UFC's Danny Castillo hopes latest actions inspire others to make similar efforts

UFC lightweight Danny Castillo was having a bad day. Two months of training, it seemed, were down the drain. In the past that would have likely meant a couple of cold beers to drown his sorrow. Now things are completely different.

“I was just having a really bad day, and what makes me feel better is to go out and make someone else’s day,” Castillo told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com).

Castillo (15-5 MMA, 5-2 UFC) had just been informed his planned UFC on FOX 8 opponent, Bobby Green (20-5 MMA, 1-0 UFC), had been forced to withdraw from the July 27 contest. With just two weeks before the bout, Castillo wasn’t certain if the UFC would be able to find a replacement opponent in time to keep him on the card. Rather than feel sorry for himself, Castillo decided to stop by Little Caesars Pizza, pick up a few pies and find some people in need in his hometown of Sacramento, Calif.

“I don’t necessarily condone people eating Little Caesars,” Castillo admitted. “I think fast food is ruining America. But I was able to buy three pizzas for $14, and I just divided them up, three slices each, and went to some local parks downtown that I know tend to have some homeless people and handed the food out. They were really grateful and happy.”

Castillo documented a few of the thankful recipients on his Instagram and Twitter accounts in hopes that his good deeds might inspire others to take similar steps.

“The reason I took those Instagram pictures was to sort of inspire people to do the same thing,” Castillo said. “I got a ton of compliments like, ‘Oh, that’s really inspiring,’ and that’s all cool and all, but it’s not really inspiring unless they’re doing it, as well. If they’re not helping other people, it’s pointless.”

For Castillo, it wasn’t his first time taking part in such an endeavor. In fact, just a few weeks prior, he took bottles of water to the streets in an effort to help the city’s homeless combat the brutal heat of summer.

“A couple of weeks ago in Sacramento it was like 107 degrees,” Castillo said. “I took my brother out with me, and we handed out like 180 bottles of water to the homeless. The time before that, I made a bunch of sandwiches. I’m just doing what I can to help.

“I just think we should do something to help people. If you’re in a position where you can help someone just by giving them a sandwich or giving them water, why wouldn’t you do that? Not only is it rewarding to yourself, but giving a homeless person a bottle of water when it’s 107 degrees outside, that just brightens up their day.”

For Castillo, things would eventually work out for the best, and Tim Means (18-4-1 MMA, 2-1 UFC) agreed to step in short notice, preserving the UFC on FOX 8 matchup. It’s just the latest blessing for the 33-year-old Team Alpha Male product, who has been sober for the past 13 months and recently opened his own health studio, P2O Hot Pilates & Fitness, in Sacramento. He’s also 4-1 in his past five UFC appearances.

But Castillo said he knows it’s important to keep everything in focus, and he believes giving back is a huge part of remaining balanced. He hopes others can learn from the lesson and take part in similar efforts.

“People who are homeless aren’t just lazy; they fall on hard times,” Castillo said. “I know it’s kind of extreme, but I know I’m two losses away from being homeless, and that’s how I live my life. I try to train as hard as I can because if I lose two fights, I’m not a big name in the UFC, and I’m sure I’d get cut.

“For me to lose my only job and something I enjoy doing, I mean, I wouldn’t be homeless right away, but if I live life like that, it will keep me humble. It keeps me grounded. I just think it’s hard to enjoy the money and the finer things in life when there’s people out there that don’t have that opportunity.”

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