Tag: Diego Sanchez

UFC on FUEL 8: Diego Sanchez Says He Would’ve Never Missed Weight in America

UFC on FUEL 8 co-headliner Diego Sanchez planned on making a triumphant return to the lightweight division against hometown hero Takanori Gomi tonight, but half of his plan was already foiled by the scale (per MMAJunkie.com). Even with a pound all…

UFC on FUEL 8 co-headliner Diego Sanchez planned on making a triumphant return to the lightweight division against hometown hero Takanori Gomi tonight, but half of his plan was already foiled by the scale (per MMAJunkie.com). 

Even with a pound allowance, the Jackson’s MMA fighter came in two pounds heavy at 158 pounds and felt he was unable to cut the additional weight. 

He now forfeits 20 percent of his fight purse to “The Fireball Kid,” which he tweeted cost him a hefty $24,000. 

He also notes that Japan not having distilled water to drink is what did him in. 

Sanchez enters the fight 2-3 in his past five fights, though two of those losses came against welterweights Jake Ellenberger and John Hathaway. 

Sanchez has a 2-1 record at 155 pounds, earning a title shot against then-champion BJ Penn after two exciting victories over former divisional contenders Joe Stevenson and Clay Guida. 

However, he came up short in his title bid against “The Prodigy” with the cageside doctor calling off the fight in the middle of the fifth round due to a nasty cut over Sanchez’s eye. 

After going 1-3 in his first four fights inside the Octagon, Gomi has rebounded with victories over Eiji Mitsuoka and Mac Danzig. 

Even with Sanchez missing weight, many pundits still have this lightweight scrap pegged as a shoe-in for “Fight of the Night.” 

UFC on FUEL 8 takes place at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan, with the main-card action beginning at 10 p.m. EST. 

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Diego Sanchez Misses Weight for UFC on FUEL 8, Calls Takanori Gomi a Crybaby in Advance


(Sanchez’ unorthodox weight-cutting method did not work as well as he had hoped)

Diego Sanchez signed on to move back down to lightweight for the first time in three years for the opportunity to fight legendary former champion Takanori Gomi in his home nation of Japan at tonight’s UFC on Fuel 8 event but at yesterday’s weigh-ins did not make the category’s weight limit. A smooth-fleshed and drained looking Diego weighed in two pounds over the lightweight non-title fight limit of 156 pounds.

Gomi could have refused to fight Sanchez at that point but has reportedly agreed to still fight Sanchez. Diego will now be docked 20% of his purse by the UFC.

Ordinarily, in states like Nevada, when a fighter misses weight, 20% of their purse is taken by the athletic commission. Half of that amount is given to their opponent and the other half is taken by the commission and given to their state’s general budget.

UFC on Fuel 8 is being self-regulated by the UFC and, at this point, it is unknown what, exactly, the organization will do with Sanchez’ penalized purse percentage. In any case, the fight is on, and Sanchez took to twitter to apologize to his opponent and fans….wait, no.

That would make too much sense. Our freewheeling, cartwheeling, mean-mugging friend actually used his twitter account after weigh ins to preemptively complain about Gomi and taunt the Japanese fighter.

“Gomi better not be crying I missed weight, after I win because those 2 lbs cost 24 thousand dollars. If I could have cut it I would have :(“ Sanchez tweeted early this morning.


(Sanchez’ unorthodox weight-cutting method did not work as well as he had hoped)

Diego Sanchez signed on to move back down to lightweight for the first time in three years for the opportunity to fight legendary former champion Takanori Gomi in his home nation of Japan at tonight’s UFC on Fuel 8 event but at yesterday’s weigh-ins did not make the category’s weight limit. A smooth-fleshed and drained looking Diego weighed in two pounds over the lightweight non-title fight limit of 156 pounds.

Gomi could have refused to fight Sanchez at that point but has reportedly agreed to still fight Sanchez. Diego will now be docked 20% of his purse by the UFC.

Ordinarily, in states like Nevada, when a fighter misses weight, 20% of their purse is taken by the athletic commission. Half of that amount is given to their opponent and the other half is taken by the commission and given to their state’s general budget.

UFC on Fuel 8 is being self-regulated by the UFC and, at this point, it is unknown what, exactly, the organization will do with Sanchez’ penalized purse percentage. In any case, the fight is on, and Sanchez took to twitter to apologize to his opponent and fans….wait, no.

That would make too much sense. Our freewheeling, cartwheeling, mean-mugging friend actually used his twitter account after weigh ins to preemptively complain about Gomi and taunt the Japanese fighter.

“Gomi better not be crying I missed weight, after I win because those 2 lbs cost 24 thousand dollars. If I could have cut it I would have :( “ Sanchez tweeted early this morning.

That’s right, Gomi. Don’t you start complaining about how your opponent is heavier than you and how that is, by definition, an advantage for him. Because, you know, it cost him money and it was really, really hard for him to do what you had to do.

Well, at least this continues the weird-a-thon with these two that began at Thursday’s press conference when Sanchez had a rough bowl-movement on stage and Gomi nearly passed out from fatigue and confusion.

