Baroni Released by UFC After New Year’s Day Loss

Phil Baroni: Dave Mandel | Sherdog.com

“Definitely not how I planned on starting the year,” Baroni said via Twitter on Sunday. “Half the money I expected, unemployed... I stepped in dog s--t.”

The “New York Bad Ass” has lost three consecutive fights, including his return to the middleweight division against Tavares at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on New Year’s Day. Baroni looked sharp in the early going, flooring Tavares with a massive left hook, but the veteran was unable to finish the young buck.

After Baroni accidentally kneed Tavares in the groin, the bout was halted to allow the Hawaiian time to recover. Following the break, Tavares landed a glancing high kick that stunned Baroni, and then followed up with a devastating overhand right which sealed the New Yorker’s fate. With only the fence keeping him up, Baroni ate several punches as Tavares unleashed a flurry of violence. Referee Josh Rosenthal had no choice but to save the 34-year-old from further punishment.

Prior to his loss to Tavares, Baroni had made the cut to welterweight, losing consecutive bouts to Joe Riggs in Strikeforce and Amir Sadollah at UFC 106. Baroni went 3-5 during his first run with the UFC from 2001 to 2005, dropping bouts to Evan Tanner (twice), Pete Sell and Matt Lindland (twice). After competing for Japan’s Pride Fighting Championships, Baroni contended for both the Strikeforce and Icon Sport middleweight titles; he captured neither belt, losing to Frank Shamrock and Kala Hose, respectively.