Joe Soto Career on the line with Severely Detached Retina

Former Bellator featherweight champion Joe Soto just can’t catch any breaks.

Once adorned as one of the best featherweights in the world, Soto’s fairytale run towards the title in Bellator came to an abrupt halt by one Mr. Joe Warren. The Olympian hopeful was battered in the first round when the two dynamic competitors met at Bellator 27 on September 2, with the title up for grabs. Every time Warren came forward engaging Soto to clinch, Joe stung him with hooks and uppercuts in succession.

It looked like it was only just a matter of time, before Warren pulled out a hail mary right hook which clipped Soto, followed with punches, a big knee against the fence and another punch that sent Soto to sleep, and claimed Warren the biggest win of his career, and a shiny belt to show for his efforts.

Now, after losing his title, his mother in a car accident last Christmas, Soto may now be losing vision in his eye following a detached retina.

According to MMAWeekly.com, Soto began to witness black spots following the knockout loss to Warren, which was impairing his vision, which began as tiny almost inadmissible, before becoming larger in size. The news came from friend and manager Tom Call, who also said that the team’s doctor Gary Furness, had pleaded with Call and Soto for him to see a specialist before matters became worse.

What the specialist saw a detached retina, not minor, but severe in damage, and Soto is currently undergoing surgery as we speak. The time line for Soto to sit out of the cage is lengthy, to say the least, and recovery process in of itself is long and arduous. After his initial surgery, he will be sidelined for approximately a year, then due to the severity of his injury, he will need a follow up surgery. Following the second surgery, Soto will again be sidelined with an additional six months of recovery, and it’s only after that surgery where he will know whether or not he will be able to continue to fight ever, if at all.

“The focus right now has just been on saving his vision and following the process,” Call told MMAWeekly.com on Thursday. “Then eventually we’ll get to the point where some decisions will have to be made regarding his future, but he hasn’t even had time to think about that right now.”

So, MMA peeps, give all your warm blessings to Soto @BellatorMMA on twitter, since I am not aware of another outlet to reach him directly. Sound off in the comments section below.