Ahead of UFC on FOX 8, Danny Castillo gives up drinking for good

“Last Call” apparently is a thing of the past for Danny Castillo (15-5 MMA, 5-2 UFC).

The UFC lightweight said he won’t be drinking a celebratory beer if he beats Tim Means (18-4-1 MMA, 2-1 UFC) at UFC on FOX 8 – he’s given up alcohol.

“It’s bigger than the Means fight – when you’re able to win a fight with yourself, that’s when you can tell how strong you are,” Castillo told MMAjunkie.com Radio (www.mmajunkie.com/radio).

UFC on FOX 8 takes place Saturday at KeyArena in Seattle. Castillo and Means fight on the FX-televised prelims before main-card fights on FOX.

While making it clear that he wasn’t exactly a booze-hound, Castillo said one of his favorite things to do prior to quitting was to party with a few Newcastles and some Crown Royal. He woke up after a night of hard drinking while on vacation celebrating a win over John Cholish and decided to go cold turkey.

“I gave that up because I want to be a better fighter,” he said. “I think that’s what I was lacking, so that’s all behind me now. I have one goal, and that’s to be the best fighter I can be, and with me drinking, I’m not able to do that.”

The 34-year-old Castillo, who owns a pilates studio in his hometown of Sacramento, Calif., is now 14 months sober and believes he’s added a few years to his career.

“There’s 23-year-old kids that don’t even eat meat, let alone put beer or alcohol in their body, and they’re coming to take my spot,” he said. “I’m going to even the playing field.

“In your 30s, your body doesn’t rejuvenate like it does in your 20s. I was noticing the slow changes, like I couldn’t bounce back after a night of drinking, and it was slowing me down. Right now, fighting is more important than alcohol.”

In February at UFC on FUEL TV 7, Castillo bounced back from his second loss inside the octagon, which came via knockout to Michael Johnson and ended a three-fight win streak. The Team Alpha Male fighter outpointed submission specialist Paul Sass to keep his job. Castillo said he’s added swimming and cycling to his training for fights and praised the addition of UFC vet Duane Ludwig to Team Alpha Male.

“We’re all surging right now,” he said. “Each day we come in there, it’s a dogfight every day in that gym. I think that’s another advantage; I think I come from one of the best camps in the world.”

Means, who steps in for an injured Bobby Green, hails from the FIT NHB camp in Albuquerque, N.M., and looks to rebound from a decision loss to Jorge Masvidal at UFC on FOX 7, which ended two years of consecutive wins.

Castillo said he didn’t lean on booze during camp in his past, but he’s certainly got an edge that needs taking off at Saturday’s event, and fighting is the thing to do it.

“It’s been a long 10 weeks,” Castillo. “I’m just irritable. I’m ready to fight. I’m losing patience. I can’t wait to get to Seattle and get this over with. I want to get back to the fun, laughing Danny. I’m super-irritable and ready to fight.”

For the latest on UFC on FOX 8, stay tuned to the UFC Rumors section of the site.

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