Joe Soto has agreed to step in on less than a weeks notice and fight this Saturday at UFC Fight Night 98.
Soto, a former Bellator champion, replaces Guido Cannetti in a bout with Marco Beltran that will air as part of the FOX Sports 1 prelims. Cannetti recently came under the eye of USADA for a possible anti-doping violation.
It was over two years ago that Soto (16-5) made his UFC debut, replacing Renan Barao and challenging T.J. Dillashaw for the bantamweight title. He pushed Dillashaw to the fifth round before falling via knockout.
After back-to-back losses to Anthony Birchak and Michinori Tanaka, Soto finally got in the win column with a submission vs. Chris Beal.
Beltran (8-3) has won each of his last three – all coming in the Octagon – including a July submission of Reginaldo Vieira.
UFC Fight Night 98 features Rafael dos Anjos vs. Tony Ferguson in the main event from Mexico.