Tony "Loco" Soto: BKFC's Brooklyn-Bred Lightweight Contender
Tony "Loco" Soto is an American bare knuckle boxer, born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, who competes at lightweight in the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship. He built an undefeated run to a reported 6-0 before facing Argentina's Franco Tenaglia for the vacant lightweight world title in a fight widely called one of the most brutal in the promotion's history.
Quick Facts
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Antonio Soto III |
| Nickname | Loco |
| Hometown | Brooklyn, New York (now based in North Carolina) |
| Weight Class | Lightweight |
| BKFC Record | Reported as 6-1 |
| Pre-Title Run | 6-0 in BKFC |
| Notable Bout | vs. Franco Tenaglia (vacant lightweight title), Oct 2024 |
| Organization | BKFC |
Overview
Soto began his combat sports career in amateur MMA, where he went 1-1, then made a brief move to boxing, reportedly 2-0 as a professional, before dropping the gloves entirely for bare knuckle. Once inside the BKFC Squared Circle he found his form, running off six straight wins and three stoppages to establish himself as one of the more accurate, technical lightweights on the roster.
Born and raised in Brooklyn, Soto kept the city as part of his identity even after relocating to North Carolina. His combination of pace, precision and a willingness to fight at full distance made him a fan favorite and set the stage for a title shot on one of the promotion's larger cards.
BKFC Career
Soto's climb through the lightweight division was built on consistency. He scored wins over opponents including former bare knuckle world champion and title challenger Tyler Goodjohn in the BKFC 42 main event, and over the previously undefeated Kevin Croom at BKFC 52, a full five-round, 10-minute fight in which he reportedly landed 89 percent of his strikes. He also defeated Wayna Reid at BKFC 35 along the way.
That run carried him to 6-0 and a headline bout for the vacant lightweight world championship against Franco Tenaglia, the Argentine knockout artist. The two met at a BKFC card in Marbella, Spain, on October 12, 2024, in a fight that observers and the promotion alike described as one of the most violent in BKFC history. After five rounds, Tenaglia took a majority decision, with one judge scoring it even at 46-46 and two others at 47-45, to become Argentina's first bare knuckle world champion and hand Soto his first professional bare knuckle loss.
The fight was close enough, and memorable enough, that a rematch was later booked, with the promotion positioning the second meeting as a marquee lightweight attraction.
Fighting Style
Soto is a volume-and-accuracy fighter rather than a one-punch knockout artist, though he has the power to stop opponents. His standout statistic, the 89 percent connect rate against Croom, captures a style built on precision striking, sound distance management and the conditioning to maintain output across a full five-round bout. In a sport that often rewards the first heavy hand, Soto's reliance on accuracy and pace set him apart.
That technical base also makes him dangerous deep into fights, where less-conditioned opponents fade. The Tenaglia loss was a coin-flip decision rather than a one-sided result, which says as much about how competitive Soto remained against an elite finisher as it does about the margin between contender and champion at lightweight.
Notable Fights
| Date | Opponent | Event | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| BKFC 35 | Wayna Reid | BKFC 35 | W |
| BKFC 42 | Tyler Goodjohn | BKFC 42 | W |
| BKFC 52 | Kevin Croom | BKFC 52 | W |
| Oct 12, 2024 | Franco Tenaglia | BKFC Spain | L - MD (vacant lightweight title) |
Legacy
Soto's BKFC legacy is that of a technical lightweight who carried an undefeated streak into a title fight remembered as one of the promotion's defining wars. Even in defeat, the closeness of the Tenaglia decision and the savagery of the contest elevated his standing rather than diminished it, and the booked rematch underlined that the division saw him as a genuine threat to the belt.
His blend of accuracy, volume and Brooklyn grit gave the lightweight class a stylistic counterpoint to its punchers. For more on where he ranks and how the division pays, see the best BKFC fighters of all time and the promotion's pay guide, or read about fellow striker Noah Cutter.
FAQ
What is Tony Soto's BKFC record?
Soto's bare knuckle record is reported as 6-1. He went 6-0 before losing a majority decision to Franco Tenaglia for the vacant lightweight world title in October 2024.
Did Tony Soto win a BKFC title?
Not as of his first title attempt. Soto challenged Franco Tenaglia for the vacant lightweight championship in Spain in October 2024 and lost a close majority decision; a rematch was later arranged.
Where is Tony Soto from?
Soto was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, and now trains and lives in North Carolina.
What is Tony Soto's fighting style?
He is a precision, high-volume striker who once landed a reported 89 percent of his strikes over a full five-round fight, relying on accuracy and conditioning rather than single-shot power.
