MELBOURNE, Australia – It wasn’t that long ago UFC heavyweight Yorgan De Castro didn’t have shoes to wear while he ran around the streets in Cape Verde.
Saturday night, De Castro (5-0 MMA, 0-0 UFC) will compete in front of 60,000 people in the biggest MMA organization in the world, when he takes on Justin Tafa (3-0 MMA, 0-0 UFC) at UFC 243.
The event will mark De Castro’s debut in the organization. He earned his UFC deal with an impressive first-round, leg-kicks-and-punches finish of Alton Meeks at “Dana White’s Contender Series” this past summer.
As his big-stage debut approaches, De Castro, 31, can’t help but reflect on his humble beginnings. Before he came to the United States, he wasn’t even aware people could fight for money.
“I was running without my shoes in the rain and playing, with no thought I would ever fighting in the U.S,” De Castro told MMA Junkie. “I didn’t even know you could be a fighter in the first place. Then, I went to Vegas, which was a big thing for me. When I got to Vegas, my mind was blown and now I’m going to be fighting on one of the biggest cards of the year, UFC 243 in Australia.”
Through his fights, De Castro hopes to inspire the next generation – whether it be inspiring his family and friends who still reside in Cape Verde and Portugal, or his students at the school where he works in Massachusetts.
“They see my daily struggle,” De Castro said. “They see they have to work everyday. I wake up at 5:30 and get home at 9 o’clock. If you put in the discipline and work, eventually the result will show up. It’s crazy.”
With only pro fights between him and his opponent, De Castro expects fans to think they’re too green. But when the cage door closes Saturday night, De Castro believes he will prove the doubters wrong.
“The thing is with this, we’re going to put on a show,” De Castro said. “I think you’re going to see he’s thinking the same as me. People are going to think we don’t belong in the UFC. People are going to think we’re too green.
“… I expect a very good Justin Tafa; a ready guy. He’s a game guy. I know he’s going to put in the work, because we both want to prove we belong in the UFC. I’m going to do the same. I’m going to leave my soul in that cage to prove that I belong in the UFC.”
UFC 243 takes place Saturday at Marvel Stadium in Melbourne, Australia. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and UFC Fight Pass/ESPN+.
