Once agriculture was developed, guys with farms doubtless looked upon hunter-gatherers with bafflement. Once the wheel was invented, guys with carts doubtless looked upon unfortunates dragging heavy objects through the forest with bafflement. So too with martial arts. Once the concept of refining technique via live practice against trained, active resistance was adopted, we all look on much of what passes for “martial” arts with, at best, skepticism. And then School of Self-Awareness founder Joshua Fabia became trainer, manager, and guru to Diego Sanchez.
Instead of Greg Jackson, Mike Winkeljohn, and Chad Smith in his corner, “The Nightmare” had just Fabia. Prior to his first fight as Sanchez’s sole cornerman, at UFC 239 vs. Michael Chiesa, Fabia said, “I don’t foresee needing to do the in-between-the-rounds thing. Fabia is well-meaning to the extent that he believes every word he says. Prior to UFC 239, he reached out to the Nevada Athletic Commission with concerns that a submission he had been working on with Diego Sanchez could result in paralysis or even death! Michael Chiesa did not, in fact, die; rather, he won a unanimous decision.
In the second fight as Diego’s sole corner, Sanchez was losing every round, but eventually was given a DQ victory after a Michel Pereira knee broke two ribs, dropping him, and it was followed up with a knee to the head of a downed opponent. The third fight was at Saturday’s UFC 253, vs. Jake Matthews. It resulted in a unanimous decision loss for Sanchez.
During a recent appearance on Octagon Outlook, UFC middleweight and owner of Glory MMA & Fitness in Missouri, James Krause discussed Fabia.
What really bothers me is the coach that he has,” said Krause. “Unfortunately, I think Diego is off the deep end a little bit, and this dude is manipulative and taking advantage of him. This dude is a clown, Josh Fabia, or whatever the hell his name is. The dude is a joke. People like that in my opinion, I get so upset talking about it.
It is not about you, who gives a s***? This dude is using Diego Sanchez as a platform to build his own busted ass whatever he does. You are getting me rallied up. He is a joke, he is selling wolf tickets to Diego and Diego isn’t smart enough to realize what is happening. It is a joke, this dude is a sham, he is a disgrace to our sport, I’ll say it… This dude has been in the sport for six months, you don’t even know it. He is a joke and unfortunately, he has already ruined an already declining Diego.
You can watch some of Fabio’s training at SOS HERE.
h/t Victor Rodriguez for BE
