Photos by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
We don't often hear about the perils of life outside the cage as a UFC star, but Diego Sanchez has become firmly established as one of MMA's great cautionary tales. A recent article on Sanchez, who fights Jake Ellenberger this Wednesday at UFC on Fuel TV, discusses several of the issues that saw Diego hit near rock bottom.
"I got sucked real deep into the fame and the money," Sanchez said recently on The MMA Hour. "I was a bachelor and I got sucked into a bad life of partying. I got really into smoking weed, drinking, partying. After my Clay Guida fight, I went down a bad path, man. It was just not a good path. After my loss to B.J. Penn it just got worse. I got really out of control."
...
"To make it worse, one of my best friends completely robbed me blind...Set me up and embezzled me for about $150,000."
...
"In February of 2010, I had hit rock bottom, completely. I was broke. I was down and out, man," Sanchez recalled. "This guy had run me dry. The money had I set away to pay taxes, I was $230,000 in debt with the I.R.S."
Sanchez also talks about being lied to by a woman who said that her child was Diego's. After years of raising the child as his own, it turned out that Diego was not the baby's father.
I wrote about this last August, but even guys like Manny Pacquiao, who make millions of dollars per fight, are basically going broke. His trainer, Freddie Roach, said that Manny burns through money at an incredible rate because of his political "career" as well as his basically supporting a small army of hangers on who he flies everywhere with him, puts them up in hotels, pays for all of their expenses and so on.
As I said then, it's easy for fans to scoff and talk abut how they would never have problems if they made the money professional athletes pull. But, if it were really that simple would we see it happen over and over again to these athletes. Fame comes to these people at a young age or it comes to people who didn't have much growing up and they aren't really fully equipped to handle it.
Diego says that he has now "put everything in god's hands." But I can only hope that he also put some of it in the hands of better mortal advisers so that he ends up with a nice life ahead of him.
0 recs | 102 comments
Brock and Fedor got it figured out
Make big money, live modestly, keep big money.
menckenstein - February 13, 2012
I wouldn't be shocked if M-1 was screwing over Fedor.
HaterSlayer - February 13, 2012
Fedor controls the biggest "share" of M1, though, right?
I’d be surprised if anyone in M1 was trying to screw him over because Fedor has the red phone to Putin and Kadryov.
menckenstein - February 13, 2012
Last I read was that Fedor has a 10% stake in M-1. Plus, if It’s true that m-1’s biggelt share holder really is this semi mobster then Fedor isn’t save except for divine intervention if M-1 would decide to screw him over.
basvanderwolk - February 13, 2012 via mobile
Well that's more than I know on the subject
/over and out
menckenstein - February 13, 2012
it is either over or out, never both…
schm1583 - February 13, 2012
As a former Comm guy I can tell you
schm1583 knows what he’s talking about.
RolloTomasi - February 13, 2012
Its one of those things I wished I had never learned because now it bothers me every time I hear it
schm1583 - February 13, 2012
I can't watch war movies anymore
they’re all redonk.
RolloTomasi - February 13, 2012
Unless I was referring to my junk and it's position in relation to my waistband
menckenstein - February 13, 2012
BEEP "My junk is out, and it's hanging over my wrist.
I say again
My junk is out, and it’s hanging over my wrist.
menckenstein out" BEEP
RolloTomasi - February 13, 2012
"You like my new watch?"
menckenstein - February 13, 2012
"Can you read my watch?"
Gasp “That’s your dick!”
“Yeah. :)”
“OMG that is soooo funny, you have to show my boyfriend.”
“OK where is he?”
RolloTomasi - February 13, 2012
Beep beep
SWEEP
menckenstein - February 13, 2012
My line
“Would you like to buy a snakeskin watch?”
glib_mf - February 13, 2012
Putin = divine intervention
The man is at least a demi-god.
thirdparty - February 13, 2012
I know what you mean.
RolloTomasi - February 13, 2012
That horse needs a haircut.
Fuckin hippie!
RolloTomasi - February 13, 2012
regardless of what percentage he owns in the company, you have to wonder how profitable M-1 really is overall. at least by most accounts he does live a rather simple life.
Victor Rodriguez - February 13, 2012
#howcouldyousaysuchathing?
gspmademegay - February 13, 2012
I agree.
After seeing a bunch of interviews with that creepy dude (who runs it) I’ve long expected to find out that like a year after being done fighting Fedor is basically broke and was robbed blind. Russian mafia connections just do NOT make for a great retirement plan.
DankNabbot - February 13, 2012
Yeah
You come from a poor area and then everyone knows you’re making money and some cases all of them know exactly how much you’re making. You also don’t want to leave your family members in some dangerous ass project so it is easy to go broke trying to take care of lots of people.
HaterSlayer - February 13, 2012
Hidden Paydays
Dana always says it, and I think that this is proof that concealing a big chunk of pay is a good thing. I’m sure some of these guys brag to their buddies about how much they make, but the more people that know, the more are after a piece of the pie. If everyone knew how much some of these main eventers were getting instead of the disclosed 150-250k, there would be 100x more leaches trying to get a piece of the pie.
mooseknuckle - February 13, 2012
if turning your life around
makes you switch nickname to one of the worst ones ever, I would encourage more young athletes who loose control to keep losing it.
yes, nicknames are everything to me.
the guy with the big nose - February 13, 2012
Patrick Ewing Said It Best
“We might make a lot of money but, we also spend a lot of money.”
