Diego Sanchez is out at Jackson-Wink MMA and he feels it’s for the better.
At one point, Sanchez was thought of to be a mainstay at the popular gym in Albuquerque, New Mexico. “The Nightmare” even defended Jackson-Wink MMA during the nasty split with Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone. As he heads into his bout with Michel Pereira this Saturday night (Feb. 15), he will do so without the assistance of Greg Jackson or Mike Winkeljohn.
Diego Sanchez Happy Without Jackson-Wink MMA
Sanchez split from Jackson-Wink in 2019 and he told MMAFighting.com‘s Damon Martin that it was for the best.
“It’s ridiculous that you think that I poured thousands and thousands of dollars into that gym. Not only the money — I always gave 10 percent of my purse. You look back, it’s out there how much I’ve made. I always gave 10 percent of my purse. It ain’t the money, it’s the love that I was given to those young fighters. The love, the time, the energy. The experiential wisdom that I have learned through failures and through my victories.
“I would pour my heart and my soul into these young men, because what else is there to do with yourself than to help others. At the same time they didn’t appreciate me. They didn’t value me. They see me only as another weed in the grass.”
Sanchez vs. Pereira will be featured on the UFC Rio Rancho card. Sanchez is hoping to rebound following a unanimous decision loss to Michael Chiesa. Sanchez was heavily criticized as many believed he didn’t train with a proper camp for the fight. Going into that bout, Sanchez had won two in a row.
Pereira isn’t likely to be an easy task. The unique, or just downright crazy, welterweight has gone 3-1 in his last four outings. His over-the-top flashy style is sure to draw a reaction from the crowd, but can that nab him a win this weekend? The oddsmakers seem to think so as Pereira is a slight betting favorite two days before fight night.
Do you think Diego Sanchez’s departure from Jackson-Wink MMA hurts or helps him?
