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    Cagewriter

    Once a title challenger, Diego Sanchez views himself as MMA’s ‘Cinderella Man’

    By Steve Cofield | Cagewriter – Tue, Feb 14, 2012 2:56 AM EST

    A fired up Sanchez before UFC 107 (Combatlifestyle.com)UFC 107 wasn't that long ago and yet it seems like another lifetime for Diego Sanchez.

    The 30-year-old challenged B.J. Penn for his UFC lightweight title. Over five rounds, Penn tore apart Sanchez and essentially finished him with a kick to the face. Twenty seven months later Sanchez, fighting to remain relevant, is a minus-320 underdog to a guy who had just made his UFC debut just a few months earlier back in Dec. of 2009.

    Sanchez is a respectable 2-1 in three fights since the Penn loss, but it's the way he's looked. His decision to move back to 170 pounds was questionable at best. He doesn't appear to be in tip top shape at the heavier weight and his defensive abilities have slowed. Sounds like he's in big trouble on Wednesday against Jake Ellenberger, right? Sanchez isn't shying away from these thoughts. He's using them as a motivator going into a fight that could get him back on track (FUEL TV 8 p.m. ET).

    "I love to watch that movie Cinderella Man. He comes from the top and he goes to the bottom and he makes it back up to the top. I just kind of see myself as a guy like him. Before I was just fighting for my own selfish goals. I had the goal of being champion, and that's fine; that was my dream," Sanchez told USA Today.

    Sanchez (23-4, 12-4 UFC) says the up and down nature of the last three years has given him a chance to reevaluate what's important.

    "Now I have better reasons to train harder, to fight harder. It's not just me anymore. I have my wife, my son; it's a lot more. I feel like I'm a grizzly bear protecting the cubs," Sanchez said. "I'm just going to fight my hardest. I'm going to fight with all my heart. I'm going to leave it all in the cage."

    Sanchez referenced the story of James Braddock. In the late 1920's, Braddock was a rising heavyweight star with a 44-2-2 record before chronic injuries derailed his career and turned him into a card-filling journeyman who went 11-20-2 over his next 33 fights. Braddock achieved the impossible by bouncing back in 1935 to challenge Max Baer for the world heavyweight title. The 30-year-old Braddock pulled off one of the biggest upsets in boxing history as a 10-to-1 underdog.

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    16 comments

    • tGW
      tGW  •  Boston, Massachusetts  •  3 months ago
      Should be a good fight. Hopefully the winner gets the winner of Koscheck/Hendricks. Dont see Condit sitting idle until November.
    • Exterminate!
      Exterminate!  •  3 months ago
      Diego Sanchez's ability to block punches with his face is amazing. I think Ellenberger is going to knock him out early in the second.
      • THE PERFECT STORM
        THE PERFECT STORM 3 months ago
        LMAO, no head movement to speak of. . .
      • Krumpled4skin
        Krumpled4skin 3 months ago
        Ha so true
      • Cheese Curtain
        Cheese Curtain 3 months ago
        I agree, but think the UFC judges will still find a way to steal the fight and gift it to Sanchez. He'll be the first fighter to posthumously win a fight.
    • Jorge
      Jorge  •  Tampa, Florida  •  3 months ago
      "to remain relevant, is a minus-320 underdog to a guy who had just made his UFC debut just a few months earlier back in Dec. of 2009."

      A few months back?? That is two full calendar years, not a few months. Geez, Cofield we all knew you couldn't write, now we find out you can't even count? just when I thought you couldn't break the stupid meter again, you've outdone yourself!

      Hey Cofield, the Jon JOnes vs Alistar Overeem fight is just a few months ahead, in the Year 2017, go camp out now so you can get tckts
      • icethonk
        icethonk 3 months ago
        Wow, maybe if you read into the context of it, you'd understand. Ellenberger debut came a few months before Sanchez's title fight in 2009... now is it clear? September comes a couple months before December... Just making sure you understand
      • The Unsilent Majority
        The Unsilent Majority 3 months ago
        The context is irrelevant, that's a very poorly written sentence. That would be like me saying, "Yea, I used to work at Costco a few months back before Obama got elected in 2008."
    • crazyhawk
      crazyhawk  •  3 months ago
      did anyone notice the picture in this article?
      • Doghouse Riley
        Doghouse Riley 3 months ago
        Yea, Diego is doing his crazy guy, jack-ace routine. Nothing unusual. He screams and yells, chants and makes lots of noise. Then he tosses windmills for several rounds making huff and puff type of sounds. It is ridiculous.
      • jeff
        jeff 3 months ago
        Sanchez looking crazy, girls laughing at him in the background. Unless I'm missing a popped out boob or something, it looks like a normal Diego weigh in.
    • DanielB
      DanielB  •  3 months ago
      All you Condit fans need to be ashamed of yourselves! Of course you won't be because you to caught up in hating Diaz than objectively looking at the facts/statistics. You are TRASH absolute TRASH! All of you's!!
    • Cheese Curtain
      Cheese Curtain  •  Seattle, Washington  •  3 months ago
      Tired of all these Diego Turns His Life Around stories. Whether he's "The Dream" or "The Nightmare', it doesn't matter because he is always annoying. Diego's face has been a magnet for knuckle sandwiches the past few fights. He squeaked out a gift decision vs. Kampman. If Ellenberger hits him as often as Kampman landed, Diego will take a nap.
    • DanielB
      DanielB  •  3 months ago
      Go look in the mirror and tell yourselves Condit fought like a true champion you filthy pieces of SHT!
    • DanielB
      DanielB  •  3 months ago
      The following people are simply pieces of SHT. Absolute LOSERS! GUTTERSNIPES that belong in the sewer!!!

