Trash-talking has become a regularity in modern MMA. But way before Twitter beefs or fighters posting videos to the Instagram stories, Diego Sanchez recently revealed that former Strikeforce champion Nick Diaz used to send him hate e-mails “talking sh-t” about his mom and dad.
Now 37, Diaz built a reputation across his MMA career as an outspoken fan favorite—notable for his anti-authority attitude. He hasn’t competed in MMA since dropping a 2015 bout to middleweight legend Anderson Silva. But his beef with Sanchez goes back a lot lot further than Diaz’s third, post-Strikeforce UFC run. According to Sanchez, Diaz’s disdain for him came from the attention Sanchez received while on the first season of the Ultimate Fighter back in 2005.