UFC 106: Amir Sadollah vs Phil Baroni fills vacancy left by Ortiz vs Griffin 2
by Jesse Holland on Oct 30, 2009 11:57 AM EDT
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The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 7 winner Amir Sadollah (1-1) will welcome Phil Baroni (13-11) back into the Octagon in a welterweight clash planned for UFC 106 from the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Nov. 21.
And now he gets to do it on the televised portion of the card.
After an illness forced Brock Lesnar to withdraw from his main event fight against Shane Carwin, the UFC promoted the rematch between Forrest Griffin and Tito Ortiz into the main event slot.
That promotion created a vacancy on the main card, which the UFC has confirmed will be filled by Sadollah vs. Baroni.
Amir suffered a series of injury-related setbacks since a submission win over CB Dolloway at TUF 7 Finale. He was expected to follow up that performance against Nick Catone at UFC 91: "Lesnar vs. Couture" on November 15. However, just four days before fight night he had to withdraw because of a leg infection.
After more than a year on the sidelines, Sadollah finally got back into the cage at UFC 101 last month in his welterweight debut. Unfortunately his return was short lived after Johnny Hendricks put him down in the first round (with a little help from much-maligned referee Dan Miragliotta).
Now the likable and hard-working Sadollah will get a chance to erase those bad memories with a big win over potential opponent and master of self-promotion Phil Baroni.
"The New York Bad Ass" last appeared in St. Louis back in June of this year, dropping a unanimous decision to fellow MMA journeyman Joe "Diesel" Riggs. The loss marked his first defeat in four fights since rebounding from a three fight losing skid, as well as his first loss at 170 pounds.
The 33-year-old Pride FC, Elite XC and Strikeforce veteran recently agreed to return to where his career essentially began with the UFC, likely facilitated by his good relationship with company president, Dana White, and his colorful ability to promote fights.
Baroni competed eight times inside the Octagon between 2001 and 2005, compiling a lackluster record (3-5) during that span. He fought Evan Tanner and Matt Lindland twice (four total fights) and lost all of those middleweight matches. Baroni is perhaps best known for being upset by up-and-comer Pete Sell thanks to a guillotine choke that put the Long Island, N.Y., native to sleep.
How he performs against the up-and-coming Sadollah on November 21 will say a lot about his future in the UFC — and MMA overall.
For all the latest on the UFC 106 fight card and rumors click here.
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I realize there is not much the UFC could do but UUUUUGGGGGHHHH!
by ldcpanther on Oct 30, 2009 11:59 AM EDT reply actions
I used to think the UFC had an unlimited supply of fighters, but it seems like fewer cards are stacked this year.
by JayJay on Oct 30, 2009 12:02 PM EDT up reply actions
Griffin vs Tito
Luis Cane vs Lil Nog
Parisyan vs Hazelett
Kos vs Johnson
Baroni vs Amir
Saunders vs Davis
Looks good to me.
by mack3333 on Oct 30, 2009 1:40 PM EDT up reply actions
looks like pelgrino got hurt and the fight with frankie edger at tuf10 finale is scraped
by JG on Oct 30, 2009 2:25 PM EDT up reply actions
That card even though no titles does look awesome.
by jay on Oct 30, 2009 2:55 PM EDT up reply actions
i pray that baroni can get the knockout! guy deserves a decent win hes the BEST EVA!
by Jared on Oct 30, 2009 7:05 PM EDT up reply actions
This crap! I would much rather them air the Killa B fight!
by john G on Oct 31, 2009 6:39 PM EDT up reply actions
I don’t know why everyone is sleeping on this fight.
I find Amir’s muay thai base against Baroni’s viscous boxing style to be real interesting.
It will probably be a grappling match tho, since both guys really don’t want to lose, tho it should be entertaining as hell until it goes there. I think Baroni will handle business, seeing as it would only take one on Amir’s chin.
by Jammin on Oct 30, 2009 12:06 PM EDT up reply actions
“Unfortunately his return was short lived after Johnny Hendricks put him down in the first round (with a little help from much-maligned referee Dan Miragliotta).”
Is everything a conspiracy or referee incompetence nowadays?
Hilarious.
Hendricks put a whooping on Amir and it was a legit TKO.
I am going to buy you a tissue box for Christmas, Holland. :)
Baroni via TKO.
by OJR on Oct 30, 2009 12:13 PM EDT up reply actions
How is Amir the “worst tuf winner ever” when he’s only had 2 fights? He got blasted with a quick stoppage after like a year of inactivity. Not to mention that Hendricks isn’t exactly a can.
Besides. Danzig is the worst TUF champion.
by Synyster on Oct 30, 2009 2:24 PM EDT up reply actions
Amir can’t hang with fighters who are actually worthy of being in the UFC, only with the spares on his TUF season who also had no business being in the octagon. Those losers are running around all the little local shows and marketing themselves as “former TUF competitors.”
by PW on Oct 30, 2009 2:56 PM EDT up reply actions
Dude. He has had 1 fight in the last year. We dont know jack shyt about who Amir can and cannot hang with. He submitted Matt Brown remember, and CB has been winning in the UFC as well.
