Joshua Fabia: It’s Clear Diego Sanchez Has Taken Advantage Of Me For Two Years
Joshua Fabia, the scrutinized and highly controversial founder of the School of Self Awareness has addressed his recent split as manager and coach of former UFC lightweight title challenger, Diego Sanchez — claiming that the Albuquerque native has actually taken advantage of him since they began their relationship in a professional capacity.
Fabia, who was relieved by Sanchez from his duty as a manager, coach, and attorney last week, has been hugely criticized throughout the sport over the last number of weeks after footage emerged of some questionable “body hardening” training, as well as numerous leaked conversations with the UFC broadcast team and prominent promotional officials.
Sanchez, the victor of the inaugural season of the reality T.V. show, The Ultimate Fighter 1 — was set for his proposed retirement fight at UFC Vegas 26 at the beginning of May, however, he was pulled from the co-headlining bout against former Jackson-Wink MMA stablemate, Donald Cerrone, and handed his official release from the UFC after a sixteen-year stay.
In a leaked phone call conversation with Fabia, the UFC’s Chief Business Officer and lawyer, Hunter Campbell expressed his concern with Sanchez’s wellbeing after he was notified that Fabia had requested Sanchez’s entire medical history from his sixteen-year stint with the organization.
During the conversation, Campbell informed Fabia that he would send him an email requesting clarity regarding Sanchez’s health, and would require confirmation that Sanchez wasn’t experiencing short or long-term health issues. Neither Fabia nor Sanchez’s attorney complied with the request, which resulted in Sanchez’s official release from the promotion.
Receiving mass criticism, another leaked video emerged of Sanchez, who was suspended inverted with his hands covering his face, as Fabia threw punches and kicks at both his head and body.
Speaking publicly for the first time since Sanchez parted ways with him, Fabia claimed that it was now clear to see that Sanchez was taking advantage of him after he had claimed the New Mexico native has been struggling with substance abuse issues.
“As I get more information as I’m with the lawyer, and the lawyer talks to Diego (Sanchez) and ask Diego about his education, and he starts talking about (how) he was in special education,” Fabia said during a recent interview on Behind The Scenes with Summer Helene. “Holy sh*t. Huge red flags, man.“
“This is not, at all, what anyone who perceived, and Diego is not anywhere near what anybody knows, man. And Diego has been an addict. He hasn’t told anybody for the past five months. I was his sponsor living with him. That I had to live there because he was broke and lost all his money, and strung out on Kratom and alcohol and thirty other substances. That he had sexual abuse issues. No, he didn’t say any of that, man. And I’ve been holding up all this. I’ve been doing everything. And everybody’s coming at me.“
“I’ll put it out there, I’ll put out all the proof, I’ll put out all the videos, man,” Fabia explained. “Diego has clearly been taking advantage of me for two years, as I have been fighting for him, and putting myself on the line for him with zero benefit. I am the one getting death threats here.” (H/T Bloody Elbow)