      Cmon, silent SHTminority, DogSHT riley,lambSHT,Brett,ScottB,Fotb,Marine68,Mist v, chuck j,PMG, God Son,Uh, no dick name pal, Steve mr, walter dickland, jeff bowling, overcome,mazrimjob.razor,girdeux,J nic,OGNutSucker,da baracus,woteva,tom tom, steven,dogsht riley, aaron,dsull,nick m, robert, dawgmeat/dawgsht,OGNutSucker, DogSHT riley, dawgSHT,m, zeke,tgw, gavinm,jazz winda game,dg,just sayin,deeznutzdogsht riley, dawgsht, OGNutSucker
    • DanielB
      DanielB  •  3 months ago
      All the nut licking condit fans are saying the same thing about Sanchez as they did Diaz. What a joke you guys are!
    • Doghouse Riley
      Doghouse Riley  •  3 months ago
      Well, I hope he doesn't scream, chant to himself, or bolt across the cage like a meth-head on his way to a pawnshop. Sanchez has been a habitual mediocre fighter despite tons of hype and a million chances to do something. Frankly I can not say that I have really seen much improvement in his game since Penn's beat-down. Sanchez is really struggling to remain "relevant." I'm going to go with "no" to the "Cinderella Man" thing. But, whatever works for the guy. I actually have no interest in him one way or another. But his oddball goofy stuff is annoying. Notice how the really good fighters do not need gimmicks in order to win.
    • Robert C
      Robert C  •  3 months ago
      Not a Diego fan...but I am going with him in this fight. If Jake wins, he should fight Condit. If Diego wins, I think Rory should get the shot at Condit. (as long as he beats Che Mills...he will)
    • Ghostwriter
      Ghostwriter  •  Los Angeles, California  •  3 months ago
      SANCHEZ will take this fight,he is coming back hungry!!!!
    • OGNutcracker
      OGNutcracker  •  3 months ago
      Doghouse is spot on. This guy has had the door slammed in his face every time he stepped up in competition. He is a gatekeeper at best. For some reason he gets tons of hype despite being a boring interview and a about as deep a puddle of #$%$.
      • The Unsilent Majority
        The Unsilent Majority 3 months ago
        You should talk about anyone being as deep as a puddle of #$%$..you troll a Yahoo blog message board.
    • Krumpled4skin
      Krumpled4skin  •  Los Angeles, California  •  3 months ago
      Yeessss! Yeeessss! Yeeessssss! Yes i got my face kicked in. Yeeessss! Yeeessssss!
    • OGNutcracker
      OGNutcracker  •  3 months ago
      "Cindarella Man"... Really?? Cofield, you spill cyber ink on a rats balls if they happen to fight in the UFC.. Even Cindarella Man doesn't drop his head, close his eyes, and throw windmills. Nothing but the best in the UFC.
    • OGNutcracker
      OGNutcracker  •  3 months ago
      Cofield, "Blackzilians".. What is Sanchez?? 'BrownAmericans'. We know much of the MMA fan base is racist. At least you are playing to your public. I dare say your balls dropped half and inch and you are showing some honesty, even if you are a racist.
      • liberty1
        liberty1 3 months ago
        would you stupid idiots PLEASE drop the racist #$%$ Doesn't it ever get old calling everybody who disagrees with you a racist shut the fffuucccck up.
      • Ghostwriter
        Ghostwriter 3 months ago
        Someone ought to just KICK you in the NUTS,
        And show you the real nutcracker!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
      • bp
        bp 3 months ago
        Blackzilians is the Name of a training team ya idiot not black people.
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