Drops - February 13, 2012
shits just sad.
gspmademegay - February 13, 2012
Antoine will play for food
menckenstein - February 13, 2012
you mean
‘jack horrible 26 footers for food?’
gspmademegay - February 13, 2012
5 years - $150,000
Antoine doesn’t care about feeding his kids, unlike some role models.
menckenstein - February 13, 2012
i didnt understand any of that
but i loved the pic! i was in the building when he choked pj, too.
gspmademegay - February 13, 2012
Sprewell rejected a 3 yr $23 mil contract because he said it wasn't enough to "feed his kids"
Nobody picked him up.
menckenstein - February 13, 2012
DAD-PASS THOSE FRIES! FO' FREE!!!!
gspmademegay - February 13, 2012
unforgivable
Cunny - February 13, 2012
just might makes this my avatar when i go home...
PeopleWatching - February 13, 2012
"Hah Hah Hah."
“I know that laugh.”
RolloTomasi - February 13, 2012
That sort of thing is so absurd.
But people tend to spend what they have. Athletes are the worst offenders just because how the scale in which they do it in.
pud333 - February 13, 2012
athletes think that they are going to make pro-athlete money until they are 65, when the reality is that most are only going to make that type of money for a few years at the most. who’s going to make koschecks mansion payment when he is 55?
tha dude - February 13, 2012
Yeah, it's all short term thinking.
Also, it’s kind of tough to keep things in perspective if one day you’re this highschool kid who comes from a typical family, then the next day you can afford whatever you want thanks to the NBA. You really would have to have had great parents who raised you right and keep you grounded in order for you not to go off the deep end.
pud333 - February 13, 2012
“Latrell Sprewell is the Fedor Emelianenko of sweater attire, Joe.”
Baba Booey - February 13, 2012
like a wearable stain-glass window.
gspmademegay - February 13, 2012
I'm going to go out on a limb here.
But, he just might to go want to go on Maury and get a couple of paternity tests.
Steve W - February 13, 2012 via mobile
"Shits just sad."
You know that without the apostrophe it means something else, right?
And it is awesome.
Unabomberman - February 13, 2012
The sentence about Diego raising the baby only to find out the baby was not his made me feel bad for Diego. While I don’t think he’ll beat Ellenberger, I hope that he gets a Fight of the Night bonus.
chrisbboy82 - February 13, 2012
yea thats some real dirt he was dealt there.
PeopleWatching - February 13, 2012
A whole year without a paternity test?
Diego’s not coming across as the most clever fella.
WheelieMonkey - February 13, 2012
but the kid looked just like him!
gspmademegay - February 13, 2012
Stop posting Subo's baby pictures
IRodC - February 13, 2012
Can you blame him? God had his back. Wait, wut?
pud333 - February 13, 2012
It’s called a paternity test if you have any questions at all. Maybe he didn’t and that completely sucks if true, but honestly when you are making money like that and somebody says they are having your kid maybe you should have questions.
Empty Thoughts - February 13, 2012
The situation sucks to me regardless, but it was not smart of Diego not to have questions.
chrisbboy82 - February 13, 2012
It’s shocking how financially illiterate even most college graduates from an upper-middle class background are, let alone young professional athletes who devote most of their attention to training their particular sport. We need to start teaching kids simple concepts about personal finance no later than junior high when earning money becomes a potential reality, because the education is clearly not happening at home for the majority of kids.
Charlie Custer - February 13, 2012
I couldn’t agree more.
baruch - February 13, 2012
That’s why the world is in the crapper right now. People aren’t financially responsible when they first enter adulthood between maxing out credit cards with 20% APR and taking out student loans to attend an expensive private school for a BS liberal arts degree.
BeefSupreme - February 13, 2012
Man, people really shit on the Liberal Arts program, huh?
Unabomberman - February 13, 2012
I never ran into a professional liberal artist.
BeefSupreme - February 13, 2012
i agree.
the only thing that my parents taught me about finance was to go to work everyday and save what you can. it’s sound advice, but definitely not the path to financial freedom.
tha dude - February 13, 2012
at the same time,
i know plenty of peolpe that have been on the brink of financial ruin and haven’t learned a single lesson from the experience. they find themselves in trouble again within a few months.
tha dude - February 13, 2012
diego, i see your 'rock bottom'
and raise you one chasey lain:
gspmademegay - February 13, 2012
She used to be gorgeous. Faith hasn’t worked out for her.
sexysassytravismmafan - February 13, 2012
When will women's culture
figure out that we like natural beauty more than…this?
Andy Davis - February 13, 2012
Because you don't.
Have you actually taken a look around at what normal people look like?
WheelieMonkey - February 13, 2012
Good thing its not like that now ! looks like she’s been taking those trips to the 3rd world for there buy 2 get one free face $300 face lift’s with a crack diet mixed in.
