The 44-year-old pioneer faces potential prison time following his latest legal trouble in New Mexico.
UFC pioneer and The Ultimate Fighter Season 1 winner Diego Sanchez was arrested once again in Socorro, New Mexico. The 44-year-old was booked on dual charges of aggravated driving under the influence (DUI) and probation violation, according to local detention logs.
This latest arrest puts Sanchez in severe legal jeopardy. In March, Sanchez was placed on five years of supervised probation following a July 2025 incident in which he fired a loaded handgun from the passenger seat of a vehicle on a highway. While prosecutors originally sought a two-year prison sentence, Sanchez avoided jail time through a plea agreement, promising the court he would seek treatment for ongoing substance abuse and mental health struggles.
Sanchez competed 22 times under the UFC banner between 2005 and 2022, building a reputation as one of the most durable and intense competitors in combat sports history. His sole competition since leaving the UFC was a bare-knuckle bout for BKFC in February 2023.
