Baroni vs. Rua Booked For EliteXC’s Network Debut

It was recently announced that the first ever MMA network broadcast “CBS EliteXC Saturday Night Fightsâ€, will take place on May 31 from the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ. In addition to the reported Kimbo Slice headlining fight (against a to-be-named opponent), the card now features a bout between UFC veteran Phil Baroni and Murilo “Ninja†Rua.
“The New York Badass” Phil Baroni (10-9 MMA, 3-5 UFC) recently suffered a TKO loss to Kala Kalohe Hose at Icon Sports “To Hell And Back.†Prior to that, Baroni was submitted via rear naked choke in a Strikeforce championship bout against Frank Shamrock.
Murilo “Ninja†Rua (15-8 MMA) was EliteXC’s first middleweight champion, but lost his belt to current champ Robbie Lawler last September. Ninja Rua most recently defeated Xavier Foupa Pokam via rear naked choke at Cage Rage 24.
Here is what the rest of the fight card looks like so far:
CBS EliteXC Saturday Night Fights
- Kimbo Slice vs. TBA
- Robbie Lawler vs. Scott Smith
- Gina Carano vs. Kaitlin Young
- Phil Baroni vs. Murilo “Ninja” Rua
- Brett Rogers vs. John Murphy
Tags: Brett Rogers, gina carano, john murphy, kaitlin young, kimbo slice, murilo rua, Phil Baroni, Robbie Lawler, Scott Smith


Add an other KO to Lawler’s lowlight reel…Smith is going to KO him in the 3rd!!! PS Bisping, Sherk and Randy!
I mean Bisping, Sherk and Randy suck!
Baroni and Rua? They’re both washed up and not as exciting as they were. Lawler is a piece of crap ground and pounder who doesn’t impress me much either. His soft chin is going to make Knockout of the Night!! Kimbo is simply just a sideshow. He is to EliteXC what Butterbean is to boxing and MMA: A JOKE!!
Dana White SUCKS!!
Not Kimbo again! Please fight someone with skill with and a ground game and get this joke outta MMA!!!
WHO COME THE NEW YORK STERIOD ABUSER IS FIGHTING AGAIN HAS HE WON A FIGHT IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS HE MAKES A LOT OF MONEY BY JUST HAVING A BIG MOUTH THE GUY IS A JOKE AND HE NEEDS ROIDS TO GIVE HIM THE GUTS TO GET IN THE CAGE, HE LAY ON HIS BACK IN HIS LAST FIGHT TO SCARED TO GET UP AND TRADE
lawler isnt gonna lose he’s at another level than scott smith..who has he fought?? lawler is top 10…scott smith is just a name for TV!!! Rua and baroni are def washed up..this card isn’t for real fans..just big names put out there..
Pretty decent card if you ask me. Should be some exciting fights. Lawler’s a nice little banger and so is Smith. They should swap some pretty good leather with each other – someone’s getting KO’D!
Kimbo is their most marketable guy right now – by far, so you know they have to put him on the show regardless to what we think of him. Everyone knows his boxing is top knotch, not sure how is Mauy Thai or is grappling is and I’m pretty sure that his Jiu-Jit-Su is probably very “green” at best…but there more than likely not going to put him in there with a BJJ wizard. They are going to put him in there with another step up banger.
Baroni-vs-Ninja isn’t the fight it would have been back in like say “2000 or 2001 or something like that. Baroni never really evovled as a fighter and is still strickly a boxer with excellent trash talking, but other than that he has nothing esle in his game worth mentioning. Ninja is a bit an underachiever being that he is a prodigy of the famous ChuteBox Academy….., but these two should put on a good scrap though.
Believe it or not, I’m looking forward to watching the show!
decent card