Leonard Garcia, Diego Sanchez Exchange Words Over Recent Jackson-Wink Drama

Anyone who has been following mixed martial arts for a while knows that Leonard Garcia and Donald Cerrone have a bond as tight as brothers.

So when Diego Sanchez took a shot at Cerrone for his comments about Mike Winkeljohn and Jackson-Wink MMA, Garcia felt the need to speak up on Cowboy’s behalf. “Bad Boy” who hasn’t competed since 2014, offered to face Sanchez in a bare-knuckle boxing match to help settle the score. Garcia, Cerrone and Sanchez were all at one time staples of the renowned Albuquerque, N.M.-based gym headed by Greg Jackson and Winkeljohn.

“Let Cowboy and [Mike Perry] handle their business!,” Garcia wrote in a message directed at Sanchez. “That’s signed and dated and I’m sure they can hash things out without anyone chiming in!

“If you feel like you have to get involved then I’m sure [World Bare Knuckle Fighting Federation] would give us free reign to get whatever it is off our chests! Cowboy has a brother that will always be around!”

Cerrone recently appeared on Joe Rogan’s podcast and revealed that he was no longer welcome at Jackson-Wink MMA ahead of his Nov. 10 showdown with Perry at UFC Fight Night 139 in Denver. “Cowboy” claimed that Winkeljohn chose Perry over him because of money even though “Platinum” had only been at the gym for one previous camp compared to more than a decade for Cerrone. Cerrone took no prisoners in the interview, calling it a “puppy mill” and saying that Winkeljohn drove that place into the ground.”

Sanchez, the first big star to emerge from the camp after winning the initial season of “The Ultimate Fighter”, fired back at Cerrone shortly thereafter.

“Cowboy Cerrone had been so busy building his empire the past three four years and he’s done a fantastic job doing it but that’s been his focus he’s never been here! Maybe a grappling class here or there a sparring every six months? That’s not a teammate it’s just someone who is out only for themselves,” Sanchez wrote on his own Instagram account.

That was what prompted Garcia to challenge his onetime training partner in defense of Cerrone. However, it appears that cooler heads have prevailed, as Sanchez responded in the comments of Garcia’s post.

“There is always two ways of looking at it all this drama sucks... I shouldn’t have responded emotional either but [you’re] right, I am still crazy. But at least I am wise enough to publicly say look I took it [too] far; I’ll man up on that right now,” Sanchez wrote. “I see both sides now and it is MMA — it’s family and business — but what first Wink has [is] $40,000 a month in overhead at the new building. It’s business ask [Dana White].”

Sanchez currently has more pressing matters to attend to, as he will square off against Craig White at UFC 228 on Saturday. The 39-year-old Garcia, a UFC and WEC veteran, last appeared at Legacy Fighting Championship 37, falling to Daniel Pineda via first-round submission on Nov. 14, 2014.

Don’t usually say much on social media not really my cup of tea! Watching all this gym thing @jacksonwink_mma and @cowboycerrone unfold! It sucked because I saw it build all the way up then fall into this mess. I saw @diegonightmaresanchezufc get on and say things to Cowboy didn’t sit to well! So here’s what I have to say Diego I respect you always have... thought you were a little crazy but, hey we all are a little bit! Let Cowboy and @platinummikeperry handle there business! That’s signed and dated I’m sure they can hash things out without anyone chiming in! If you feel like you have to get involved then I’m sure @worldbkff would give us free reign to get whatever it is off our chests! Cowboy has a brother that will always be around! #nodisrespect #justsaying #retiredbutnotexpired

A post shared by badboygarcia (@badboygarcia) on Sep 3, 2018 at 8:31pm PDT