Shocbomb - February 13, 2012
There are plenty of fairly normal women who are more attractive than porn stars when the make up comes off.
discoandherpes - February 13, 2012
Plenty? Sure.
Majority? Hell no.
WheelieMonkey - February 14, 2012
When will men's culture
figure out that women don’t need to style themselves based on the approval of men?
iddqd - February 13, 2012
when women start buying dinner
Mongoose44 - February 13, 2012
boo-ya!
Nice.
glib_mf - February 13, 2012
women's culture hasn't realised that yet
the ones who do are generally lonely and miserable
Cunny - February 13, 2012
wow
Cunny - February 13, 2012
Aw man why was my gif deleted?
Ballad of Chasey Lain joke destroyed.
menckenstein - February 13, 2012
its too bad. being a 1099 can SUCK!
especially with a sporadic income, which is the case most the time for 1099’s.
You have to put that taxe money away and not spend it, 33% is uncle sams, every fucking week, and I’m stilling hitting potholes on my way to work.
F.U.B.A.R - February 13, 2012
wonder if they even report uncle danas bonuses though.
probably not.
gspmademegay - February 13, 2012
I'm sure they do
Since Zuffa would report paying it to the IRS
Stiff Jab - February 13, 2012
We might see the unstoppable Diego comeback
opening up his career 17-0
Elitex10x - February 13, 2012
After he lands the lead hook..
He sprints toward Joe Riggs and lands a perfectly timed knee
that’s killer instinct.
Elitex10x - February 13, 2012
That was a really impressive finish right there.
DankNabbot - February 13, 2012
Chris Rock said it best
Men lie the most, women tell the biggest lies. A man’s lie will be like, “I was at Tony’s house. I… I was at Kenny’s house.” A woman’s lie will be like, “it’s yo baby!”
sorakray - February 13, 2012
Diego. Buddy. If a girl came to me and said her baby was mine, the first words out of my mouth would be:
“Paternity test. Now.” No way she sees a dime until that happens.
pud333 - February 13, 2012
Maybe he was in a (he thought) monogamous relationship with this woman?
menckenstein - February 13, 2012
mr. sanchez, we have the results of your paternity test.
yes, apparently the fathers name is, uh, greg jackson?
gspmademegay - February 13, 2012
Nah.
Greg Jackson’s game plans lack finish.
pud333 - February 13, 2012
Fuck. Yeah.
Zing!
DankNabbot - February 13, 2012
Jackson: Maury, you see Diego was having trouble finishing and...
menckenstein - February 13, 2012
sorakray - February 13, 2012
Could be. Could be Diego is no brain trust also.
pud333 - February 13, 2012
Maybe, he's an idiot
Kid Kimura - February 13, 2012
This makes me sad
I just hope Diego’s biggest paydays aren’t behind him. I like his work ethic and I think he’s put on some amazing fights.
RobtWeaver - February 13, 2012
Sad but true
Like the way he fights but he ain’t the sharpest cat
rolandd - February 13, 2012
he set aside $230,000 to pay the IRS
but he decided not to pay them. instead, he told his buddy to hold on to the money for him? and now we know why the TUF 1 house made fun of him for being “less than intelligent”.
tha dude - February 13, 2012
We already knew that
from the things he said on the show. He’s clearly not that bright.
rarson - February 13, 2012
true.
but i have a knack for pointing out the obvious.
tha dude - February 13, 2012
Can't Teach Common Sense
It would’ve been great to be a fly on the wall during the investment opportunity presentation where Diego got setup to lose $150K. I’m sure it was something that anyone with a brain could see was a scam.
Not sure why they have such a hard time understanding this. No skills outside of MMA, haven’t’ leveraged MMA to set themselves up post-fighting, and can’t fight forever.
Let’s see here.
davebo - February 13, 2012
Am I allowed to speculate about cocaine use? When someone parties their way out of hundreds of thousands of dollars, it’s usually involved somehow.
Bolshevik - February 13, 2012
you mean he didn't smoke up several hundred thousand dollars?
tha dude - February 13, 2012
Is Snoop Dogg part of his entourage?
Bolshevik - February 13, 2012
You can waste A LOT of money very fast in upscale nightclubs (although there definitely tends to be nose candy floating around those kinds of scenes).
Machiel Van - February 13, 2012
maybe his 'friend' was rampage jackson
and he was supporting his grey goose addiction?
gspmademegay - February 13, 2012
nah. Rampage gets his drinks from F.U.B.A.R.
Victor Rodriguez - February 13, 2012
leave my ex-wife out of this you bastard!
gspmademegay - February 13, 2012
I was thinking the same exact thing, I think there was more going on most nights then just Weed and booze ? 9/10 when someone party’s away thousands quick its becasue they are the ones buying 8 ball after 8 ball for them and there boys.
Shocbomb - February 13, 2012
God is pointing you to the ol' H&R block Diego.
Machiel Van - February 13, 2012
i’m just glad he was able to get out of that mess and is in a better place in his life.
there’s no way i can hate on a dude like that.
fuck the haters. Go Diego, Go!!
Victor Rodriguez - February 13, 2012
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