Diego Sanchez is back in trouble. The UFC legend has been arrested yet again, and this time, he’s facing an aggravated DUI charge and an alleged probation violation.

The 44-year-old was arrested and booked at 5:17 p.m. local time Monday in Socorro, New Mexico, according to online jail records. He is now facing two charges: aggravated driving under the influence and probation violation.

Local outlet KOB4 was first to break the news of Sanchez’s latest arrest. So far, however, the details remain limited, and authorities have not publicly revealed much about what led to the arrest.

To make matters worse, the latest arrest comes just months after Sanchez was handed five years of supervised probation in March over a July 2025 arrest in New Mexico. That incident involved a firearm while the former UFC fighter was traveling in a vehicle on a New Mexico highway.

It is worth noting that Diego Sanchez is the latest UFC veteran to run into legal trouble during what’s been a pretty rough year for several names from the fight game.

Former interim lightweight champion Dustin Poirier was arrested for public drunkenness in July.

This was followed by former UFC light heavyweight title challenger Anthony Smith‘s arrest in Nebraska that same month on three felony charges, including first-degree domestic assault, terroristic threats, and first-degree false imprisonment.

For Diego Sanchez, though, the latest arrest for drunk driving adds another troubling chapter to the life of one of the most recognizable fighters from the UFC’s early years.

The ‘Nightmare’ first made a name for himself as one of the breakout stars of the inaugural season of The Ultimate Fighter before becoming a familiar face in the UFC from 2005 through 2022. A fan favorite for his all-action style and brutal back-and-forth wars, he even got a shot at UFC gold in his career.

He challenged B.J. Penn for the UFC Lightweight title at UFC 107 in December 2009. Sanchez ultimately lost the fight via fifth-round TKO (doctor stoppage). Penn put on an absolute masterclass, shutting down all 27 of Sanchez’s takedown attempts before landing a brutal head kick in the final round.

The shot opened a nasty cut on Diego Sanchez’s forehead, and after a quick check from the referee and medical staff, the fight was called off.

‘Nightmare’ went on to make a total of 22 appearances inside the UFC Octagon, with his final UFC fight coming in September 2020 at UFC 253, where he dropped a decision to Jake Matthews.

However, he wasn’t done competing, as he continued his career outside the promotion and made a one-off appearance for the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship in February 2023, wrapping his career with a record of 30-14.

Now, though, his fighting career has taken a back seat as Sanchez once again finds himself in legal trouble, this time while still serving probation from his previous case.

Diego Sanchez’s previous arrest led to five years of probation

The 44-year-old’s latest run-in with the law comes on the heels of a far more serious incident in July 2025. According to police, Diego Sanchez was riding as a passenger in a vehicle when he allegedly leaned out of the window and fired a loaded gun into the air as the vehicle passed a crash scene on a New Mexico highway.

And as expected, police later pulled the vehicle over and arrested the former UFC fighter. While he denied firing the weapon, the 44-year-old reportedly told officers there was a gun inside the vehicle.

The driver, who was not charged, allegedly told police that Diego Sanchez had fired the gun from the passenger seat. And according to the police account, Sanchez even laughed at one point while speaking with officers.

The former fighter initially faced two charges over the incident: shooting at or from a motor vehicle and negligent use of a deadly weapon. He eventually pleaded guilty to the shooting charge, a fourth-degree felony, while the negligent-use charge was dropped as part of a plea deal.

Prosecutors had asked for no more than two years behind bars, with the rest potentially served under supervised probation. Instead, the judge opted for five years of supervised probation during the sentencing in March.

After being sentenced, Diego Sanchez took responsibility for what happened, saying substance abuse and mental health struggles had played a role in his situation. His representative had previously said Diego Sanchez was battling substance abuse issues and was undergoing rehabilitation as he worked to get his life back on track.

Now, this latest arrest puts the UFC legend back in legal trouble while he is still serving that probation sentence. With few details available about what happened Monday, it remains unclear what the alleged probation violation could mean for the former UFC title challenger or whether it could lead to tougher consequences.