ahead of him,” Jackson stated of Parisyan. “He doesn’t break mentally very easily. He’s extremely tough. He’s got vicious technique. Any little mistake could end the fight by either player.”
It’s time for Sanchez to put away all notes and close his books. He now has 15 minutes to pass or fail his toughest test to date.