| Joe Soto | |
|---|---|
| Born | (1987-03-22)March 22, 1987 (age 38) Porterville, California, United States |
| Other names | One Bad Mofo The Hammer (formerly) |
| Height | 5 ft 6 in (1.68 m)[1] |
| Weight | 135 lb (61 kg; 9.6 st) |
| Division | Featherweight (formerly), Bantamweight |
| Reach | 65 in (165 cm)[1] |
| Style | Boxing,Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu |
| Fighting out of | Santa Rosa, California, United States |
| Team | Nor-Cal Fighting Alliance |
| Rank | Black belt inBrazilian Jiu-JitsuunderDave Terrell[2] |
| Wrestling | NJCAAWrestling |
| Years active | 2006–present |
| Mixed martial arts record | |
| Total | 25 |
| Wins | 18 |
| By knockout | 5 |
| By submission | 10 |
| By decision | 3 |
| Losses | 7 |
| By knockout | 4 |
| By submission | 2 |
| By decision | 1 |
| Other information | |
| Notable school | Iowa Central Community College |
| Mixed martial arts record fromSherdog | |
Joseph Angel Soto (born March 22, 1987) is an American professional mixed martial artist who most recently competed in thebantamweight division of theUltimate Fighting Championship (UFC). A professional competitor since 2006, Soto has also formerly competed forBellator Fighting Championships, where he was the inauguralBellator Featherweight World Champion and first ever winner of their Featherweight Tournament, and forTachi Palace Fights where he is the formerTachi Palace Fights Bantamweight Champion.
At the time Soto was born, the fourth son, his parents were struggling financially, with his father working as a garbage man and his mother as a house cleaner.[3] Soto grew up in a very religiousPentecostal family, attending church with his family weekly. Soto started wrestling in junior high 8th grade and also played pop warner football. Soto went toPorterville High School in California where he was on the wrestling team and won a California state title.[4] Soto got an athletic scholarship toIowa Central Community College was a 2x NJCAA All-American. There Soto wrestled withJon Jones,Colby Covington and fellow Mexican AmericanCain Velasquez.[5]
Soto began training mixed martial arts after meeting another fighter who agreed to train him in his garage. Soto began training and took his first fight at a Gladiator Challenge event. Soto won the fight midway in the first round via technical knockout. Soto compiled a 4–0 record before getting signed toBellator Fighting Championships.
Soto joinedBellator by entering their Season One Featherweight Tournament. Soto made his debut defeating Ben Greer atBellator 1.
In Soto's semi-final fight, which took place May 8 atBellator 6, he dominatedWilson Reis from the opening bell with impeccable takedown defense and superior striking. Despite being a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt and the onlyEliteXC Featherweight Champion, Reis could never get the fight to the ground.
Soto advanced to theBellator Featherweight Finals and took onYahir Reyes.[6] Soto won the fight by submission in the second round and became the first Bellator Featherweight Champion. A few days before the championships, Soto cut his eyelid while wrestling during a warm-up and had to go to the hospital. Knowing stitches were not an option, he and his friends went to a beauty parlor to have the cut covered with make-up. While the doctor was inspecting Soto, his camp made sure to crack jokes and distract the specialist from noticing the cut over his eye.[7]
AtBellator 19, Soto fought Diego Saraiva in a "Super Fight".[8] Soto won the fight after cage side doctors said Saraiva was unable to continue because of a cut on his forehead.
Soto had his first title defense in the third season, taking on the winner of the Season Two Featherweight Tournament,Joe Warren.[9] Following a dominant first round Soto was knocked unconscious by Warren at 0:33 of the second round. In the fight, Soto suffered a detached retina and was forced to stay away from fighting for nearly a year.[10]
Bellator promoter, Bjorn Rebney, stated that Soto was eligible to drop down a weight class for Bellator's Season Five Bantamweight Tournament with a win atTachi Palace Fights 10.[11] Soto lost to Eddie Yagin by first-round submission, and was replaced in the tournament. After the loss to Yagin, Soto was released from his Bellator contract.
