Phil Baroni Released by Strikeforce, UFC Return Likely
Strikeforce announced on Thursday that it has released welterweight veteran Phil Baroni following a unanimous decision loss to Joe Riggs in his most-recent bout in June.
“We wish Phil the best of luck and hope he can revive his career,” Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker said Thursday in the announcement. “If he can, maybe one day, he can return and fight for us.”
Despite losing his last fight, the “New York Bad Ass” is apparently heading back to the UFC after winning three-straight bouts in 2008 after dropping from middleweight to 170-pounds, as Sherdog reports that a deal is in the works between Baroni and the UFC:
Phil Baroni has verbally agreed to a contract with the UFC, according to a source close to the fighter. The veteran welterweight’s potential signing will undoubtedly raise a few eyebrows as well as shed some light on the brewing feud between the UFC and rival promotion Strikeforce…
A source close to the UFC intimated more signings might be on the horizon as fighters complete their Strikeforce contracts.
Baroni (13-11) went 3-5 in 8 UFC bouts between 2001 and 2005, leaving the UFC following four-straight losses. Three-straight defeats to Frank Shamrock, Kala Hose, and Joey Villasenor in 2007 and 2008 caused Baroni to drop down to welterweight, where he won three-straight fights before falling to Riggs.
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Tags: Phil Baroni
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Revive his career and return to Strikeforce. What a laugh.
this was expected dana and baroni are like best friends!….hey maybe the baroni of old will return to his BEST EVA!!!!!!!! form
LOL @ “BEST EVA”
This really doesn’t make much sense to me. The UFC releases the BarnCat but picks up Baroni? Baroni has nothing to offer the WW division. Just makes no sense.
They released BarnCat so he could go up a weight class and get some experience there. This was well documented. I suspect it was an amicable split.
Dbiz:
http://sports.yahoo.com/mma/news;_ylt=Avy6ZFGo5fJw8TFbeq1zajg9Eo14?slug=ki-ufccuts081409&prov=yhoo&type=lgns
Baroni must have pictures of dana and joe silva in compromising positions, cuz otherwise what the h***? So he gets fired by Strikeforce to “revive his career” and then maybe can come back in a few years. So, is the UFC Strikeforce’s minor leagues now?
Looks like UFC & strikeforce are beginning more and more to switch roles with strikeforce getting the talent and UFC getting the scraps.
Yeah, that’s clearly going to happen. Right on. I bet Anderson Silva is going to go to Strikeforce next. Same with GSP, Penn and Machida.
Boy, who knew Phil Baroni would be the harbinger of things to come?
I knew!
i just didn’t want you to make fun of me
Splitting with BarnCat on good terms for the time-being makes sense. Picking up a Strikeforce cast-off that will get blown away against even moderate opposition does not. I suppose he does have a moderate level of name-appeal though. I will assume his contract will be low on guaranteed pay, and heavier on win bonus’, that the UFC knows he probably won’t be collecting.
My guess is in the 25-25 or 40-40 tops range. Bad showings, he’s done. Put on at least decently entertaining fights, he’ll stay around. Who else is a good gatekeeper (and nothing more) for them?
I’d be surprised if it was even that high. I say 20-20 tops since it’s either the UFC or basically nothing for the guy, so his negotiating power is virtually nil. But, who knows, you could be right. I am no business man.
As for gatekeepers, I’d say Lytle, Davis, Kim, Saunders, and maybe even Koscheck. If you can’t beat those guys, you won’t go far. Who do you think?
“I’m the best EVA!!!, i’m the man, i’m the best EVA!!! EVA!!!” haha, have to say this guy although not the best fighter in the world(his record was 10-10 at some poit), Baroni is an entertaining guy, he makes me laugh with his $hit talk, don’t know how he’ll do in the UFC, but hey the dude is funny as hell.
Side note: I lost a bet to Onlytrue1, i bet that Forrest would beat Silva and i lost so my avatar is fu*king Vanilla Ice until next UFC PPV.
i too lost an avatar bet to onlytrue1 so this is why i have this a$$hole as my avatar
when jardine get’s killed by silva, it’s onlytrue1’s turn!
I never liked baroni i don’t like his personality and he’s decent @ best and would get whooped on in any division in the UFC.
who is that on your avatar jazz? gatekeeper right now at ww would be lytle, killa b, and if you cant handle kos’s wrestling you wont get far at 170. baroni could sign with the ufc or maybe dream. i know dream was “joining” strikeforce, but baroni has a cult of fans in japan due to pride. they liked his attitude and style over there. at least you guys didnt lose and have to post a quote with every post you make. dammn forrest had to take the night off and now im stuck with this quote for a month.
“ON AUGUST 8, 2009 ANDERSON SILVA MADE FORREST GRIFFIN LOOK LIKE AN AMATEUR, AND ON AUGUST 8, 2009 GUNSLINGER MADE BIGCHRIS 2328 LOOK LIKE A CASUAL FAN
”
bigchris23228,
my avatar is screech! It won’t show up on this comment cuz i’m in a different computer @ the moment. But yeah i bet onlytrue1 that forrest would win. Now i’m paying for it. Looks like you are as well!
I’m with you guys with all the ww gatekeepers. I’m not sure if kim should be on that list. lytle,davis and kos for sure though.
Wow…I’m so jealous…I wanna bet an avatar! Of course, I don’t have one…I bet a dollar to one of you guys that Florian would beat B.J. I couldn’t remember who, so I put an extra dollar in the collection jar @ 7-11. Ken-Flo, you just put a dollar towards saving a puppy shelter.
That is classic stuff, thank you for that…
gravatar .com for your avatar needs fyi to everyone
now i see it jazz. for a moment i thought it was the unabomber. interesting choice if it was.
“ON AUGUST 8, 2009 ANDERSON SILVA MADE FORREST GRIFFIN LOOK LIKE AN AMATEUR, AND ON AUGUST 8, 2009 GUNSLINGER MADE BIGCHRIS 2328 LOOK LIKE A CASUAL FAN
”
Hmmm..interesting. I think he will lose his first fight back in the ufc, then wreck some rookie, then lose again, and go back to Strikeforce, or retire.