Meet Milson Castro, the Amazonian who reigns supreme in South Korea and dreams of reaching the UFC

Straight from Amazonas, Milson Castro, lightweight (up to 70,3 kg), representative of Brazilian TKO and also known as 'Barão', is enjoying a great moment in his career. An idol to many South Koreans who follow the Black Combat event, the Brazilian has achieved experiences he never dreamed of in his long career since then.

Although the current phase is very positive, the fighter has gone through ups and downs, having come close to signing a UFC contract on multiple occasions and also to giving up his career as an athlete. Today, about to fight for the welterweight belt (up to 77,1 kg) in his new organization, Barão opened up in an exclusive interview with SUPER FIGHTS and recounted his arduous and proud journey to achieving success on the Asian continent.

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"Like most kids in Brazil, we try to be soccer players. I started with soccer, then I played futsal for my city's under-15 team, but I was never very good. Then the first martial art I trained in was capoeira. After that experience with capoeira, I switched to MMA and did that training and said, 'Wow, I found what I want for my life,' that was in 2011. Nowadays, I even joke with my master (André Dida) that I'm a black belt in MMA. I started straight into MMA. But today, I'm a black belt in Muay Thai under Master Dida."

Milson Castro at Renovação Coari Team, an Amazonas gym. Photo: Reproduction/Instagram @milsoncastromma

Delicate moment in career

Unlike some, Milson had a rocky start to his professional career. After his first two fights, he suffered five consecutive defeats, a fact that made him reconsider whether he was in the right profession.

"That phase in my life was very difficult because I knew how dedicated I was, how much I trained, and that I was better than that. But when it came time to fight, I think it was my mentality that was the problem; I was the complete opposite of what I am today. When they called me to enter the octagon, I was already downcast, wanting to get out of there. Very different from training, I always trained with a very strong group of people, and I was blessed to be on a very good team in Amazonas.

"I fought in several events where the fights weren't hosted by Sherdog or Tapology, in the Amazonas countryside. So, during that period, I suffered not three, but five consecutive losses. My last loss was when they put a guy up for me to win the fight. He had one win and one loss, while I already had two wins and four losses. I was far superior, and I was knocked out in 43 seconds, in my hometown. I even wondered if this was really for me. I tried to stop training, thinking about fighting, but I never managed to. It really shook me up."

Milson Castro in an MMA fight. Photo: Reproduction/Instagram @milsoncastromma

Giving up was not an option

Despite the bitter sequence of defeats, Milson highlighted the importance of his wife's words, which 'prevented' him from abandoning the world of fighting and managed to inspire him to continue seeking the path to victory.

"I was still living in Amazonas, at my father's house, with my wife and daughter. My wife came home from work one day. I was lying down in my workout clothes, not going to train. She came in, looked, and came back with my training gear and said, 'So, you're not going to train? What are you going to do with your life? You didn't finish your studies, you have no education, you're not an heir to anything. When your daughter asks for something, what are you going to do?' I swallowed hard, grabbed my gear, my bike, and went to train, crying. From that moment on, it was like God had taken my hand and said, 'Come here, I'll take care of you now.'"

Career turning point

"In January 2017, a fight came up for me in Manaus. This Amazonas thing is annoying, you practically don't win anything. So I faced a guy. He was 8-0, I beat him by points in a split decision, and then Shergdog put up a completely different guy with two wins and four losses. But at that point, I didn't even matter because I was coming off so many losses that winning was what mattered most. And from then on, Milson Barão came along. I stayed in the fight from 2017 until January 2023, having a winning streak that even I couldn't imagine."

Milson is already in Curitiba representing Brazilian TKO, formerly Evolução Thai. Photo: Reproduction/Instagram @milsoncastromma

Rollercoaster with UFC

A training partner for Ultimate athletes, Milson is remembered as a friend who, despite not having achieved his dream to date, always remains energetic and loyal while helping and accompanying his allies in their fight preparations. The athlete, who almost joined the organization, spoke twice about dealing with the approaching contract.

"The UFC is an event with no rules. There's no one thing you can do and get signed. In that streak from 2017 to 2023, I was on a 13-fight winning streak (...) twice I received the message that I was signed to the UFC, but the contract never arrived."

“The first time I was leaving a training session in Curitiba, in 2022, my manager called saying that I was in the UFC and that I would face Jim Miller last minute. I already got in the car, I was going home, then when I got to the gate Bernardo (Serale) called me saying that there wouldn't be time because it was already for next Saturday, then the Nikolas Motta.

“(…) then I moved to Rio de Janeiro, Bernardo said there would be a fight in the LFA, that they were bringing in an American, ex-UFC fighter, which was the fight we needed to get into the UFC. When that fight in the LFA was finalized, UFC Rio came along and I decided I was going to fight, I did the UFC training camp. The week of the fight, I was at the weight to dehydrate to make the 70kg weight. A week before, Bernardo called me saying we were in the UFC, facing James Moses and by 15 p.m. they would send the contract and that we would publish it in the media (…) I was anxious, already thinking about everything I would say to my father, the photo I would post on social media. At 16 p.m. the UFC posted that Melquizael Costa had taken the fight. It was a cold shower again. Since Thiago was already hired, he had the power of choice and asked for Melquizael.”

Milson Castro performing in South Korea. Photo: Reproduction/Instagram @milsoncastromma

New phase in his career: champion in South Korea

Amidst his title win with Centurion FC and defeat at RCC, Milson received an unexpected invitation to join a South Korean-sponsored reality fighting show. Willing to face whoever stood in his way, the athlete immediately accepted and is now acclaimed by the Asian people.

"The master said there was a guy bringing a reality show to Curitiba, in the up to 77kg category. He weighs in one day and has three fights, but I thought it was three fights in one day. But he's wearing sparring gloves and shin guards, like an amateur (...) The reality show was three days, one fight a day, the winner stayed in the house, the loser left. The show was inspired by the series Sixth Round, so you had to buy food to eat, and you had to buy food to shower. I did really well at the event and beat the guys."

"The event was unknown until then, and when I arrived in South Korea, I felt the impact. Everyone follows it, and when I arrived, everyone already knew me. When I won (on the reality show), I would say 'heeey,' and everyone would imitate me, and everyone who saw me on the street would say something, and then it stuck. I fought the first fight and got the submission. Now, when I returned for the second fight, the atmosphere was huge, something I'd never seen before. The treatment from the Asian fans—the guys come to the hotel, bring gifts for me and my daughter. In this fight, they put on the 84kg champion, and it was a fight I was apprehensive about, the stronger guy, but I was training hard and won very aggressively."

“When the fight ended, everyone started running, I thought something was collapsing, but it was the crowd running towards me, something I had never even dreamed of, this positive support, this affection from Asian fans that I am experiencing at Black Combat.”

Milson Castro greeting fans after his victory. Photo: Reproduction/Instagram @milsoncastromma

UFC: dream alive

Despite having a great time in Korea, Milson remains committed to earning his place to fight in the UFC one day.

"I truly believe I'll fight in the UFC. It's my dream, and I believe God won't let me leave this earth without realizing my dream. But today I'm very happy, I'm detached from the UFC. One day the UFC will knock on my door. I believe I'll fight in the UFC; I'm a fulfilled person," he concluded.