UFC 135 Preview: Diego Sanchez Says He "Grew Up," Focused on Facing Matt Hughes

After an unsuccessful stint at lightweight, Diego Sanchez transitioned to the welterweight division where he has found more promise for himself. Now, following back-to-back victories over Paulo Thiago and Martin Kampmann, Sanchez has been granted the opportunity to meet Matt Hughes at UFC 135. 

But his current win-streak didn't come just through hard work and dedication in the gym.

Sanchez was a guest on MMAWeekly Radio where he revealed some details about his personal life and how he was previously living a "rockstar life." He said his life began to take a wrong turn following his loss to B.J. Penn at UFC 107. 

“After I lost the B.J. Penn fight, I lost control. I lost control of life,” Sanchez told MMAWeekly.com.

“I took the wrong path. I took the path of partying, and I was just drinking away my sorrows. I was handling the problem the wrong way.”

Along with his drug and alcohol use, Sanchez admitted he aligned himself with the wrong crowd. 

“I let a person that I thought was a friend, a real close friend, someone that would help me with finances, I had him helping me out with stuff. Turned out I got embezzled for over $170,000," he said.

Since then, Sanchez has relocated to Greg Jackson's Mixed Martial Arts in Albuquerque, N.M. It was a place where he felt comfortable and maintained a close relationship with Jackson, who Sanchez said would welcome him back regardless of the circumstances.

“Greg Jackson always told me that if I ever wanted to come back, the door was always open,” he said.

“That gym was my gym. He said, ‘this is your house, no matter what. This will always be your house.'"

And since reuniting with Jackson, Sanchez now feels reborn and rededicated to a career which he recalled at one point prevented him from reaching his potential as a fighter. He will now look to focus on his upcoming bout with Hughes, which could see him become a perennial contender at 170 lbs.

After a long road to recovery, Sanchez said he has put his past behind him and has matured as a fighter and a human being.

“You know what I did? I grew up,” he said.

"I stopped living that little young life that I want to do what I want to do when I want to do it, and that’s how I want to do it. Now, I’m (living) a different life, a real adult life.”