When talking about the most prestigious training camps in mixed martial arts, Team Alpha Male is always near the top of the list.
The Sacramento-based squad consists of stars Urijah Faber, Chad Mendes, Joseph Benavidez, TUF 18 winner Chris Holdsworth and UFC bantamweight champion T.J. Dillashaw–who headlines this Saturday at UFC 177. However, often forgotten in the Team Alpha Male discussion is lightweight Danny Castillo. Thanks to injuries and matchups being moved around, the 35-year-old is now featured in the UFC 177 co-main event against Tony Ferguson.
“I got a text message from my manager saying there was a change in the card and I got the bump,” Castillo told Sportsnet. “It’s everything you dream about as a kid. Even when I was wrestling in college I had no idea I’d become a professional mixed martial artist. It’s been a crazy ride, full of ups and downs. Right now this is defiantly one of the highs and I’m excited about it.”
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A seven-year veteran of the sport, Castillo primarily competed in the now-defunct WEC promotion, where he fought eight times. His competition was top notch, including bouts against current UFC lightweight champion Anthony Pettis, Donald Cerrone, Ricardo Lamas and Dustin Poirier. Despite these high profile matchups, Castillo never headlined an event and didn’t get the type of exposure that would have made him a household name once the UFC and WEC merged in 2010. And, despite racking up an impressive 7-3 record in the UFC so far, Castillo has yet to compete on a main card until now.
“I do feel [overlooked] but I try to take the positives out of everything,” Castillo said. “You kind of get lost in the shuffle if you don’t make huge statements. There is no one to blame but myself. My last two losses, those were fights that were winnable, but I have no excuses for any of my performances.”
Heading into Saturday, “Last Call” faces the 30-year-old Ferguson, who’s mostly known for winning TUF 13. Castillo hopes a win over “El Cucuy” will finally earn him the recognition he has been striving for.
“I haven’t had a show to build me up like [Ferguson has]. For six weeks he was on a reality show that everyone loves. He was the champion of The Ultimate Fighter show. I didn’t have that. Had I had a show to build up my career, things might have been different. That what makes this co-main event spot so important to me, because I understand how hard it is to make a name for yourself without a TV camera there documenting your whole story.
“The only time people have seen me is on repeats of WEC Wreckage,” he added with a laugh.
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Castillo admits the UFC’s lightweight division is one of toughest in MMA and opportunities like this don’t come around often. His last fight was an impressive knockout victory over Charlie Brenneman at UFC 172 and he’s hoping for a similar performance.
“A three-round decision over Tony Ferguson does nothing for me,” Castillo said. “In terms of advancement, I really need to have a dominant performance. He’s got a solid ground game; he’s got a good D’Arce. If I do take the fight to the ground–which is likely because of my wrestling–I definitely have to be aware of his [ground game]. For the last two fights I’ve been working with [UFC lightweight star] Nate Diaz a lot and I’ve learned a lot from him.”
Castillo has also benefitted from striking coach Duane “Bang” Ludwig, who is training him as well as Dillashaw. A win over Ferguson would likely earn Castillo a matchup against a top-10 opponent.
“What people need to realize about this fight, is that me and Tony both have the opportunity to catapult our careers. I’ve lost twice in my hometown [of Sacramento] to Donald Cerrone and Edson Barboza. The way I look at it, third time is a charm. I’m the best fighter I’ve been in my whole career, so it’s an exciting time for me.”
