Diego Sanchez

By Michael Hatamoto

Diego Sanchez will fight in the lightweight division at UFC 164 and has a very short wish list of top 10 opponents he wants to fight: Josh Thomson, Nate Diaz, or Gilbert Melendez.

‘The Dream’ would like for the fight to take place at UFC 164 in late August, and potential opponents are now being considered. I don’t think he’s anywhere near Thomson, Diaz or Melendez at the moment, but think a fight against Joe Lauzon could be fun. If not Lauzon, Rustam Khabilov or Jamie Varner are both tough opponents, though Sanchez might not want to even bother.

As for some of the opponents Sanchez called out: Despite a devastating knockout loss to Thomson, I don’t believe Sanchez would be able to top Diaz. Diaz’s boxing and aggressive BJJ guard would give Sanchez problems anywhere the fight would go. It absolutely is the type of fight I would love to see on the main card, but Diaz was recently handed a 90-day suspension.

Thomson has the wrestling ability and smothering type of fight style to give Sanchez fits – and Melendez would be able to out box and out grapple Sanchez.

I find it amazing that Sanchez, who barely managed to slip by Takanori Gomi, is looking for a top 10 lightweight opponent. Sanchez holds UFC wins against the likes of Karo Parisyan, Joe Riggs, Clay Guida and Martin Kampmann, but has ultimately fell short any time he’s close to the title.

Sanchez was given his chance to compete for the UFC lightweight championship against BJ Penn, but the skilled Hawaiian won by TKO (cut) in 2009.