Greg Soto
Encyclopedia
Gregory Soto is an American
mixed-martial artist. Soto fought in small fight promotions gaining a record of 7-0 before being signed by the UFC.
Soto is a brown belt in Brazilian Jiu-jitsu under Kurt Pellegrino
.
obtaining a degree in Criminal Justice and a minor in Psychology.
and immediately started training MMA. Soto made his pro debut at 18 years old fighting in the Combat in the Cage promotion. Soto collected a 6-0 record before fighting and defeating Ray Steinbeiss, the brother of UFC vet, Steve Steinbeiss
.
, Soto made his UFC debut against The Ultimate Fighter
alumni, Matthew Riddle
, on the preliminary card of UFC 111
. Soto lost the fight via disqualification in round 3 after performing an illegal upkick which rendered Riddle unable to continue.
Soto then fought Nick Osipczak
at UFC 118
. Soto upset Osipczak, winning the fight via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28).
Soto next faced Daniel Roberts
on January 1, 2011 at UFC 125
. He lost via submission (kimura) in the first round, injuring his left shoulder in the fight. On January 30th 2011, Soto was released from his UFC contract along with Amilcar Alves.
|Loss
|align='center'|8-2
|
Daniel Roberts
|Submission (kimura)
|UFC 125
|
|align='center'|1
|align='center'|3:45
|Las Vegas, Nevada
, USA
|
|-
|Win
|align='center'|8-1
|
Nick Osipczak
|Decision (unanimous)
|UFC 118
|
|align='center'|3
|align='center'|5:00
|Boston, Massachusetts, USA
|
|-
|Loss
|align='center'|7-1
| Matthew Riddle
|DQ (illegal upkick)
|UFC 111
|
|align='center'|3
|align='center'|1:30
|Newark, New Jersey
, USA
|
|-
|Win
|align='center'|7-0
| Ray Steinbeiss
|Submission (rear-naked choke)
|EB - Beatdown at 4 Bears 5
|
|align='center'|2
|align='center'|4:10
|New Town, North Dakota
, USA
|
|-
|Win
|align='center'|6-0
| Craig Kaufmann
|Decision (unanimous)
|WCA - Caged Combat
|
|align='center'|3
|align='center'|5:00
|Atlantic City, New Jersey
, USA
|
|-
|Win
|align='center'|5-0
| Shawn Formann
|Submission (brabo choke)
|ROC 23 - Ring of Combat 23
|
|align='center'|2
|align='center'|3:44
|Atlantic City, New Jersey
, USA
|
|-
|Win
|align='center'|4-0
| Doug Gordon
|Decision (unanimous)
|ROC 21 - Ring of Combat 21
|
|align='center'|3
|align='center'|5:00
|Atlantic City, New Jersey
, USA
|
|-
|Win
|align='center'|3-0
|
Sergio Vinagre
|KO (punch)
|BCX 1 - Cage Xtreme 1
|
|align='center'|1
|align='center'|3:36
|New Jersey
, USA
|
|-
|Win
|align='center'|2-0
|
Hyun Gyu Lim
|Submission (armbar)
|World Best Fighter - USA vs. Asia
|
|align='center'|1
|align='center'|0:58
|Atlantic City, New Jersey
, USA
|
|-
|Win
|align='center'|1-0
| Dave Church
|TKO (corner stoppage)
|CITC - Marked Territory
|
|align='center'|1
|align='center'|5:00
|Lincroft, New Jersey
, USA
|
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
mixed-martial artist. Soto fought in small fight promotions gaining a record of 7-0 before being signed by the UFC.
Soto is a brown belt in Brazilian Jiu-jitsu under Kurt Pellegrino
Kurt Pellegrino
Kurt Joseph Pellegrino is a retired American mixed martial artist. He is best known for competing in the lightweight division of the UFC. Pellegrino's first fight in the UFC came in 2006...
.
