The following are highlights of a new Submission Radio interview with Diego Sanchez:
On Dan Hardy’s comments
“I’m not going to start slinging the dirt because enough dirt has been slanged already and I’m here, I fight. He’s doing his commentating and you know, there’s gonna be haters, there’s going to be people talking shit, and I’m just gonna keep dusting my shoulder off.”
On the big fight announcement
“All I can say is stay tuned to the UFC. There’s gonna be a big announcement coming up, a big press conference and in about a week or so you guys are gonna know the next fight and it’s a good one.”
On what’s going through his mind when his having one of his crazy exchanges
“It’s just never back down mentality. It’s come forward, never back down and really, when I’m in that moment I’m just going for the kill, and I’m just in it for the thrill, and I’m just using all my heart and soul and fighting like a warrior.”
On not feeling punches during exchanges and being durable
“I don’t feel like I’ve taken really big shots. At welterweight, some of those guys can hit pretty hard. At light weight it’s not so hard, and you know honestly I don’t feel it in the fight, and even after the fight. The only ones that you really feel are the body shots are the ones that hurt and you know, you got so much adrenalin. You know I believe that I was built for this sport and I was made for it and that’s the reason why I’m so durable.”
On what has been Diego’s toughest match in his career thus far
“You know I was just sitting here doing the signing and I’ve seen one of my fights pop on the TV behind me and it was me and Nick Diaz, and I was just thinking ‘man I love that Nick Diaz guy’. I was like just watching the fight like man this dude’s gotta be one of my favourite fighters. And so yeah, you know I’d have to say Nick Diaz, you know BJ Penn, there’s just been so many tough guys. I’ve been in the cage with some really tough badasses and you know when it comes down to it, I can’t name one. There’s been so many and there will be more.”
The Stephen Bonnar and the asparagus
“Man we were about to throw down. I wanted to throw down with him right there in the house and I wasn’t backing down, but we didn’t wanna get cut and kicked out of the show for fighting in the kitchen.”
“Supposedly he loved getting those asparagus tips. And I didn’t even know what asparagus was at the moment, I was just a small town boy. I never could afford that expensive green diet.”
On being one of the last original TUF cast member fighting
“You know like I said, I’m just doing it and doing it the best I can. I love to fight and I will continue to fight until it’s my time to give it up. So you know, I’m not feeling like I’m getting dominated, I’ve never been knocked out or submitted, and you know when and if I get my ass kicked like that, then you know it will be time to hang it up. But you know, I’m still going strong and I feel like I’m still getting better, I have a great camp, I’m 32 years old, and I feel like I have more to show.”
On the evolution of MMA
“You know there’s just so much evolution going on, and the striking, and you never would’ve thought that guys would be landing spinning back kicks to the head, and Anthony Pettis ‘showtime kicks’ off the cage. And you know the sport is truly evolving, but you know the basics still get the job done.”
You can check out audio of the complete interview above.
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