“Last Call” happy with win over Bailey’s weight issues
Danny Castillo kept the Team Alpha Male momentum going with his destructive win over Shamar Bailey at UFC 139.
The two lightweights squared off in the opening bout of last weekend’s UFC 139. With Bailey failing to make weight, Castillo had all the motivation he needed to get the win.
“I just think it’s very unprofessional and it makes other people look bad,” Castillo told Heavy.com’s Megan Olivi after the fight. “You get paid to fight and making weight is part of the deal. I felt disrespected and had a little bit of anger towards him going into the fight. I’m not a bad guy but I really don’t like him. If you can’t make weight what are you doing in the division?
“This is the strongest weight class in the UFC and there is so much talent here. I think he is over his head coming down weight. A lot of times people lose a few fights and they drop weight but I don’t necessarily think that is the answer. Not making weight is disrespectful to me and the sport. I’m happy I won the fight.”
Castillo utilized his wrestling to put Bailey on his back and keep him there. From top position, Castillo kept the pressure applied, using effective ground and pound to score. In the final seconds of the round, Castillo turned up the intensity, scoring the referee stoppage and the win.
“I do think it was a good stoppage. I was the one throwing the punches and I hit his head a bunch of times. I saw it in his eyes; he didn’t want to fight anymore. He was covering up and not fighting back. The ref told him to move, to work his way out and he didn’t.”
Fighting in his home state of California for the first time was a big moment for Castillo. If he had his way, the next time he steps into the Octagon would be in the capital city.
“I’d like to fight in Sacramento. There isn’t a UFC lined up there yet. Usually for the first fight there isn’t a ton of people in the crowd but I’m from northern California and I had a lot of fans out there. It was great to fight in front of them and I hope I get a chance to fight in front of them again.”