Biography
Born in New York to his father, Frank and his mother Phyllis. After moving to Monmouth County NJ when he was 7 years old he began wrestling in school. Soto graduated from Monmouth UniversityMonmouth University
Monmouth University is a private university located in West Long Branch, New Jersey, United States.Founded in 1933 as Monmouth Junior College, it became Monmouth College in 1956, and later Monmouth University in 1995 after receiving its charter....
obtaining a degree in Criminal Justice and a minor in Psychology.
MMA career
When he was a teenager, Soto met Kurt PellegrinoKurt Pellegrino
Kurt Joseph Pellegrino is a retired American mixed martial artist. He is best known for competing in the lightweight division of the UFC. Pellegrino's first fight in the UFC came in 2006...
and immediately started training MMA. Soto made his pro debut at 18 years old fighting in the Combat in the Cage promotion. Soto collected a 6-0 record before fighting and defeating Ray Steinbeiss, the brother of UFC vet, Steve Steinbeiss
Steve Steinbeiss
Steve Steinbeiss is an American mixed martial artist who recently fought in the middleweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship.-Ultimate Fighting Championship:...
.
Ultimate Fighting Championship
After stepping in as a replacement for Ricardo FunchRicardo Funch
Ricardo Funch is a Brazilian mixed martial artist currently training at Team Link in Ludlow, Massachusetts, United States.-Ultimate Fighting Championship:...
, Soto made his UFC debut against The Ultimate Fighter
The Ultimate Fighter
The Ultimate Fighter is an American reality television series and mixed martial arts competition produced by Spike TV and the Ultimate Fighting Championship , and soon to be shown on FX. The show features unknown, professional MMA fighters living together in Las Vegas, Nevada, and follows them as...
alumni, Matthew Riddle
Matthew Riddle
Matthew Frederick Riddle is an American professional mixed martial artist. He was a cast member of SpikeTV's The Ultimate Fighter 7...
, on the preliminary card of UFC 111
UFC 111
UFC 111: St-Pierre vs. Hardy was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on March 27, 2010 at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, United States.-Background:...
. Soto lost the fight via disqualification in round 3 after performing an illegal upkick which rendered Riddle unable to continue.
Soto then fought Nick Osipczak
Nick Osipczak
Nicholas Dominic Osipczak is an English professional mixed martial artist. He is a cast member of Spike TV's The Ultimate Fighter: United States vs. United Kingdom. He is also a known practitioner of Sanshou and Kung Fu, and is a member of Team Rough House.-Background:Nick attended high school at...
at UFC 118
UFC 118
UFC 118: Edgar vs. Penn 2 was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on August 28, 2010 at the TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts, United States. The third UFC Fan Expo coincided with the event...
. Soto upset Osipczak, winning the fight via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28).
Soto next faced Daniel Roberts
Daniel Roberts (fighter)
Daniel Lamar Roberts is an American professional mixed martial arts fighter. Currently he is signed with the Ultimate Fighting Championships, fighting in their welterweight division and training out in San Francisco....
on January 1, 2011 at UFC 125
UFC 125
UFC 125: Resolution was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on January 1, 2011 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, United States.-Background:...
. He lost via submission (kimura) in the first round, injuring his left shoulder in the fight. On January 30th 2011, Soto was released from his UFC contract along with Amilcar Alves.
Personal life
Soto graduated in 2008 and has since been accepted by the New Jersey State Police and will pursue that after he is done with fighting. Soto has been an instructor at Pellegrino MMA since the Belmar, NJ location opened.Mixed martial arts record
|-|Loss
|align='center'|8-2
|
Daniel RobertsDaniel Roberts (fighter)
Daniel Lamar Roberts is an American professional mixed martial arts fighter. Currently he is signed with the Ultimate Fighting Championships, fighting in their welterweight division and training out in San Francisco....
|Submission (kimura)
|UFC 125
UFC 125
UFC 125: Resolution was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on January 1, 2011 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, United States.-Background:...
|
|align='center'|1
|align='center'|3:45
|Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
, USA
|
|-
|Win
|align='center'|8-1
|
Nick OsipczakNick Osipczak
Nicholas Dominic Osipczak is an English professional mixed martial artist. He is a cast member of Spike TV's The Ultimate Fighter: United States vs. United Kingdom. He is also a known practitioner of Sanshou and Kung Fu, and is a member of Team Rough House.-Background:Nick attended high school at...
