Diego Sanchez candidly talks about post-fight trauma after seeing Calvin Kattar get beaten by Max Holloway at UFC Fight Island 7.
If there’s one fighter who’s been to countless wars in the UFC, it’s Diego Sanchez. At 39 years old, “The Nightmare” continues to actively compete against the elite fighters in the roster.
Sanchez was apparently tuned in to Saturday’s headliner on ABC between Max Holloway and Calvin Kattar. He bore witness to Holloway’s five-round beatdown on “The Boston Finisher,” which he had some comments on.
Kattar Will never be the same fighter Max Holloway just took a piece of his soul!
— Diego Sanchez UFC (@DiegoSanchezUFC) January 16, 2021
In response to a random fan’s comment, Sanchez elaborated his point in a rather vivid manner.
I do! the trauma all differ in size and numbers. The body not the mind changes to protect its self, hence the hestation of the bubble that comes with these traumatizing experiences in that space. Yes I do know actually. My soul has been raped many times in this business ???
— Diego Sanchez UFC (@DiegoSanchezUFC) January 17, 2021
A day after releasing his first tweet on the subject, Sanchez felt the need to explain himself. According to him, it was all about his experience after he fought B.J. Penn for the UFC lightweight title in 2009. Sanchez lost via fifth-round TKO after suffering a deep gash on his forehead from a head kick.
No disrespect in yesterdays comment that max took a piece of kattars soul. From experience I speak on the confidence change when someone completely dominates you and beats you down the whole fight. It happened to me at ufc 107 when Bj put it on me! #confidencedecreases
— Diego Sanchez UFC (@DiegoSanchezUFC) January 18, 2021
Sanchez continued to fight on after the Penn fight, but he never fought for a UFC title again. He’d since gone on a 9-10 run to compile a win-loss record of 30-13.