In January 2012 Soto picked up a win over Chris David and was signed to fight forTachi Palace Fights. Soto fought his first TPF fight on May 10, 2012, against former WEC fighter,Chad George. Soto won the fight via second-round submission.
In August 2014 Soto signed a deal with theUFC.
Soto was expected to faceAnthony Birchak on August 30, 2014, atUFC 177.[12] However, the day of the weigh-ins,Renan Barão had to be admitted to the hospital as a result of his attempts to cut weight. Soto stepped up and faced championT.J. Dillashaw in the main event.[13] He lost the fight via knockout in the fifth round.[14]
A rescheduled bout withAnthony Birchak took place on June 6, 2015, atUFC Fight Night 68.[15] Soto lost the fight via knockout in the first round.[16]
Soto facedMichinori Tanaka on January 2, 2016, atUFC 195, filling in for an injuredRussell Doane.[17] He lost the fight by split decision.[18]
Soto next facedChris Beal on June 18, 2016, atUFC Fight Night 89.[19] He won the back and forth fight via submission in the third round.[20]
Soto was tabbed as a short notice replacement to faceMarco Beltrán in a catchweight bout on November 5, 2016, atThe Ultimate Fighter Latin America 3 Finale.[21] He won the fight via submission in the first round.[22]
Soto facedRani Yahya on March 11, 2017, atUFC Fight Night 106.[23] He won the back-and-forth fight via unanimous decision.[24]
Soto facedBrett Johns on December 1, 2017, atThe Ultimate Fighter 26 Finale.[25] He lost the fight via submission in round one.[26]
Soto facedIuri Alcântara on February 3, 2018, atUFC Fight Night 125.[27] The bout with Alcântara marked the last fight of Soto's four-fight contract with UFC.[28] He lost the fight via TKO due to strikes in the first round.[29]
On August 28, 2018, it was reported that Soto was released by UFC.[30]
On August 15, 2015, Soto competed inEddie Bravo Invitational 4 (The Bantamweights).
Soto entered the competition as an underdog, and his first bout was against Eddie Fyvie. Soto won the bout via heel hook in the opening round.
Soto then progressed into the quarterfinals, where he faced 2 time EBI champion Geo Martinez. He won the bout via quickest escape time during overtime.
Soto then progressed into the semifinals, where he faced Joao Miyao (another world-class opponent). He won the bout via quickest escape time during overtime.
Soto then progressed to the finals, where he faced leg lock specialist and favourite of the competition Eddie Cummings. Soto defended many of Cummings' leg lock attempts for several minutes until finally succumbing to a heel hook.
| 25 matches | 18 wins | 7 losses |
| By knockout | 5 | 4 |
| By submission | 10 | 2 |
| By decision | 3 | 1 |
| Res. | Record | Opponent | Method | Event | Date | Round | Time | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loss | 18–7 | Iuri Alcântara | TKO (body kick and punches) | UFC Fight Night: Machida vs. Anders | February 3, 2018 | 1 | 1:06 | Belém, Brazil | |
| Loss | 18–6 | Brett Johns | Submission (calf slicer) | The Ultimate Fighter: A New World Champion Finale | December 1, 2017 | 1 | 0:30 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | |
| Win | 18–5 | Rani Yahya | Decision (unanimous) | UFC Fight Night: Belfort vs. Gastelum | March 11, 2017 | 3 | 5:00 | Fortaleza, Brazil | |
| Win | 17–5 | Marco Beltrán | Submission (heel hook) | The Ultimate Fighter Latin America 3 Finale: dos Anjos vs. Ferguson | November 5, 2016 | 1 | 1:37 | Mexico City, Mexico | Catchweight (140 lbs) bout. |
