UFC on Versus 3: The Five Most Epic Diego Sanchez Fights in UFC History

In the main event of UFC's third venture on Versus, former lightweight title challenger Diego Sanchez takes on respected UFC veteran Martin Kampmann.

The MMA world is torn on who to pick going into this bout, but there is one thing everyone is in agreement on: It has all the makings of a classic.

In fact, when you consider Diego Sanchez's career in the UFC, it is hard to not envision any fight he is in as a classic. Since winning the first season of The Ultimate Fighter, Sanchez has been one half of some of the best UFC fights of all time.

Whatever your opinions are on the man himself, you can not deny that Sanchez brings it every time he enters the cage. Tomorrow night should be no different.

In anticipation of tomorrow night's fight, here are the five most epic Diego Sanchez fights in his UFC career, in chronological order.

Enjoy.

Diego Sanchez vs. Nick Diaz

Sanchez's second fight following the conclusion of the first season of The Ultimate Fighter was the main event of the second season finale.

Sanchez was set to take on Nick Diaz, who was 4-1 in the UFC at the time and had won two straight.

Diaz criticized Sanchez and the rest of the TUF cast-members for having a much easier path to the big stage of MMA. Diaz suggested that Sanchez had not paid his dues and did not deserve to be fighting in a main event with him.

Sanchez would have none of that and showed the tenacity that he is now known for by putting Diaz on his back early and landing some heavy ground and pound.

The grappling between the two was some of the best seen in the UFC, with both fighters constantly reversing the other and scrambling for position. But, Sanchez took control and banged up Diaz's face, earning a well deserved unanimous decision.

Diaz was forced to give Sanchez his respect. The win still ranks among the best of Sanchez's career, but at the time it made him a major player in the UFC welterweight division.

Diego Sanchez vs. Karo Parisyan

In 2006, Karo Parisyan was a top contender in the UFC and Diego Sanchez was the undefeated original winner of The Ultimate Fighter. At Ultimate Fight Night 6, the two met in one of the most exciting fights in UFC history to determine who would enter the welterweight title picture.

Parisyan had won five straight since losing a unanimous decision to Georges St. Pierre, and Sanchez was now 4-0 in the UFC.

From the opening bell, both fighters battled back and forth with Parisyan's judo-throws and ground and pound highlighting the first round. Diego battled back to win the second with his explosive grappling and hard punches from the top.

Most had it scored one round each going into the third, and Sanchez poured on the energy and intensity, clearly dominating the stand-up game, and even knocking out one of Parisyan's teeth with a knee against the cage.

Sanchez's conditioning left no doubt as to who would get the victory, but the real winners were the fans.

This bout still remains one of my all-time favorites.

Diego Sanchez vs. Jon Fitch

With Diego Sanchez coming off his first loss in the UFC, a lackluster unanimous decision against former foe Josh Koscheck, the UFC matched him with rising welterweight contender Jon Fitch at UFC 76.

At this point, Fitch was on a 14-fight win-streak with six of those taking place in the UFC. A win for him here and he was clearly the top contender to challenge for the title.

When the fighters faced off, it was clear that Fitch had the size advantage, but from the opening bell, Sanchez charged to meet his man at the center of the octagon.

Fitch was able to out-muscle the smaller Sanchez throughout, but Sanchez showed his full array of skills by nearly submitting Fitch multiple times. A deep guillotine and a tight triangle nearly had Fitch asleep, but Fitch proved his toughness by surviving the submission attempts and controlling Sanchez on the ground.

Fitch won a split-decision and went on to fight for the title, but to this day, few have fought as gamely against Fitch as Sanchez did that night, and nobody has come as close to submitting him.

Diego Sanchez vs. Clay Guida

When Diego Sanchez met Clay Guida in the main event of The Ultimate Fighter 9 Finale, he was there to announce his intentions to become the UFC lightweight champion. And, as soon as the bell rang, he did just that.

Never before has a fight erupted as quickly and intensely as it did when these two clashed against the cage. Sanchez immediately swarmed Guida with an array of straight punches, uppercuts, and knees. Guida fired back with a whirlwind of hair and wild punches, but Sanchez was doing some serious damage.

At the midway point of the opening round, Sanchez nailed Guida square in the face with a left head-kick, dropping him on his back in what looked like the end of the fight. But, as Guida has proven numerous times, he is not easy to put away and quickly scrambled to grab Sanchez's leg and survive.

In the next two rounds, Guida used his wrestling to make the bout close, but Diego was active from the bottom, landing a continuous series of hard elbows.

In the end, Sanchez won a split-decision in a fight where both fighters stock rose. And for the amazing performance, he was awarded a shot at the UFC lightweight championship.

Diego Sanchez vs. Paulo Thiago

In Diego Sanchez's most recent bout—which came after a one-sided loss to B.J. Penn for the lightweight title and a failed return to the welterweight division against John Hathaway—he met fellow welterweight fringe contender Paulo Thiago.

Thiago, famous for knocking out Josh Koscheck and choking Mike Swick unconscious, would prove whether or not Sanchez still belonged with the contenders at 170 pounds. And, in the opening minutes, it looked like another rough night for Sanchez.

But, midway through the second round, Sanchez showed the fire he has become known for. After picking Thiago up on his shoulder, Sanchez let out a yell while running across the octagon and slammed his foe to the mat. From that point on, Sanchez controlled the bout, winning the stand-up battles and punishing Thiago with punches from the top.

Diego Sanchez won the second and third rounds, earning him a much needed unanimous decision victory.

Now, he has a daunting task in Martin Kampmann, Thursday night on Versus. With a win there, he is once again a major player in the welterweight division.

But, whoever does get their hand raised at the end, the fans are likely to be the sure winner.