ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO – Former UFC fighter Diego Sanchez has been sentenced to probation and community service after firing a gun from a moving vehicle in Albuquerque last summer.
The incident happened in July 2025 while police were responding to a traffic crash on Interstate 40. According to court records, officers reported that someone fired a gun from the window of a passing vehicle as they worked the scene. Police later identified Sanchez as the passenger in the car.
Investigators say the driver of the vehicle told officers he was giving Sanchez a ride when Sanchez fired the gun out of the window. No injuries were reported as a result of the shooting.
On Wednesday, Judge Courtney Weaks sentenced Sanchez to five years of supervised probation and 800 hours of community service. As part of the sentence, Sanchez will also no longer be allowed to possess firearms.
In court, Sanchez acknowledged his actions, calling the incident a mistake and accepting responsibility for what happened. He said losing his ability to own guns is a consequence of what he described as a poor decision.
Sanchez, a longtime mixed martial artist, competed in the UFC for more than a decade and was known for his aggressive fighting style and endurance in the octagon.
