Diego Sanchez opens up on UFC release: “Dana White won’t answer my calls now, I’m never gonna get sh*t from them”

TUF 1 winner Diego Sanchez has opened up on his UFC release claiming that promotional President Dana White will no longer answer his calls.

Earlier this week it was announced that Sanchez (30-13 MMA) had been pulled from his scheduled May 8 bout with Donald Cerrone. That news was followed by the rather shocking announcement that ‘The Nightmare’ had received his walking papers from UFC officials.

The promotion did pay Diego Sanchez his full fight purse and win bonus for the previously slated bout with ‘Cowboy’, but the company was clearly done trying to deal with the veterans manager in Joshua Fabia.

“I have an incredible, amazing relationship with Diego and I like him very much and I hope he is OK,” Dana White told Yahoo Sports. “One of the sad things that happens, not just in fighting but in sports, and I want you to quote me on this, are these creepy weirdos who come from God knows where and leech onto fighters or athletes. They never do any good for them.”

Image via @diegonightmaresanchez on Instagram, photograph by @rebeccahidalgophoto

On Friday afternoon, Diego Sanchez took to social media where he shared a post titled “Smoking Gun conversation with UFC Lawyer” which showcased a phone conversation his team had with UFC officials Sean Shelby and Hunter Campbell.

According to the video, Fabia’s request for Sanchez’s UFC medical records set off alarm bells with the promotion and the team was quickly contacted by chief legal officer Hunter Campbell.

UFC matchmaker Sean Shelby allegedly contact Diego and stressed the importance that he return Campbell’s calls.

https://www.instagram.com/tv/COT19dNHU5s/

“It was a message saying, ‘Diego, you need to check your email, because Hunter sent you an email, and it’s extremely important that you read this email and respond to this email by tomorrow, or the fight is going to be canceled,’” Diego Sanchez said (via MMAJunkie).

“UFC wanted me to state that I am not experiencing any neurological issues and that I have no long-term health side effects from fighting a career of (16) years in the UFC,” Sanchez said. “My advisers told me, ‘Basically what they’re trying to do is, right before you finish your last fight, they’re trying to make sure they have documentation of you saying that you never sustained anything. So basically you’re being forced, being bullied into waiving your medical rights, possible (UFC) medical liabilities.’ With that being said, the email was sent to Hunter, and the response was very fast. … The letter said they have chosen to pay me 100 percent for the fight, show money, win money, and sponsorship money.”

Diego Sanchez continued:

“Why, when this has already been done, do I have to state this, state that?” Sanchez said. “Yeah, my manager did ask for my list of medicals from throughout my career. I’ve had a lot of injuries. I want to have my history. This is my medical history. I want to have it on file. I want to have what the UFC has. It’s my medical health, right? And as far as I’m concerned, I don’t feel like, after I’m done, if (UFC president) Dana White won’t answer my calls now, won’t let me have a meeting now, once I’m done and I’m out of the UFC, do you think I’m gonna be able to get a hold of anybody? Do you think anything’s gonna go through? No, nothing’s gonna go through. I’m never gonna get sh*t from them.”

What do you think of the recent comments from Diego Sanchez regarding his UFC release? Share your thoughts in the comment section Penn Nation!