James Brydon

Sanchez was chock full of clichés as he looked ahead to his fight Saturday night against Penn.

"I'm ready to go out and give 110 percent."

"I'm gonna leave it all in the cage."

"May the best man win."

Sports clichés. We hear them all the time and mixed martial arts is no exception.

On the one hand, while they may lack insight, they do suggest positive emotion and determination. (And they're sometimes accompanied by a little trash talk, and who doesn't love that?)

On the other hand, they're rather ubiquitous. It's not like the fighter who spews the larger amount of clichés has the better chance at winning.

But could they reveal a part of a guy's philosophy as he prepares for a fight?

On a conference call this week, Diego Sanchez was asked about how he's going to approach his championship fight Saturday night against lightweight belt-holder B.J. Penn, considered one of the best, pound for pound, in the world. Penn has dominated pretty much everyone he's faced the past few years (save for Georges St. Pierre, but he was fighting up a weight class for that one.)

Sanchez didn't get into specifics on how or why he would be able to put a halt to that streak. The proud Mexican-American went the cliché route, though with a twist of his personal convictions.

"The way I approach every fight is with faith," Sanchez said. "I'm a warrior and if it's my time, it's my time. I want to step in there and I want to go to war … and I want to leave it out there."

That doesn't tell us much about what we can expect Saturday in terms of strategy. At least he's honest. And he doesn't pull any punches (so-to-speak).

"Why are my fights exciting? Ask yourself that? Because I risk it man. … You know leave it all out there in the cage instead of like giving a boring-ass fight like Houston Alexander, running around trying to do a couple of leg kicks on this weekend's Ultimate Fighter finale "

(Alexander was cut following that loss against Kimbo Slice last Saturday. It's worth noting it also ran his losing skid in the UFC to four. And yes, his performance was a little short of exciting.)

"That's not what the fans want," Sanchez continued. "That's boring you know what I mean? That makes our sport look bad. And I'm here and I'm trying to build this sport. I want this sport to be the best top sport in the world. And the way that's going to happen is by giving the fans the most exciting fight. And with that you know you've got to risk it."

The man whose nickname is Nightmare believes having the right mindset for a fight isn't just important. It's the most important thing.

"It's just my mentality. I'm rigged different in the mind. In my mind, I'm going to beat anybody in the cage, whether it be GSP, whether it be Anderson Silva. I don't care. And that's because I believe, not doubt, have faith you know what I mean? And you know that's something God has blessed me with."

Lest you think the religious reference is another overused, vain cliché, Sanchez doesn't use the name of God loosely. Sanchez said his favourite strength-and-conditioning exercise is good old-fashioned running in the mountains. And it's not just for the fresh air or to burn calories.

"Just running out there with nature just with the trees. Then you also get that footwork like dodging the rocks and you know jumping and moving and like going around trees and then finishing up with finding a good hill and just busting it out."

"And then there's just something about being with nature for me I just you know I just feel like when I'm out there in nature that I'm closer to God and that it's just beautiful. And it's also (like) serenity for me, my mind. It gives me peace of mind, peace of soul and it's good for the spirit."

Whether all his faith, mentality and peace of mind will lead to him having his hand raised Saturday against his biggest challenge to date, that remains to be seen.

How's that for another sports cliché?