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Joesph Angel Soto (born March 22, 1987 in Porterville, California) is a American professional mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter. Soto is currently signed under the Bellator Fighting Championships promotion and is the featherweight champion. Though he is currently unranked, Sherdog.com has him listed as a contender.^[1]

Biography

At the time Soto was born, the fourth son, his parents were struggling economically, with his father working as a garbage man and his mother as a house cleaner.^[2] Soto grew up in a very religious Pentecostal family, attending church with his family weekly.

Soto got an athletic scholarship to Iowa Central Community College. There Soto wrestled with Jon Jones and Cain Velasquez. Soto and Jones were also roommates during there freshmen and sophomore year.^[3]

Mixed Martial Arts

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 four and zero record before getting signed to Bellator Fighting Championships.

Bellator Fighting Championships

Soto joined Bellator Fighting Championships by entering their featherweight tournament. He made his debut defeating Ben Greer at Bellator 1. In Soto's last fight which took place May 8 at Bellator 6 he dominated Wilson Reis from the opening bell with impeccable takedown defense and superior striking. A Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt, and the only Elitexc featherweight champion Wilson Reis could never get the fight to the ground. Soto's advanced to the Bellator featherweight finals and took on Yahir Reyes.^[4] Soto won the fight by submission in the second round and became the first Bellator featherweight champion. His Entrance music for Bellator 10, was Eminem, Lose Yourself.

What many fans don't know is 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.^[5]

Soto will defend his title at the end of the second season, taking on the winner of the featherweight tournament.^[6] Besides waiting till the end of the season to fight, Soto may fight in other small organizations as long as it is signed off by Bellator.^[7]

Mixed Martial Arts Record

Result	Opponent	Method	Event	Date	Round	Time	Location	Notes
Win	Mike Christensen	Submission (Gogoplata)	Tachi Palace Fights 1: Most Wanted	02009-10-08 October 8, 2009	1	2:06	Lemoore, California
Win	Yahir Reyes	Submission (Rear Naked Choke)	Bellator 10	02009-06-05 June 5, 2009	2	4:11	Ontario, California	Became First FW Champion
Win	Wilson Reis	Decision (Unanimous)	Bellator 6	02009-05-08 May 8, 2009	3	5:00	Robstown, Texas	FW Semi-Final Tournament Bout
Win	Ben Greer	TKO (Punches)	Bellator 1	02009-04-03 April 3, 2009	1	3:40	Hollywood, Florida	FW Quarter-Final Tournament Bout
Win	Anthony Luna	Submission (Kimura)	Gladiator Challenge 86: Day of the Dead	02008-11-02 November 2, 2008	1	0:33	Miami, Florida
Win	Brandon Jinnies	TKO (Punches)	Palace FC 10: Explosive	02008-09-26 September 26, 2008	1	0:59	Lemoore, California
Win	Darren Crisp	Submission (Kneebar)	Palace FC 9: The Return	02008-07-18 July 18, 2008	1	1:08	Lemoore, California
Win	Jared Williams	TKO (Strikes)	Gladiator Challenge 53: Hell Storm	02006-07-16 July 16, 2006	1	3:26	Porterville, California

References

External links

• Professional MMA record for Joe Soto from Sherdog
• Bellator Profile

Bellator Current Champions Middleweight Hector Lombard Welterweight Lyman Good Lightweight Eddie Alvarez Featherweight Joe Soto