Few fighters bring the strange, as well as excitement like these two nuts. Should be a fun one. What do you say, ‘taters? Will Sanchez be drained from his bad cut or will he use a size advantage to add another loss to Gomi’s UFC record?

– Elias Cepeda

Takanori Gomi vs. Diego Sanchez: Will It Be a “Fight of the Year” Candidate?

Put two of the most exciting lightweights in the cage against one another and you have a recipe that could lead to a fight of the year candidate. Takanori Gomi and Diego Sanchez are two of the most exciting fighters in MMA history. UFC on Fuel 8 pits t…

Put two of the most exciting lightweights in the cage against one another and you have a recipe that could lead to a fight of the year candidate.

Takanori Gomi and Diego Sanchez are two of the most exciting fighters in MMA history. UFC on Fuel 8 pits them against one another.

Gomi has had numerous exciting bouts throughout his career. His scraps with Tatsuya Kawajiri and Nick Diaz are memorable affairs that still are remembered today. While some of his skills have seemingly diminished, he posted another Fight of the Night in his most recent outing against Mac Danzig.

Sanchez has won the Fight of the Night bonus in four of his last six bouts. Throw in his early UFC wars against Nick Diaz and Karo Parisyan and one could make the claim that Sanchez has been the most exciting fighter in UFC history. Recent fights against Clay Guida and Jake Ellenberger have been just as exciting.

Sanchez has shown a penchant for delivering entertaining fights throughout his career, but the bar has already been set high for 2013.

At UFC 157 Dennis Bermudez and Matt Grice put on a show. It is already being talked about as a fight of the year candidate, and will be tough to top. Two months in to the new year and the competition for the best fight is already stiff.

The advantage this fight has over Bermudez vs. Grice is that fans care about these two fighters. That will heighten the level of anticipation and excitement of the fight. That is something that lacked in the Bermudez and Grice battle.

In a perfect world fights would be ranked on their merit alone, but we do not live in a perfect world. Good fights featuring two fighters fans care about will be equal or trump great fights between two lower-level fighters. However, Gomi and Sanchez can post more action in 15 minutes than most others. That gives them a great chance to have the fight of the year.

Fans love slugfests, and this should be nothing short of an all-out brawl.

Gomi loves to go for the knockout. He has serious power in his punches, and does not prefer to take the fight down. Sanchez is similar. He does not necessarily carry the same power in his fists, but he makes up for that with his high output.

Another important factor is that neither fighter backs down. They are aggressive. Two fighters who seek to take the fight to their opponent and not to counter in a less than exciting fashion.

If this fight misses out on Fight of the Night it would be a shock. Expectations are high. If these fighters can exceed those on Saturday that will go a long way to making it a memorable affair.

Sanchez and Gomi are perfect styles to put against one another if you want to create fireworks. That is the right mix for a potential fight of the year contender.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

Diego Sanchez to Face Takanori Gomi in Next Bout

According to Diego Sanchez, his next opponent will be Japanese lightweight Takanori Gomi, confirming rumours that first surfaced last month that the two will face each other at UFC on Fuel 8 in Japan on March 3, 2013. Sanchez tweeted the news Wednesday…

According to Diego Sanchez, his next opponent will be Japanese lightweight Takanori Gomi, confirming rumours that first surfaced last month that the two will face each other at UFC on Fuel 8 in Japan on March 3, 2013.

Sanchez tweeted the news Wednesday night:

The match will be a lightweight contest, the first time Sanchez has fought at that weight since losing to BJ Penn for the 155-pound title in 2009.

Sanchez is coming off of a loss to Jake Ellenberger in February, in a fight which earned him a Fight of the Night bonus. Gomi has recently found winning form again, defeating Eiji Mitsuoka and Mac Danzig in his last outings after dropping two to Clay Guida and Nate Diaz.

Sanchez has flitted between lightweight and welterweight throughout his career, and even had a stint as a middleweight back in 2005.

Gomi, a veteran of the sport, was a star in the Japanese Pride promotion back in the day, winning the lightweight title there in 2005 and going on to defend it the following year.

UFC on Fuel 8 will mark the first time the UFC returns to Japan since its debut in the country with UFC 144 in February.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

Wanderlei Silva vs. Brian Stann Confirmed for ‘UFC on FUEL 8? Headliner, Diego Sanchez Returns to Lightweight vs. Takanori Gomi


(“Yeah, I have a question for the group: Is anybody *not* getting too old for this shit?” / Photo via Sherdog)

A pair of former PRIDE champions will be anchoring the UFC’s return to Japan. As confirmed by the promotion yesterday, UFC on FUEL 8 is slated for Sunday, March 3rd, at the Saitama Super Arena, with Wanderlei Silva vs. Brian Stann booked for the main event. [Update: The fight will take place at light-heavyweight.] Both men are coming off of decision losses, with Silva dropping his rematch to Rich Franklin at UFC 147 in June, and Stann losing to Michael Bisping in September.