| Win | 16–5 | Chris Beal | Submission (rear-naked choke) | UFC Fight Night: MacDonald vs. Thompson | June 18, 2016 | 3 | 3:39 | Ottawa, Ontario, Canada | |
| Loss | 15–5 | Michinori Tanaka | Decision (split) | UFC 195 | January 2, 2016 | 3 | 5:00 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | |
| Loss | 15–4 | Anthony Birchak | KO (punches) | UFC Fight Night: Boetsch vs. Henderson | June 6, 2015 | 1 | 1:37 | New Orleans, Louisiana, United States | |
| Loss | 15–3 | T.J. Dillashaw | KO (head kick and punches) | UFC 177 | August 30, 2014 | 5 | 2:20 | Sacramento, California, United States | For theUFC Bantamweight Championship. |
| Win | 15–2 | Terrion Ware | Submission (north-south choke) | Tachi Palace Fights 20 | August 7, 2014 | 3 | 2:48 | Lemoore, California, United States | |
| Win | 14–2 | Jeremiah Labiano | TKO (doctor stoppage) | Tachi Palace Fights 18 | February 6, 2014 | 3 | 4:16 | Lemoore, California, United States | Won the vacantTPF Bantamweight Championship. |
| Win | 13–2 | Cory Vom Baur | Submission (guillotine choke) | Tachi Palace Fights 17 | November 14, 2013 | 1 | 4:36 | Lemoore, California, United States | |
| Win | 12–2 | Chad George | Technical Submission (rear-naked choke) | Tachi Palace Fights 13 | May 10, 2012 | 2 | 2:01 | Lemoore, California, United States | |
| Win | 11–2 | Chris David | Submission (rear-naked choke) | TWC 13: Impact | January 27, 2012 | 2 | 4:28 | Porterville, California, United States | |
| Win | 10–2 | Romeo McCovey | Decision (unanimous) | NFF: Norcal Fight Fest | October 15, 2011 | 3 | 5:00 | Blue Lake, California, United States | Bantamweight debut. |
| Loss | 9–2 | Eddie Yagin | Submission (guillotine choke) | TPF 10: Let The Chips Fall | August 5, 2011 | 1 | 2:00 | Lemoore, California, United States | For the vacantTPF Featherweight Championship. |
| Loss | 9–1 | Joe Warren | KO (knee and punches) | Bellator 27 | September 2, 2010 | 2 | 0:33 | San Antonio, Texas, United States | Lost theBellator Featherweight World Championship. |
| Win | 9–0 | Diego Saraiva | TKO (doctor stoppage) | Bellator 19 | May 20, 2010 | 1 | 5:00 | Grand Prairie, Texas, United States | Non-title bout. |
| Win | 8–0 | Mike Christensen | Submission (gogoplata) | TPF 1: Tachi Palace Fights 1 | October 8, 2009 | 1 | 2:06 | Lemoore, California, United States | |
| Win | 7–0 | Yahir Reyes | Submission (rear-naked choke) | Bellator 10 | June 5, 2009 | 2 | 4:11 | Ontario, California, United States | Won theBellator Featherweight World Championship. |
| Win | 6–0 | Wilson Reis | Decision (unanimous) | Bellator 6 | May 8, 2009 | 3 | 5:00 | Robstown, Texas, United States | Bellator Season One Featherweight Tournament Semifinal. |
| Win | 5–0 | Ben Greer | TKO (punches) | Bellator 1 | April 3, 2009 | 1 | 3:40 | Hollywood, Florida, United States | Bellator Season One Featherweight Tournament Quarterfinal. |
| Win | 4–0 | Anthony Luna | Submission (kimura) | Gladiator Challenge 86: Day of the Dead | November 2, 2008 | 1 | 0:33 | Miami, Florida, United States | |
| Win | 3–0 | Brandon Jinnies | TKO (punches) | PFC 10: Explosive | September 26, 2008 | 1 | 0:59 | Lemoore, California, United States | |
| Win | 2–0 | Darren Crisp | Submission (kneebar) | PFC 9: The Return | July 18, 2008 | 1 | 1:08 | Lemoore, California, United States | |
| Win | 1–0 | Jared Williams | TKO (punches) | Gladiator Challenge 53: Hell Storm | July 16, 2006 | 1 | 3:26 | Porterville, California, United States |
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)| New championship | 1stBellator Featherweight Championship June 6, 2009 - September 2, 2010 | Succeeded by |
