Former UFC lightweight title challenger, Diego Sanchez has been forced out of his retirement fight with former Jackson-Wink MMA training partner, Donald Cerrone at UFC Vegas 26 on May 8.
Albuquerque native, Sanchez was planning to walk away from professional mixed martial arts following the matchup against Cerrone at the UFC Apex facility event in Las Vegas, Nevada — having competed professionally since 2002. News of Sanchez’s withdrawal was first reported by Carlos Contreras Legaspi.
Per the report, the promotion are hoping to keep Colorado-born veteran, Cerrone on the card despite Sanchez’s removal, with the search underway to find a short notice replacement to feature in a welterweight bout.
Sanchez, 39, most recently featured at UFC 253 in September on ‘Fight Island’ — suffering a relatively one-sided unanimous decision loss to Jake Matthews. Sanchez had recently taken his talents to Coconut Creek, Florida to train under the banner of American Top Team for his retirement fight with Cerrone.
This afternoon, Sanchez posted video footage of him drilling Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu techniques with former interim lightweight champion, Dustin Poirier — who faces Conor McGregor at UFC 264 on July 10. in a 155-pound rubber match.
Prior to his judging defeat to Matthews, Sanchez featured at UFC Fight Night Rio Rancho in his native New Mexico back in February of last year, taking home a disqualification win over Michel Pereira, after the Brazilian capoeira expert landed an illegal knee.
Featuring at UFC 239 in July of 2019, Sanchez dropped another judging loss, this time against surging grappler, Micheal Chiesa — snapping a two-fight winning spree in which he secured victories over both Mickey Gall and Craig White.
For BMF Ranch owner, Cerrone, he is still expected to feature at the May 8. event — in a bid to snap a winless run which has stretched to five fights.
Featuring at UFC Vegas 11 in September last, Cerrone initially battled to a majority draw against Niko Price following a series of eye pokes. The result was then overturned to a ‘No Contest’ after Price tested positive for marijuana.
UFC Vegas 26 is set to take place on May 8. from the UFC Apex facility in Las Vegas, Nevada — with a strawweight main event between top-ten contenders, Michelle Waterson and Marina Rodriguez currently in the works. Cory Sandhagen was originally scheduled to meet with the returning former two-time bantamweight best, T.J. Dillashaw at the event, until the latter was forced to withdraw after suffering a notable laceration above his right eye after he was hit with an inadvertent head butt during training.