Porterville's Joe Soto to be inducted into the Tachi Palace Hall of Fame this summer

The Tachi Palace Hall of Fame Ceremony returned at Urijah Faber's A1 Combat 18 in February of this year. The Ceremony saw Madera's Lavar Johnson and Hanford's Chad Mendes take their rightful spot in the Tachi Palace Hall of Fame. The Hall of Fame Ceremony will be back this summer in June, at a A1 Combat event yet to be announced in Lemoore, Ca. One of the names leading the next class into the Tachi Palace Hall of Fame is Porterville's "One Bad MoFo" Joe Soto.

Valley Fight News was able to connect with the man himself to confirm the news. Soto says he will indeed be inducted in June, and looks forward to the event. Soto started his MMA career in 2006 and is a black belt in BJJ under Dave Terrell. Soto made his debut at the Tachi Palace in 2008 at Palace Fighting Championship 9. Soto would go 2-0 under the PFC before heading off to help the newly launched Bellator MMA explode onto the MMA scene. Soto would go on to win Bellator's first featherweight tournament and become the promotion's inaugural Featherweight Champion in 2009.

A former High School State Champion wrestler out of Porterville High School, Soto returned to the Tachi Palace in the midst of all his Bellator success. Soto would compete in the main event for the rebranded Tachi Palace Fights. Helping the area stay established in the MMA world. Soto would go on to have a few more wars in Bellator versus names like Diego Saraiva and Joe Warren. Soto even fought once in his home town of Porterville in 2012, before returning to the Tachi Palace at TPF 13. Soto would pick up a win at the event and follow up with three more. Including a tko win at TPF 18 that earned him the TPF bantamweight title. That streak at the Tachi Palace, would get Joe the call from the UFC he had been waiting for.

The UFC signed "One Bad Mofo", literally as Joe would prove when the lights got the brightest. Soto was scheduled to make his UFC debut close to home in Sacramento versus Anthony Birchak on the undercard of UFC 177. The Central Valley and all MMA fans were excited for that in itself. However a plot twist that movies are made of would happen. The title challenger and former Champion Renan Barao would be admitted to the hospital on the day of the weigh-ins. Leaving Champion T.J. Dillashaw without a dance partner for the main event. In enters Joe Soto, "we knew'' to this day when this fight is talked about. Most people in the Valley will say "we knew he could win that fight, and expected it."

Soto stepped into the main event of UFC 177 on hours notice to face T.J. Dillashaw in Sacramento for the UFC Bantamweight title, in his UFC debut. If that's not "One Bad Mofo", I don't know what is. All the pressure in the world and Soto would put on the performance of his life that night. He didn't take home the title, but he earned his spot in history as one of the best to ever do it. Soto would finish off his MMA career with the UFC, and went on a three fight win streak. All while traveling the world to compete in Mexico, Brazil, and Canada before hanging up the gloves in 2018.

Speaking on the Tachi Hall of Fame Joe Soto said,

"I feel blessed to be inducted into the Tachi HOF. It’s crazy how time flies . I remember being in high school watching fights at Tachi. I remember thinking to myself I wanted to fight one day, and I wanted to win their belt. I’m thankful for the opportunity to compete at The Palace and thankful for the friendship's I made there. Tachi was my home and I have wonderful memories there."

Soto reminisced on some of his favorite moments at the Tachi Palace Casino & Resort saying,

"My favorite moment's  at Tachi were my first two fights in 2008 . Because I was so young in the sport and everything was new and exciting. Also winning the Tachi belt against a tough Jeremiah Labiano . Other moments were seeing my friends and students compete. Coaching Poppies Martinez and helping him win a Tachi title."

Soto spoke on what the MMA scene was like when he began his journey in the game saying,

"From the early 2000’s until about 2014-2016 there was a big MMA movement. It was the best era for MMA in the valley at Tachi as well. There were many MMA schools and the competition amongst the schools was strong. It was a great and exciting time. Great shows, everyone in California and around the world came to the Central Valley to compete. The Valley was a feeder to the UFC."

When talking about the support he received from the Central Valley during his UFC run, Joe added,

"During and post my title fight . It was great to see the support and love from the valley. I was glad to have a good showing in my title fight. And glad I could represent Central Valley MMA."

As far as fighting again, Joe stated,

" I won’t ever compete again, my days of competing are over. My time is done . Now I’m just focusing on my family and enjoying being a father of three."

"I’d just like to thank all my coaches over the years, I appreciate their time and for sharing their knowledge with me. I also appreciate all my training partners and students. Some of my favorite memories were hard training sessions and laughs in the gym. I appreciate all the relationships I've made over the years through the sport of wrestling and MMA."

Congratulations to Porterville's Joe "One Bad Mofo" Soto on his upcoming induction to the Tachi Palace Hall of Fame.

The Tachi Palace Hall of Fame Ceremonies take place during Urijah Faber's A1 Combat events at the Tachi Palace Resort & Casino in Lemoore, Ca. More info on the event will be released soon.

For more info on the Tachi Palace Casino & Resort visit www.tachipalace.com

Also Keep up with A1 Combat and all of their upcoming events at www.a1combat.com

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By: Daniel "Trip" Quintana www.noweakshitever.com