Sanchez’s trainer on his credentials: ‘There’s no papers to justify real’

Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

Diego Sanchez’s coach Josh Fabia responds to criticisms thrown at him.

School of Self-Awareness founder Joshua Fabia has been Diego Sanchez’s chief trainer and lone cornerman for two fights now. Their most recent collaboration took place at UFC Rio Rancho this weekend, where the TUF 1 alum picked up a disqualification win due to an illegal knee.

Fabia’s unorthodox corner advice that night was questioned by Daniel Cormier and longtime trainer Trevor Wittman, who were both on commentary duties. Both Sanchez and Fabia fired back, calling Cormier and Wittman’s criticisms a “smear campaign” and a form of “media bullying.”

Fabia was also interviewed in a recent episode of the Luke Thomas Show where he was asked about his credentials. This was what he had to say:

Here's a small piece of Diego Sanchez's trainer, Joshua Fabia's interview w/@lthomasnews. To hear the full interview, listen to the #TLTS podcast on any of these links:

Apple Podcasts: https://t.co/1rOCgveIxe

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Stitcher:https://t.co/g4vqLe2S7S pic.twitter.com/xxaUQvZxmT

— MMA on SiriusXM (@MMAonSiriusXM) February 20, 2020

“I didn’t know there was a necessary qualification,” he responded.

“Looking around at what I’ve seen, unless it’s a fighter, I don’t know why I’m being so ridiculed. Nobody’s saying how much ability I have. I’m 38 years old, I’m older than Diego. Why has nobody looked up my abilities? Just because I didn’t rub your guys’ noses in it and tell you about it, it doesn’t mean I don’t have them.

“It’s out there on video, you can go see me moving with real people. This is what I mean is there’s no papers to justify real. Do you understand?”

Fabia continued to defend his methods.

“And there’s no, like, ‘I need to say I’ve done this or that.’ That’s the beauty of being a real, genuine, human being,” he said. “A human being can do anything. You’re not seeing how much I can do. You’re not seeing all that.

“It’s pretty big. Take a minute. Go look at my website. Go look at how much I’ve done around the world. And like I say, this is not a 503. I’m not getting any help. I do this out of… come on!”

For Fabia, what he teaches transcends beyond fighting and combat sports.

“You guys attack the guy that’s dedicated to help, not only Diego, because he needed help because he wasn’t getting it. I don’t train fighters,” he said. “I’m not trying to deal with just warriors. I don’t deal with a singular market, man. I live in one world, I’m part of one tribe, and because I was raised by the world, I support the world.

“Which means that I support and created something that is viable from everyone that starts living from the moment of birth to the day you die. Everything that I teach is applicable through your whole life.”

Fabia began to work with Sanchez in 2019, when the latter decided to part ways with the Jackson-Winkeljohn Academy. Their first fight together was against Michael Chiesa at UFC 239 in July, where Sanchez was defeated via unanimous decision. Prior to the loss, Sanchez was on a two-fight win streak.