|Decision (unanimous)
|UFC 118
UFC 118
UFC 118: Edgar vs. Penn 2 was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on August 28, 2010 at the TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts, United States. The third UFC Fan Expo coincided with the event...
|
|align='center'|3
|align='center'|5:00
|Boston, Massachusetts, USA
|
|-
|Loss
|align='center'|7-1
|
Matthew RiddleMatthew Riddle
Matthew Frederick Riddle is an American professional mixed martial artist. He was a cast member of SpikeTV's The Ultimate Fighter 7...
|DQ (illegal upkick)
|UFC 111
UFC 111
UFC 111: St-Pierre vs. Hardy was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on March 27, 2010 at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, United States.-Background:...
|
|align='center'|3
|align='center'|1:30
|Newark, New Jersey
Newark, New Jersey
Newark is the largest city in the American state of New Jersey, and the seat of Essex County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Newark had a population of 277,140, maintaining its status as the largest municipality in New Jersey. It is the 68th largest city in the U.S...
, USA
|
|-
|Win
|align='center'|7-0
|
Ray Steinbeiss|Submission (rear-naked choke)
|EB - Beatdown at 4 Bears 5
|
|align='center'|2
|align='center'|4:10
|New Town, North Dakota
New Town, North Dakota
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,367 people, 488 households, and 318 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,031.6 people per square mile . There were 512 housing units at an average density of 760.9 per square mile...
, USA
|
|-
|Win
|align='center'|6-0
|
Craig Kaufmann|Decision (unanimous)
|WCA - Caged Combat
|
|align='center'|3
|align='center'|5:00
|Atlantic City, New Jersey
Atlantic City, New Jersey
Atlantic City is a city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States, and a nationally renowned resort city for gambling, shopping and fine dining. The city also served as the inspiration for the American version of the board game Monopoly. Atlantic City is located on Absecon Island on the coast...
, USA
|
|-
|Win
|align='center'|5-0
|
Shawn Formann|Submission (brabo choke)
|ROC 23 - Ring of Combat 23
|
|align='center'|2
|align='center'|3:44
|Atlantic City, New Jersey
Atlantic City, New Jersey
Atlantic City is a city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States, and a nationally renowned resort city for gambling, shopping and fine dining. The city also served as the inspiration for the American version of the board game Monopoly. Atlantic City is located on Absecon Island on the coast...
, USA
|
|-
|Win
|align='center'|4-0
|
Doug Gordon|Decision (unanimous)
|ROC 21 - Ring of Combat 21
|
|align='center'|3
|align='center'|5:00
|Atlantic City, New Jersey
Atlantic City, New Jersey
Atlantic City is a city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States, and a nationally renowned resort city for gambling, shopping and fine dining. The city also served as the inspiration for the American version of the board game Monopoly. Atlantic City is located on Absecon Island on the coast...
, USA
|
|-
|Win
|align='center'|3-0
|
Sergio Vinagre|KO (punch)
|BCX 1 - Cage Xtreme 1
|
|align='center'|1
|align='center'|3:36
|New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
, USA
|
|-
|Win
|align='center'|2-0
|
Hyun Gyu Lim|Submission (armbar)
|World Best Fighter - USA vs. Asia
|
|align='center'|1
|align='center'|0:58
|Atlantic City, New Jersey
Atlantic City, New Jersey
Atlantic City is a city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States, and a nationally renowned resort city for gambling, shopping and fine dining. The city also served as the inspiration for the American version of the board game Monopoly. Atlantic City is located on Absecon Island on the coast...
, USA
|
|-
|Win
|align='center'|1-0
|
Dave Church|TKO (corner stoppage)
|CITC - Marked Territory
|
|align='center'|1
|align='center'|5:00
|Lincroft, New Jersey
Lincroft, New Jersey
Lincroft is a part of Middletown Township, in Monmouth County, New Jersey. As of the 2010 United States Census, the Lincroft census-designated place had a population was 6,135.-Geography:Lincroft is located at ....
, USA
|