HispanicBusiness

Ultimate Fighter fans are gearing up for a major showdown on Saturday night, when rising star Diego Sanchez will take his best shot at dethroning current lightweight champion BJ Penn.

Although the bookies see Penn as a 3-1 favorite in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) match, Sanchez -- nicknamed "nightmare" -- is known as a tenacious fighter who honed his talents for fighting people with weapons in the streets of Albuquerque, New Mexico.

"If you hesitate, you could die," Sanchez told USA Today of what it was like. "That's what gives me an edge over someone who'll just be a pure martial artist. I'm a street fighter in mixed martial arts."

Michael DiSanto, a writer for UFC's Web site, likened Sanchez to a "bully."

"Sanchez has stiff, unorthodox strikes, though they are laced with bad intentions," he wrote. "He is looking for a knockout at all times and has enough power to score dramatic, single-strike stoppages if a shot finds pay dirt."

Sanchez (23-2) himself evokes another analogy that is decidedly less fearsome: Cinderella.

"It's a true Cinderella story you know what I mean," he said, according to the UK's Daily Telegraph. "I'm the Ultimate Fighter that came down from 185 to 170 you know. Then to 155. And now I'm finally getting my title shot. Against one of UFC's greatest reigning champions."

Sanchez, 27, has also had his share of personal troubles, including a three-month suspension for testing positive for marijuana use, and a health issue when he was treated for a staph infection which left a hole in his thigh the size of a coffee cup.

Penn (14-5-1), meanwhile, is known as a disciplined, well-rounded fighter who is nearly impossible to take down. Many consider the 30-year-old Hawaiian to be among the world's most talented fighters across all weight classes.

The fight will be live on Pay-Per-View. The main event kicks off at 7 p.m. Pacific Time at the FedEx Forum in Memphis, Tenn.