The victory wasn’t just important for “The Mad Titan” and his family and team. It also sent shockwaves around his home country, as he became the first native of Cape Verde to be signed to the UFC.
“There’s actually a big, big reaction over there,” said De Castro. “It was all over the news in Cape Verde and Portugal; they’ve been talking about it and Cape Verde is going nuts.”
This feel-good story isn’t over yet, but De Castro isn’t taking a victory lap.
“I want to remain focused,” he said. “I’m 32. I don’t have no time for vacation.”
He laughs, knowing that as his 5-0 record grows on the sport’s biggest stage, there will be plenty of time for vacations in the future. But for now, it’s back to work. And De Castro loves his job more than ever.
“I can’t believe I’m gonna be sharing a locker room with guys like (Daniel) Cormier, Jon Jones, all those guys,” he said. “I still can’t believe it. I think when I make my walk for the first fight, I may cry.”
