No Holds Barred: Joe Soto, Bellator Featherweight Champion

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman speaks with
mixed martial arts fighter Joe Soto, who became the featherweight (145-
pound) champion of the Bellator Fighting Championships by winning an
eight-man tournament.

Although he is undefeated as a fighter, the 22-year-old Joe Soto was
not the favorite heading into this tournament. That distinction went
to the better-known Wilson Reis, a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt, who
was also undefeated and had gained notoriety by winning the EliteXC
bantamweight title in 2008.

When Joe Soto and Wilson Reis met in the featherweight semifinals on
May 8, 2009, however, it was Soto who emerged victorious, winning a
three-round unanimous decision, with all three judges scoring the
fight 30-27. Soto then went on to dominate and defeat Yahir Reyes with
a rear naked choke in the second round of their championship fight on
June 5, 2009, and become the first Bellator featherweight champion.

We spoke with Joe Soto about his emergence as a new, young, rising
star in mixed martial arts. We discussed his background as a wrestler
at Iowa Central Community College, his transition from wrestling to
mixed martial arts, his training and skills in both boxing and jiu-
jitsu, his crucial victory over Wilson Reis, his plans for the future,
and much more.

You can play or download No Holds Barred at
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If one link does not work, please try another. The show is in MP3
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The No Holds Barred theme song is called "The Heist", by Ian Carpenter
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Make sure to visit the official boxing forum for No Holds Barred, the
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Thanks, Eddie Goldman
http://eddiegoldman.comSee you at the Fights.
Thanks for your time.

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©®™2007, 2008 All photos by "EL Boxing Empress" Keisha Morrisey- Empire Morrisey Photo-Studios, Khris Kirkpatrick Morrisey for Bloodline Boxing Communications Entertainment and Starlite Boxing's Sweetscience Magnews-Online Publication all rights reserved