Though Silva probably has little recollection of the last time he competed in Saitama, the Axe Murderer became an MMA superstar in Japan, where he went undefeated through his first 20 fights in PRIDE and held the middleweight title for over five years. But his current stint in the UFC — where he’s won just three of eight fights since 2007 — has suggested that Silva is nearing the end of the road, and his next bad loss could be his last. Can he come up with another heroic effort against the All American?

Speaking of PRIDE legends, longtime lightweight champ Takanori Gomi will be welcoming Diego Sanchez back to the lightweight division at UFC on FUEL 8. Gomi has won his last two UFC fights against Eiji Mitsuoka and Mac Danzig, while Sanchez is coming off a decision defeat against Jake Ellenberger in February. Sanchez hasn’t competed at 155 pounds since being utterly shredded by BJ Penn during their lightweight title fight three years ago.

Pretty damn good for a free card, right? Keep in mind that the event will also feature the heavyweight battle between Mark Hunt and Stefan Struve, plus the following newly-announced supporting bouts…


(“Yeah, I have a question for the group: Is anybody *not* getting too old for this shit?” / Photo via Sherdog)

A pair of former PRIDE champions will be anchoring the UFC’s return to Japan. As confirmed by the promotion yesterday, UFC on FUEL 8 is slated for Sunday, March 3rd, at the Saitama Super Arena, with Wanderlei Silva vs. Brian Stann booked for the main event. [Update: The fight will take place at light-heavyweight.] Both men are coming off of decision losses, with Silva dropping his rematch to Rich Franklin at UFC 147 in June, and Stann losing to Michael Bisping in September.

Though Silva probably has little recollection of the last time he competed in Saitama, the Axe Murderer became an MMA superstar in Japan, where he went undefeated through his first 20 fights in PRIDE and held the middleweight title for over five years. But his current stint in the UFC — where he’s won just three of eight fights since 2007 — has suggested that Silva is nearing the end of the road, and his next bad loss could be his last. Can he come up with another heroic effort against the All American?

Speaking of PRIDE legends, longtime lightweight champ Takanori Gomi will be welcoming Diego Sanchez back to the lightweight division at UFC on FUEL 8. Gomi has won his last two UFC fights against Eiji Mitsuoka and Mac Danzig, while Sanchez is coming off a decision defeat against Jake Ellenberger in February. Sanchez hasn’t competed at 155 pounds since being utterly shredded by BJ Penn during their lightweight title fight three years ago.

Pretty damn good for a free card, right? Keep in mind that the event will also feature the heavyweight battle between Mark Hunt and Stefan Struve, plus the following newly-announced supporting bouts…

Dong-Hyun Kim vs. Siyar Bahadurzada (WW): Coincidentally, both of these guys are coming off wins against Paulo Thiago. However, Bahadurzada hasn’t competed since April due to a hand injury.

Riki Fukuda vs. Brad Tavares (MW): Tavares is on a two-fight win streak with decisions against Dongi Yang and Tom Watson, while Fukuda retired Tom DeBlass in his last appearance.

Cristiano Marcello vs. Kazuki Tokudome (LW): Though he entered the UFC through TUF: Live, Cristiano Marcello may be best known as the guy who choked out Krazy Horse Bennett backstage at a PRIDE event. (He also competed once in PRIDE, losing a decision to Mitsuhiro Ishida in 2006.) Fresh off a decision win against Reza Madadi, he’ll be facing Tokodune, an 11-3 Pancrase vet who will be making his UFC debut.

Takeya Mizugaki vs. Bryan Caraway (BW): Mizugaki, the longtime WEC/UFC vet who is due for a defeat based on his incredibly consistent habit of alternating between wins and losses, will be facing Miesha’s Tate arm-candy Bryan Caraway, who has submitted Dustin Neace and Mitch Gagnon since his stint on TUF 14.

Alex Caceres vs. Kyung Ho Kang (BW): With back-to-back victories over Damacio Page and Motonobu Tezuka — and shout-outs from Ben Henderson himself — things have been looking up for the former yard-fighter known as “Bruce Leroy.” He’ll be welcoming Road FC champ Kyung Ho Kang into the Octagon.

Diego Sanchez Next Fight: 5 Possible Opponents at Lightweight

UFC fan favorite Diego Sanchez took to Twitter Monday to tease his next fight. 
MY NEXT FIGHT WILL BE AT LIGHTWEIGHT.— Diego Sanchez UFC (@DiegoSanchezUFC) December 10, 2012
 For the past three years, Sanchez has shuttled between 155 po…

UFC fan favorite Diego Sanchez took to Twitter Monday to tease his next fight.

 

 

For the past three years, Sanchez has shuttled between 155 pounds and 170 pounds; his last four engagements came at welterweight and yielded a 2-2 record. 

The outspoken and eccentric Sanchez has been fairly quiet since losing a thriller to Jake Ellenberger in February. He announced an intention to move back to lightweight in August but had said nothing until now about a new fight. Here are five possible opponents for “The Dream.”

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