Issue 162

December 2017

One of MMA’s all-time great entertainers, "The New York Badass" Phil Baroni, recaps five fights that defined his career.

1. Matt Lindland, UFC 34: High Voltage

I used to wrestle in college. I was a two-time All American and fifth in the nation, but I wasn’t the all-time greatest wrestler. I didn’t train that hard and did the bare minimum. I got two degrees, one in psychology and the other in biology, and spent five years in school.

My point is, when I was in high school, I always said I could beat any f**king wrestler if there was punching involved. I had the reigning and defending Olympic silver medalist. It’s not like Daniel Cormier, who had their career in wrestling and then got into fighting. He wasn’t done wrestling. He was still in his prime and wrestling at the highest level. I wanted to prove I could beat him and that I was the best fighter.

The fight ended up being a majority decision and to this day, I feel like I was robbed. That was a big fight in my career.

2. Dave Menne, UFC 39: The Warrior's Return

Probably one of my most famous wins, and definitely my most famous knockout in the UFC. Menne had to pick who he wanted to fight and, for whatever reason, that dumb motherf**ker picked me. You saw what happened – he made the biggest mistake of his life. It all came down to this. Everything I’d done in my life, as far as training, comes down to this one moment.

I was so focused, in the zone. I had all the eyes on me, I’m on the main card, it was basically in my hometown on the East Coast, and I’ve got all my friends and family there.

I remember walking to the f**king arena and normally, I’m all fired up and ready to go. But I was totally f**king relaxed. I was quiet. I just knew I was ready. I had an unbelievable camp. I sparred with Chuck Liddell and I was at my best. The one thing I remember, more than the fight, is how clear my mind was going into it and how I just knew. It didn’t feel like pressure, even though I had to win, and it was do-or-die.

I just knew it was my coming out party. I did the work and I was ready to go. That was the best I ever felt going into a fight. I showed I had super-duper hand speed, super-duper punching power. I was as advertised: a greasy, fat Italian-American mobster! I expected to finish him that fast, f**k yeah! Every time I step in that ring I plan on finishing a motherf**ker fast.

I didn’t know it was an iconic moment at the time. I was just saying what I felt. I would have beaten anybody in the world and I was the best ever. I had no injuries, I was young and strong. I was 26 years old, I was a f**king monster. That night I was the best ever.

I don’t give a f**k who it is, from Anderson Silva to Michael Bisping, that night I would have beaten anybody in the UFC then and in the UFC now. I’m not going to talk s**t about Mike, but I’m pretty sure if I fought anybody at 185lb, I’d have f**king knocked their ass out.

3. Ikuhisa Minowa, Pride Bushido 8

I was brought in to lose after I got choked out by some nobody in the UFC. I was on a losing streak and Pride brought me in to get beat.

I flipped the tables on those guys and f**king knocked him out. It was probably one of the most vicious knockouts ever. We went toe-to-toe the whole fight. I swept his ankle locks. He’s a known ankle lock guy. He almost had me, but I got out his ankle lock, we exchanged punches, and we had a super-duper exchange, then I knocked him down and did what I did my whole life growing up.

When I was young, I was a small guy and I’d just take guys down and beat on them. I’d get them where I wanted them and kick them in the face. That’s what I did. That’s how I street fight. I never lose. I’m undefeated on the street. I f**k everybody up. It was like an old-fashioned New York City street fight. You ever see Goodfellas? I sent him to get his shine box!

4. Frank Shamrock, Strikeforce: Shamrock vs. Baroni

That was a great fight. I remember being in college and my stepfather and my mom sent me these VHS tapes. I used to watch UFC with my stepfather all the time. I remember Frank Shamrock beating Tito Ortiz and retired in the ring.

He says, 'I beat everybody, there’s nobody else to beat.' I remember him saying there’s nobody who interested him. I remember being in college and saying to myself, 'Yeah right, motherf**ker, I’m the motherf**ker that will make you come out of retirement.' The way that played out was almost like destiny.

I guarantee, 99 times out of 100 I knock that f**king guy out. But that night, s**t happens. At the end of the day, he never f**king beat me. He never knocked me out, he never made me tap. I just ran out of air, you know? You never beat me, Frank. I just ran out of air.

You, Frank, you motherf**ker, you got carried out the ring. You needed five people to hold you up and carry your ass out. I walked right out the f**king ring. I didn’t even wait for it to be announced. I walked the f**k out of there. I didn’t stick around to watch him get some bulls**t fight.

You want to do it again? I’ll f**king come over to your house and we can do it in your f**king front yard, motherf**ker.

5. Rodrigo Ribeiro, ONE: Pride of a Nation

People had written me off because I’d just fought with one arm.

I needed the money to pay for the f**king surgery. I took that fight, didn’t even train for it, lost to some Japanese guy by decision (Yoshiyuki Yoshida) that Josh Koscheck knocked out. Obviously, I’m way better than him if Koscheck knocked him out. After my surgery, I get a call from ONE FC, which is owned by Chatri Sityodtong.

He asked me, ‘Why don’t you come there? You’re a legend. You can be part of it.’