Back when your local pub would receive more requests to show bowling than the UFC, the tiny world of MMA was often a buzz about Phil “The New York Bad Ass” Baroni. Not just because of his ‘is this guy serious?’ showmanship, but also because of his ability to violently bounce opponent’s heads with his fists. Baroni’s KTFO victory over Dave Menne at UFC 39 remains a highlight reel favorite; not bad for a clip that’s nearly 8 years old.
Of course Baroni’s career has had some ups, and quite a few downs, but a lot of old school fans continue to want to see him throw down. Case in point, the UFC brought Baroni back after he lost by UD to Joe Riggs at a Strikeforce event last June; how often does that happen?
Up next, Baroni was scheduled to fight John Salter at UFC 118 next month, but as bad luck would have it, the NYBA injured his collarbone in training and was forced to drop out. In a revealing interview with MMA Fighting’s Ariel Helwani, Baroni not only talked about his financial need to fight, but also, his desire to regain some of the notoriety he once had. Here’s a sample:
“I just want to be a contender. I want respect from my peers, the fans, media and the promotions. I wanted to say, ‘I’m still here, don’t f**king forget about me. I’m not dead yet. I want to be a contender — I want to matter again. I want to be the biggest comeback story ever — a Cinderella Man.”
Alright, the sceptical alarm as to whether that’s possible is sounding, but that’s a pre-req for any comeback story no?