Diego Sanchez Returning to Lightweight Division

The last time Ultimate Fighter season 1 winner Diego Sanchez was at 155 pounds, he was fighting for the UFC lightweight title.

That fight, against B.J. Penn in 2009, didn’t go his way, and after the fight Sanchez moved back up to welterweight where he had spent the majority of his career to that point.

Now after some soul searching and, obviously, some dietary changes, Sanchez has decided he will officially move back down to lightweight for his next fight in the UFC.

“It’s back to 155 for me,” Sanchez wrote on his Twitter page recently. “Should be good!”

According to Sanchez, the unfortunate side of things right now is an injury that’s pushing his return to the Octagon back for a few more months. Sanchez underwent shoulder surgery, but is currently rehabbing and working his way back into action.

The Team Greg Jackson fighter has started the work to get down to 155 pounds already, beginning a vegetarian diet, according to his Twitter page. His excitement to get back in the cage and compete again is already fueling his training.

“I’m cutting 45 pounds, so it better be someone worthy of a five-rounder,” Sanchez wrote about his return to lightweight. “You fans get me all excited about coming back. Thinking of a opponent is basically irrelevant now being I’m sidelined with a injury.”

While the decision to cut back down to 155 pounds seems set for Sanchez, now it’s all about recovering from the injury so he can get back in the cage to compete again.

During his last run at lightweight, Sanchez went 2-1 overall including the loss to Penn in his lone title shot since winning the Ultimate Fighter season 1 back in 2005.