UFC Bantamweight Champion T.J. Dillashaw successfully defended his title at UFC 177 this past weekend, defeating Joe Soto with a knockout in the fifth round.
Soto was originally scheduled to fight Anthony Birchak on Saturday in his UFC debut, but was announced on Friday to be replacing Renan Barao, Dillashaw's original opponent who was pulled out after collapsing while cutting weight, according to UFC.com. Dillashaw had previously beaten Barao in May in the biggest upset of the year.
28-year-old Dillashaw now holds a record of 12 wins and two losses, while 27-year-old Soto holds a record of 15 wins and three losses.
Dana White, president of UFC, said on Friday that Barao will not be given a shot at the title in his next fight, and that he would have to work his way back up to fight Dillashaw again, ESPN reported.
After his win on Saturday, Dillashaw said he isn't sure who he will fight next, and that Barao is the only person he has been focusing on fighting.
"I would like a little break," he said. "After that, I'll fight anybody the UFC wants to put in front of me- and I'll beat them."
While Dillashaw was dominant in Saturday's fight, Soto, a former collegiate wrestler, proved to be a tougher challenge than most people expected, escaping quickly from dangerous positions on the ground.
Both fighters drew blood on each other in the third round, with Soto cutting Dillashaw's cheek and Dillashaw bloodying Soto's nose, UFC.com reported. The third and fourth round saw them fight mostly on their feet, though the fourth featured more brawling on the ground.
The fight ended in the fifth round with Dillashaw landing a right kick to Soto's head, dropping him and hitting a shot on the ground before referee John McCarthy stepped in at the 2:20 mark.
Soto said the fight was a dream come true, and that being asked by the UFC to fight for the bantamweight title was an honor, ESPN reported.
"I've always wanted to be here since I was a kid. I'm just honored. I didn't want to die knowing I didn't fight in the UFC. It's done. My dream came true," he said.
"Anybody who knows me, knows I train not for five-round fights, not for three-round fights. I train for the worst situations. That's how I train."
