When I interviewed Diego Sanchez with Steve Cofield on Fox Sports 1460 in Las Vegas just before UFC 74, he was very revealing behind his reasons for leaving Greg Jackson's camp. Initially, many said Sanchez left simply for family reasons. However, Sanchez indicated to me that he was unhappy with Jackson's decision to bring Georges St. Pierre into the camp.

While Sanchez had nothing personal against GSP, he felt that he was his toughest competition at welterweight and didn't understand why his camp would work to help him get better. While his words didn't get much traction at the time, I have a feeling things could be different following a new interview Sanchez recently did with MMAMania.com.

In the interview, Jesse Holland does a great job of getting Sanchez to open up about the decision to leave last summer. 

Diego Sanchez: I don’t know, I think it depends on the way that you lose. Look at some of these other guys getting their jaw knocked into the fifth row. You have this guy who is supposed to be unbeatable, an MMA God and Matt Serra went in there and knocked him around.

Jesse Holland (MMAmania.com): That tone leaves me with the impression that you’re not entirely sold on GSP’s immortality.

Diego Sanchez: Oh no. You know what? I respect him, he’s a great warrior who is very strong, but I don’t fear him like some of the other guys at 170. He’s just a man. I could have went down to 155 to avoid him but my dream started at 170 and I’m gonna see it through. He’s out at my old camp now.

Jesse Holland (MMAmania.com): He’s now with Greg Jackson and you’re not. Based on what you’ve said thus far I’ll assume that’s more than just a coincidence?

Diego Sanchez: I have so much respect for the Jackson camp. Keith Jardine, Nate Marquardt, all those guys, they’re still my boys. My loyalty was very strong. But GSP could have gone to any camp he wanted. He knew that place was my home, my dream. That took a little something out of my heart. He’s training in the cage that I bled in, that I sweat in and cried in.

Jesse Holland (MMAmania.com): Did you feel pushed aside when he arrived?

Diego Sanchez: Put yourself there for a minute. You’re an undefeated fighter coming off two of the biggest wins of your career (Parisyan/Riggs). Now they’re bringing in the champion of your weight class to train with your guys? For three months I was telling Greg that my heart wasn’t feeling it. Greg kept telling me “Trust me, trust me, you guys are going to make each other the best” but I kept feeling like their true intentions were to make me go down to 155. I mean most of the Jackson fighters cut a lot of weight and that’s not me. I wasn’t going to do it. I wasn’t bowing down to Georges St. Pierre. I ain’t riding nobody’s coattails. I’m Diego Sanchez and just because I had two decision losses - one while I was sick and one controversial to a top five welterweight - does not mean that I’m gonna give up on my dream, my dream to be welterweight champion. Maybe me and GSP will throw down in Albuquerque somewhere in the future. Dana told me there is going to be a show in Albuquerque. I don’t want to fight him unless it’s for the title. I want him for five rounds.

Click here to read the remainder of the interview.

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Sam Caplan

Lead Writer/Editor - ProElite.com

SamCaplan.ProElite.com

UFC fighter Diego Sanchez gave his fans an update via his MySpace account and in spite of recent speculation that he would be dropping to 155 pounds, Sanchez indicated his next fight will be at 170:

Thank you all so much for your on going support and patience, I will be back in the ring really soon. So to answer ALL the questions about when, where, who and at what weight. Here you go.

- I will know by Feb. who I will be fighting
- Probably Vegas, but site not decided
- Whoever UFC puts in front of me, does not really matter, I will be ready!
- 170lbs

Hope this helps.

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Sam Caplan

Lead Writer/Editor - ProElite.com

SamCaplan.ProElite.com