It’s back to cable television for Joe Soto.
The former, one-time pay-per-view headliner will take on Anthony Birchak at UFC Fight Night: Cormier vs. Bader on June 6 in New Orleans, it was announced Wednesday on UFC Tonight. Soto is coming off a loss to T.J. Dillashaw in a UFC bantamweight title fight at UFC 177 last August.
Soto (15-3) was supposed to fight Birchak on that card Aug. 30. But when Renan Barao passed out during his weight cut one day before the event, Soto was called into action. He met Dillashaw in the main event and actually hung around until the fifth round, doing a way better job than many people thought.
Soto, 27, won six in a row on the regional circuit before the big opportunity against Dillashaw. He also owns a 4-1 record and featherweight tournament victory in Bellator, where he beat current UFC flyweight contender Wilson Reis.
Birchak (11-2) is a prospect coming off a loss in his UFC debut against Ian Entwistle at UFC on FOX 13 in December. Before that, he had won five in a row, including victories over current UFC fighters Ryan Benoit and Roman Salazar. Birchak, 28, has more than half of his wins (six) by submission.
UFC Fight Night 68 is headlined by a light heavyweight contender bout between Daniel Cormier and Ryan Bader. MMA legend Dan Henderson also meets Tim Boetsch on the card, which will take place at Smoothie King Center and air live on FOX Sports 1.