Most New Year’s resolutions fall by the wayside as soon as they’re uttered or put to paper. Then again, DiegoSanchez has never been one to follow the pack – in or out of the Octagon – so when he decided what 2009 had in store for him, he had every intention of making each goal a reality. And no, it wasn’t something as trivial as losing weight or learning how to balance his checkbook.
“At the end of 2008, I set my 2009 yearly goals and the goals were to enter the 155-pound division, make the weight cut, be dominant and fight the top opponents, and end the year with the belt around my waist,” Sanchez told UFC.com.
So far, so good.
Sanchez, a respected welterweight contender who compiled a 7-2 record among the 170-pounders after winning The Ultimate Fighter season one crown at middleweight, made the drop to 155 pounds in February, and despite not taking the precaution of a test weight cut, he made the weight and went on to a fast-paced three round decision victory. Next up was equally energetic Clay Guida in June, and Sanchez won another three rounder in a Fight of the Year candidate.
So let’s recap for a second…
Enter the 155-pound division…check
Be dominant and fight the top opponents…check
There’s just one more goal for Sanchez to reach, and it’s obviously the toughest, but you can expect that he can’t wait to try beating BJ Penn for the UFC lightweight crown in the main event of UFC 107 this Saturday in Memphis. And while fulfilling a dream, beating one of the best fighters to ever put on the gloves, and to win a title at the same time could be – and should be – a daunting task, Sanchez is embracing the moment.
“I’m one to always put high expectations on every fight, so there’s no added pressure on me,” he said. “For me, I feel like there’s always the same amount of pressure on every fight because every fight’s just as important. But this fight is something special to me. For the first time in my career, I’m fighting for a world title, and more important, against my opponent, BJ Penn. The guy’s probably been the most dominant lightweight in UFC history and I’ve been waiting for this fight with BJ Penn for a long time because all along I knew that fighting BJ Penn was going to bring out the best Diego Sanchez, and Diego Sanchez fighting BJ Penn is going to bring out the best in him. So that night we’re both gonna be pushed to see who has more heart and who is the better fighter – and that’s what it’s gonna come down to because I feel we match up well in all areas of the game.”
The fight is an interesting one to break down, given Penn’s all around game and championship experience, Sanchez’ wrestling and bottomless gas tank, and all the what ifs that go along with any title fight. But Sanchez is pretty succinct when breaking down what it’s going to take for him to walk out of the Octagon at the FedEx Forum with the belt.
“Number one, you have to stay in shape and have a good gameplan; I believe we do have a good gameplan, and I’m in great shape,” he said. “Number two is just your mental state, and I’ve never had a problem with the pressure. Number three is going into the cage with the mindset that I am a champion and that I am the best. And then I’m gonna dominate this fight and I’m gonna win it, and that why champions are champions – it’s because they have that mentality and they’re able to truly believe and have faith in their heart that they can accomplish it. That’s something that I’ve always had and that faith and that belief system has carried me through my career.”
And despite the chuckles from those who find him a little odd personality-wise, as well as his back-to-back defeats at the hands of Josh Koscheck and Jon Fitch, he has used his single-minded focus to take him through some pretty treacherous waters since he first arrived in the UFC in 2005. Just one look at his resume and the victories over Kenny Florian, Nick Diaz, Karo Parisyan, Joe Riggs, Stevenson, and Guida will demonstrate that better than any soundbite can.
But getting to a title shot is just the beginning. Winning the belt is another story entirely, and Sanchez knows it, so he has prepared accordingly, bringing in a strength and conditioning coach – Steve Maxwell – to lift his cardio to new heights for his maiden UFC voyage into a five round championship fight.
“For my two previous fights at 155, I did all my own strength and conditioning, so I hired one of the top coaches, Steve Maxwell, and I feel like I’ve gotten a lot stronger, and also, my endurance is a lot better, and everything has been escalated,” he said. “The other day I did ten five minute rounds with fresh opponents, and we’ve just upped everything, but we’ve also been smart about it to find the balance to where we’re not gonna overtrain. It’s a science, and we’ve done a real good job about that. We’re ready to go in there and have an impressive victory.”
Practically every paragraph from Sanchez these days culminates in some form of proclamation of victory, positive reinforcement that he’s giving himself to mentally supplement what he’s doing in the gym. It works for him, and should he emerge as a world champion Saturday night, the real mental battles will begin as he deals with a new level of fame and a new set of obligations to live up to.
“I have already started to visualize and prepare myself for what’s to come,” he said. “Becoming a champion is going to change everything and not only am I gonna have to step up my game in everything, but I’m gonna have to step up my game in all aspects of life to be a true champion. My plate is definitely gonna be full, but I think the timing couldn’t be more perfect for me.”
But isn’t it tough to open your life to the world and see your privacy chipped away with each new interview or radio and television appearance as new friends and family members magically appear?
“It is, but I’m going to have to also have a good circle of people around me to help me filter all the BS and everything that’s gonna be coming to me, and make sure that I grasp on the good opportunities and see through all the scams and fake people out there who are gonna try to leech.”
If that sounds like Sanchez, at 27, has everything figured out, he may, but you’re not gonna hear that coming out of his mouth. As far as he’s concerned, he’s still a work in progress.
“I’m still working on it,” he laughs. “It does get tough, but it’s only gonna get tougher now with the belt. But at the same time that things are getting tougher, things also are gonna get easier, so when you look at it like that, things are gonna balance themselves out.”
Unflustered by what lies ahead, Diego Sanchez is right on time for the biggest night of his life, and he’s achieved balance when he needs it most. All that’s left is to fight.
“He (Penn) is my toughest fight and I’d have to say probably the most skilful opponent I’ve gotten in the ring with,” said Sanchez. “It’s gonna be a good fight, we’re both gonna bring everything we have, and I’m gonna have more.”
Makes you wonder what next year’s ‘to do’ list is gonna look like.