Joe Soto’s UFC career has been a wild ride thus far, but he’s not ready for it to end just yet.

Soto (18-6 MMA, 3-4 UFC) wraps up his current four-fight deal with the UFC at Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 125 event, where he takes on fellow bantamweight Iuri Alcantara (34-9 MMA, 9-6 UFC) in Belem, Para, Brazil. The bout takes place on the FS1-televised prelims following early prelims on UFC Fight Pass and preceding the night’s FS1-televised main card.

Soto admits a positive showing would certainly help his cause but doesn’t think the hope for a new deal adds any real pressure to the contest.

“It’s definitely a big deal, but I guess every fight is kind of like that,” Soto told MMAjunkie Radio. “Your next fight is always your biggest fight.”

Soto was in a much more enviable position before Dec. 1, boasting a three-fight winning streak heading into a matchup with Brett Johns at The Ultimate Fighter 26 Finale. However, after suffering a submission loss via calf slicer just 30 seconds into the contest, Soto admits he walked away a little frustrated with the result.

“It kind of sucks that I didn’t get to perform,” Soto said. “That’s the only thing that sucks about it: I didn’t feel like I got to perform. I worked so hard for that last fight, too. But that’s the fight game. You never know how it’s going to go. Anything can happen.”

On the bright side, Soto gets a chance to make a quick return to action, which he appreciates as the sole bread winner for his family. And finishing a four-fight deal with a 3-1 record would certainly seem worthy of a new deal, especially when all three wins came in visits to international destinations.

Soto admits that’s his goal, with free agency not exactly looming as a beacon on the horizon.

“This is definitely where I want to stay and where I want to be,” Soto said. “I want to stay here. I like fighting in the UFC. I want to fight the toughest guys. The UFC has taken care of me pretty good.”

Soto’s UFC career thus far has been one of wild streaks, starting with an unexpected title shot and then three even more unexpected losses. Three straight wins followed before the loss to Johns. The next chapter may very well be written on Saturday night.

“This is the biggest stage, and you can probably make the most money here, especially with the bonuses if you’re lucky enough to get a bonus,” Soto said. “I don’t think I’d rather fight anywhere else unless I have to.”

To hear more from Soto, check out the video above.

For more on UFC Fight Night 125, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.

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