Strikeforce -Shamrock vs. Baroni - Preview and Odds

On Friday, June 22nd, at the HP Pavilion in San Jose, California, MMA organizations Strikeforce and EliteXC will co-promote an event called Strikeforce - Shamrock vs. Baroni. The main card will air on Showtime pay-per-view, while the undercard will be streamed live on the Proelite website.

MMA legend and former UFC middleweight champ Frank Shamrock will take on hard-hitting Phil “The New York Bad-Ass” Baroni for the vacant Strikeforce middleweight title. A second world title fight will see Joey “Dream Smasher” Villasenor versus Murilo “Ninja” Rua for the vacant EliteXC middleweight title.

STRIKEFORCE FIGHT CARD

Barring any last minute changes, here’s how the fight card is shaping up:

PPV Bouts

Frank Shamrock vs. Phil “The New York Bad-Ass” Baroni

Murilo “Ninja” Rua vs. Joey “Dream Smasher” Villasenor

Paul “The Headhunter” Buentello vs. Carter Williams

Cung Le vs. Tony Fryklund

Charles “Krazy Horse” Bennett vs. Victor Valenzuela

Undercard Bouts

Paul Daley vs. Duane “Bam” Ludwig

Jason “Live Wire” Von Flue vs. Luke Stewart

Mike Pyle vs. Aaron Wetherspoon

Eugene Jackson vs. Danny Higgins

Josh “The Punk” Thomson vs. Nick Gonzalez

SHAMROCK VS. BARONI

Frank Shamrock

Frank Shamrock, the adoptive younger brother of Ken Shamrock, was the first middleweight champ in the UFC and retired undefeated from the organization (the belt he held was later changed to the light-heavyweight title). He is also a former champion of Japan’s Pancrase organization. His professional MMA record stands at 21-8-1, with wins over Bas Rutten, Enson Inoue, Cesar Gracie and Tito Ortiz. Shamrock has also coached the San Jose Razorclaws of the International Fight League.

In his most recent fight, Shamrock was disqualified during his fight with Renzo Gracie. Shamrock delivered two knees to the head of his opponent on the ground, a violation of the American Unified Rules of MMA. At the time of the disqualification, Shamrock was ahead on the score cards.

Phil Baroni

Known for his knockout power, Baroni was also a two-time All-American wrestler at Central Michigan University. His MMA record stands at 10-7, with his UFC record being 3-5. He holds wins over Dave Menne, Ikuhisa Minowa, Ryo Chonan and Yuki Kondo. In his most recent fight, Baroni defeated Yosuke Nishijima via kimura at PRIDE 32.

If Baroni can get past Shamrock, UFC President Dana White has stated that Phil would be offered a chance to return to the UFC. Without a doubt, this would translate into bigger fights and bigger paydays for “The New York Bad-Ass.”

BODOG ODDS

Bodog is currently offering odds on this fight (with a wager limit of $500), and the entire card will likely be available as we get closer to the day of the event. At the moment, the betting line stands as follows:

Frank Shamrock +110

Phil Baroni -140

WAR OF WORDS

Leading up to the fight, Shamrock and Baroni have conducted a most entertaining publicity campaign. While I’m unsure if it will translate into a higher buyrate, it has made for some great quotes. Take a look at various words of wisdom leading up to the main event. (Note: My source for these quotes bleeped out Baroni‘s cursing.)

Baroni: I think he is a scumbag. The guy is a hypocrite. I think he is a fraud, and everyone that has ever dealt with him, that I know of, does not like him. Everyone I know that has dealt with the guy thinks he is an (bleep)hole and a (bleep). Judgment Day is June 22.

Shamrock: I am a professional martial artist, and I am a professional fighter. Phil is a professional idiot. I let my talking happen in the ring.

Baroni: He is a fraud. He acts like…he uses big words, he is a big idiot. He is a retard, to be honest.

Shamrock: He is a mid-grade opponent, and he looks good, sells tickets. I think he is hilarious.

Shamrock: The strengths he brings are brute force and mindless punching.

Baroni: Look at the guys fighting in the UFC. There is a bunch of bums. TV show reality star rejects and everything else. I am more than good enough to get to fight in the UFC. I am more than good enough to wear that middleweight title.

As far as Frank Shamrock, I have to adjust one thing he keeps saying he is an artist, this and that. Well after I (bleep) knock you out, Frank, I will buy you a box of crayons and a coloring book, and you can go be a (bleep) artist. But this is not a (bleep) artist, and this is not going to be a martial arts exhibition, (bleep). This is going to be a (bleep) fight. Do you get it? I am not here to (bleep) do the (bleep)… I do not know what the (bleep) this dude is talking about martial arts. I am a (bleep) fighter. I have been a fighter since the day I was born. You are going to get in a fight. There is going to be a fight. I am going to take your (bleep) head off. I am going to pound you the (bleep) out. This is not a (bleep) … I do not know. I do not know what he is talking about martial artist and paint the picture, this is what I do. If this is what you do, you do it. I have been doing it. This is what I have been doing. I do it in the street, I do it in the ring, I have been doing it my whole life. I am a (bleep) fighter. I do not know what a (bleep) martial artist is, but man, this (bleep) guy is just a retard. He is in (bleep) la-la land, you know? I do not know where the (bleep) he is from. I am a (bleep) fighter, you know? Man, I do not get this cat. You are in for a rude awakening, dude. You are in for a rude awakening. You are going to get (bleep) up.
Shamrock: That is why they call him the “New York Bad-Ass.”

For more MMA articles, see the following:

UFC Ultimate Fight Night Results

UFC 72 Fight Preview

Strikeforce -Shamrock vs. Baroni - Preview and Odds