'I would have done anything'… Diego Sanchez recalls giving 'guru' $100,000 for his freedom
01/16/2025 07:14 PM
UFC legend Diego Sanchez’s bizarre feud with his longtime advisor and cornerman Joshua Fabia featured a six-figure extortion to part ways.
UFC pioneer Diego Sanchez decided to allow Joshua Fabia, a self-described ‘guru’ with controversial training methods, into his inner circle during the latter stages of his promotional tenure. It turned out that the decision would lead to a messy divorce from the UFC and the fracturing of several relationships with the company.
Sanchez, a prominent member of the legendary The Ultimate Fighter: Season 1 cast, sought Fabia’s help and guidance to begin a new chapter in the UFC Octagon. Fabia’s training methods included putting Sanchez upside down and punching him in the stomach, unorthodox strength-building exercises, and other odd elements.
After months of alleged psychological abuse by Fabia, Sanchez split with him in 2021. The decision to part ways with Fabia wouldn’t end in a quiet split, as Fabia defamed Sanchez in a series of social media posts.
Fabia then demanded $100k from Sanchez for alleged personal damages stemming from the breakup at his residence. Footage of the altercation spread online, and many of Sanchez’s supporters attacked Fabia for bullying tactics.
Diego Sanchez on Joshua Fabia: “I did want to kill him”
In a recent episode of Deeper Into the Cage, Sanchez reflected on Fabia confronting him at his residence and demanding $100k after he decided to part ways.
“For me, it had got to such a peak, it was so deep that either this guy was going to kill me, or I was going to have to kill him,” Sanchez said. “I did want to kill him, but I knew if I went to those measures, I was going to miss the second half of my child’s childhood.
“He made me sign the check right there in that moment, on camera too. To have proof that it wasn’t a ‘forced’ thing. At that moment, it was the easiest thing to do, because I would’ve done anything to get out of that situation…I was in true danger and people were able to see that I was.”
Sanchez was released by the UFC in 2021 after a 16-year-stint with the promotion. His last UFC fight was a unanimous decision defeat to Jake Matthews at UFC 253.
Sanchez’s release came shortly after the Matthews fight after footage of Fabia getting into a heated verbal altercation with the UFC broadcast team went viral on social media. He would then sign a one-fight deal with Khabib Nurmagomedov‘s Eagle FC promotion, falling to Kevin Lee at Eagle FC 46 in 2022.
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The Diego Sanchez/Joshua Fabia breakup is one of MMA’s most bizarre feuds
As of this writing, it’s uncertain what Fabia is up to since the split with Sanchez. He accused Sanchez of taking advantage of him during their long business and training partnership.
Sanchez made his UFC debut on the TUF 1 Finale, defeating Kenny Florian for the season’s middleweight tournament championship. He won his first six professional fights before falling to Josh Koscheck in a No. 1 welterweight contender bout at UFC 69.
Sanchez defeated the likes of Karo Parisyan, Nick Diaz, and Jim Miller during his UFC tenure. The 43-year-old returned to combat sports in 2023, transitioning to bare-knuckle fighting and losing to Austin Trout at Bare Knuckle FC: KnuckleMania 3.
