Diego Sanchez has been fighting in the UFC since 2005 where he won The Ultimate Fighter 1 at middleweight. Since then, the 37-year-old has beaten the likes of Kenny Florian, Joe Riggs, Clay Guida, and Nick Diaz among others. But, the veteran of the sport says he is not close to being done fighting.

Rather, he is riding a two-fight winning streak and will have a step up in competition when he takes on Michael Chiesa at UFC 239. It has been a resurgence, to say the least, and the veteran isn’t worried about his age at all.

“I’m still here,” Sanchez said during a UFC 239 media scrum (as transcribed by MMA News). “They couldn’t kick me off the shelf. They couldn’t get me off. I’m that dusty book. There’s some experience in that book.

“This is kind of like that ‘Cinderella Man’ movie. That Diego Sanchez, he’s coming back. ‘Isn’t he too old? Nah, he’s doing it.’ Randy (Couture) did it at 45. Diego Sanchez could do it at 36, 37, whatever he is.”

Although Diego Sanchez has yet to win a title in the UFC, coming up short in his lone opportunity against BJ Penn at UFC 107, he is eyeing something bigger than that as his career goes on. And, that is to become the greatest of all time.

“The question that I get asked the most is, how many more you got left in you?” Sanchez said. “I’m going to fight as long as I can. I love to fight, and as long as I can keep beating these 20-year-old men that they keep throwing in there with me, this will be the third in a row.

“I’m here to be the greatest of all time, and that’s what I’m striving for. Always learn, adapt and evolve. That’s what I’ve been doing for the longest time.”

Diego Sanchez is no doubt a future Hall of Famer and one of the greatest fighters ever, and he says all he needs is a few more wins to capture the GOAT staus.

Do you think Diego Sanchez has earned a spot in the GOAT rankings? Sound off in the comments section, PENN Nation!

This article first appeared on BJPENN.COM on 6/25/2019.