Soto hands out punishment

TULE RIVER RESERVATION — Joe Soto didn’t fight like someone who nearly went blind in one eye a year ago.

He didn’t fight like someone who suffered two consecutive losses over a recent 11-month span after rattling off nine wins in a row to begin his mixed martial arts career.
And the 2005 Porterville High graduate certainly didn’t fight like someone who takes this brutal sport lightly.

Rather, Soto fought like the Joe Soto of old, a champion whose wrestling prowess, punishing striking skills and inner fortitude established him as a serious MMA force right out of junior college.

That champion is ready to be taken seriously once again.

At a sold-out Eagle Mountain Events Center on Friday night, the 5-foot-6, 141-pound Soto used a rear-naked choke to defeat Sacramento’s Chris David, who was on the receiving end of several vicious blows to the face before he was forced to tap out 4 minutes, 28 seconds into Round 2.

“He hit me with some good, strong elbows,” said the mohawk-donning David, who, after spending less than 10 minutes in the cage with Soto, acquired an ugly cut below his right eye and another gash to his lower lip. “That’s actually the first time I’ve really bled.”

In 25 total bouts, it was also the first time David (13-10-2) had ever tapped out.
“I give him congrats on that,” David said.

A 2005 state wrestling champion for Porterville High, Soto received many congratulations from his friends, family members and fiancée after the match as well.

It was a moment Soto (11-2) and his numerous supporters certainly welcomed, especially after the 24-year-old’s young and promising career almost came to an abrupt end in late 2010.

Defending his Bellator Fighting Championships featherweight crown in San Antonio, Soto was knocked unconscious by Joe Warren early in Round 2 and suffered a detached retina in his left eye.

About a month after the incident, while he was driving back to his home in Santa Rosa, Soto said he began seeing black out of his injured eye.

“I went to the doctor the next day, and the doctor told me, ‘You have to have emergency surgery tomorrow morning, or there’s a possibility you’ll go blind,’” Soto recalled.

Needless to say, Soto had the operation.

However, when he returned to the cage 11 months later to take on Eddie Yagin in Lemoore, the Porterville native wasn’t himself as Yagin needed just 2 minutes to force Soto into submission.

“Coming back from an injury like that plays mental games on you. It was hard,” Soto said. “I couldn’t see out of one eye for a month or two.”

This much was clear Friday night, though: Joe Soto is back.

A two-time wrestling All-American for Iowa Central Community College, Soto grabbed David’s right leg and took him down midway through Round 2. Moments later, Soto got on top of David’s back and began whaling on his opponent.

After choking David out, Soto popped up, spread his arms wide and let out a loud scream.

Soto had finally put all of his frustration behind him and celebrated like a champion once again.

“It feels great,” Soto said. “...I’m just going to enjoy this victory with my family and friends. They’ve been here through hard times, and this is just a great win for all of us.”

In other fights:

Bakersfield’s Ryan Reneau (1-1) defeated Porterville’s Alex Barajas (0-1) via tapout 0:53 into Round 1.

Dunlap’s Shelby Charley Jr. (1-0) defeated Porterville’s Pedro Mercado (3-8) via knockout 0:24 into Round 1.

Fresno’s J.T. Contrestano (1-0) defeated Springville’s Brandon Cohea (0-1) via referee stoppage due to strikes 0:17 into Round 1.

Santa Rosa’s Jimmy Grant (4-1), Soto’s roommate, defeated Strathmore’s Jose Sanchez (0-1) via tapout 1:52 into Round 2.

Visalia’s Mike Cook (13-9) defeated the Tule River’s Owen Rubio (5-2) via tapout 1:44 into Round 1.
Bakersfield’s Julia Avila (1-0) defeated Visalia’s Marion Reneau (1-1), a teacher at Farmersville High, via unanimous decision.

Woodlake’s Cain Carrizosa (3-0) defeated Exeter’s John Wadkins (0-1) via tapout 1:35 into Round 2.

Lemoore’s Jake Hunter (2-1) defeated Bakersfield’s Jared Williams (2-3) via referee stoppage due to strikes 1:50 into Round 1.

Huntington Beach’s Joe Murphy (5-0) defeated Bakersfield’s Rodney Rhoden (10-11) via tapout 2:37 into Round 1.