Diego Sanchez Parts Ways with Controversial Coach Joshua Fabia

Ex-Ultimate Fighting Championship great Diego Sanchez has taken a massive step in regaining control over the remainder of his career.

Sanchez joined up with coach Joshua Fabia in 2019 prior to meeting Mickey Gall at UFC 235, with the arrangement between himself and the self-proclaimed “guru” a contentious one over the years. Sanchez ended up winning his fight with Gall, but three subsequent outings were less successful even though one of three resulted in a win for Sanchez. Per MMA Fighting on Thursday, Sanchez will no longer be working with Fabia going forward, terminating a relationship that ultimately led to Sanchez’ UFC release in April.

By working with Fabia, a man whose credentials have never been authenticated, Sanchez apparently alienated friends and family the last few years. The ending of this relationship also terminates the apparent power of attorney that Fabia held over the 39-year-old fighter, per Sanchez’ attorney Charles Lakins. This legal document granted Fabia the power the make financial or medical decisions on Sanchez’ behalf should Sanchez become incapacitated. Sanchez himself plans to make a statement about the matter next week, while Fabia has not yet responded to this news.

The relationship gained increased scrutiny after Fabia confronted the UFC commentary team around Sanchez’ UFC 253 bout in September 2020. There, with the help of Stephan Bonnar recording the footage, Fabia lashed out at UFC staff including Paul Felder and Megan Olivi on the way Sanchez was covered by the booth. The videos, previously posted by Sanchez with the comment of “I never planned to post or share but my name and legacy is on the line…,” have since been taken down.

Fabia later recorded a phone conversation with UFC attorney Hunter Campbell – Nevada is a two-party consent state when it comes to recording phone calls, meaning both parties in the conversation have to accept that a conversation is being recorded – about Sanchez’ brain health. In this call, Fabia demanded the entire medical history of Sanchez with the UFC. The conversation ended when Campbell stated that Sanchez would not be allowed to compete if there were concerns about his medical status. Sanchez was released from the promotion shortly after his withdrawal from his pairing with Donald Cerrone on UFC on ESPN 24.

Fabia’s coaching style has been widely criticized over the years, with professional fighters and coaches alike noting that Fabia appears to have no combat sports training while causing harm to his fighters. Additionally, footage of sessions including Fabia chasing fighters around with a knife in the cage, or hanging Sanchez upside down to pummel him with strikes, have been lambasted. Former light heavyweight king and Sanchez training partner Rashad Evans called Fabia a “parasite,” ex-champ and another former Sanchez teammate Jon Jones claimed he was “really disgusted” with what he had seen, while UFC President Dana White deemed the coach a “creepy weirdo” that is “bats--- nuts” and “[leeches] onto fighters.” The oft-maligned coach has also been coined a “snake oil salesman” and a “fraud” by other well-respected members of the community.