With the recent news that Diego Sanchez, the Season 1 winner of The Ultimate Fighter, has bowed out of his matchup with former welterweight champion Matt Hughes, speculation has already run rampant as far as who the suitable replacement will be.
“The Dream” was on a two-fight win streak over former contenders in Paulo Thiago and Martin Kampmann. In those two bouts, Sanchez netted the evenings “Fight of the Night” honors, which instantly propelled him back to the upper echelon of the 170-pound class.
Now that Sanchez has suffered a broken hand in preparation for the bout, Hughes is now left wanting. With no dance partner in the co-main event for UFC 135 later this month, who will step up to meet the legend?