I mean, I guess thats your opinion and all that, but I’m just not ready to label him as anything just yet.
by Synyster on Oct 30, 2009 3:05 PM EDT up reply actions
Two guys who don’t belong in the UFC. One is a brain dead idiot and the other is a brain dead idiot who thinks he’s funny.
by NameNotRequired on Oct 30, 2009 3:59 PM EDT up reply actions
Fire Dan Mirgliotta and hire Big John!!!!! Mirgliotta is absolutely worthless!!!!!!!!!!!!
by LJ on Oct 30, 2009 12:28 PM EDT up reply actions
No kidding. These guys suck. Hope they bleed a lot.
by DolFan on Oct 30, 2009 4:43 PM EDT up reply actions
i’m not a huge baroni fan, but i remember all the ufc only guys talking so much crap about him and the orgs he fought for now that he is with the ufc after not winning his way back where are all those haters? i guess its ok since its the ufc doing it.
by roy on Oct 30, 2009 12:01 PM EDT reply actions
Baroni sucks, the fact that the UFC brought him back is a joke. He belongs in Cage Rage main events and Strikeforce prelims, not on a UFC undercard for what was supposed to be a stacked show.
Amir’s not much better like, his constant injuries show to me that he’s not physically cut out for fighting and he’ll end up being the only TUF winner to never win a fight after winning the contract. Joke of a fight.
by David W-S on Oct 31, 2009 12:01 AM EDT up reply actions
If Mirgs hadn’t stopped the fight when he did he would have stopped it 30 seconds later after Amir (worst TUF champ ever) ate a few more bombs. This fight won’t be any different. Chippendale Baroni by ko in the 1st.
by PW on Oct 30, 2009 12:02 PM EDT reply actions
I thought Johnson vs Koscheck had filled that void.
by fonx on Oct 30, 2009 12:04 PM EDT reply actions
Is this going to be 2 straight free UFC events?
by Crackbaby on Oct 30, 2009 12:10 PM EDT reply actions
I’m not paying for this terrible card. I won’t pay for another UFC even where Forrest is on the main card
by kibbled_bits on Oct 30, 2009 12:18 PM EDT reply actions
baroni by murderous combo layin Amir out cold
by irishlilpete on Oct 30, 2009 12:18 PM EDT reply actions
Oh Lord… Phil’s 15 minutes were up six or seven years ago. You want to talk about a fighter who has not evolved whatsoever? You talk about Phil Baroni – he’s like Dan Severn with a bigger mouth.
Even Wes Sims has progressed more than Baroni has… and they both “train” at Hammer House.
Calling Baroni one-dimensional is an insult to the likes of Houston Alexander and Gan McGee. I’d give the average online keyboard warrior better than 1:4 odds of beating Baroni, likely by submission. Hey, if Pete Sell (who was almost someone just walking by on the street) can do it, so can you!
The only good thing Phil’s ever done in his career was to KO Minowa & Ryo Chonan and totally screw up Pride’s plans. Hahaha! Okay, that video clip of him explaining how he was “sponsored by Glad garbage bags” was kinda funny.
by Drake_Labatt on Oct 30, 2009 12:19 PM EDT reply actions
Phil Baroni by nasty ko. bring back the dave menne baroni that knew how to finish fights. always entertaining and thats why dana brought him back. would love to see him ko bitch and crotcheck.
by jjk on Oct 30, 2009 1:04 PM EDT reply actions
The title made me think that Ortiz/Griffin was cancelled too.
WTF Holland? Re-word that title lol.
by OJR Is King (formerly Introvert) on Oct 30, 2009 1:04 PM EDT reply actions
NYBA via 2nd Round KO. Baroni’s looked a lot better since moving to WW, even though he hasn’t really fought anyone of note in the class except Riggs (which he lost via UD), but he still has heavy hands and half-decent wrestling game which I think will be the difference against Sadollah.
by Belisarius on Oct 30, 2009 1:09 PM EDT reply actions
With this card…we will have proof if Tito is really the draw he always claimed to be. It is him vs. Forest alone.
Other times that the draws have been big with Tito on the card, that he claims credit for, have also had Cuck, Shamrock, Randy, etc….just a few BIG names to help draw in the crowd. Now Tito will have a pretty big name opponent in Forest but will the draw be the same without the help of the mega big names…its all on Tito to be the big draw.
My bet is that Tito has finally be filed in the “who cares” file.
by Striker Dave on Oct 30, 2009 1:09 PM EDT reply actions
hes already in the “who cares” file in everyones eyes but his own.
by Egads on Oct 30, 2009 7:43 PM EDT up reply actions
whens shamrock ever been a draw? hes a hall of fame joke. his coaching on tuf 3 was laughable and cost his team dearly. cant stand the guy or any of the the lions den fighters. never rated any of them.
by jjk on Oct 30, 2009 2:04 PM EDT reply actions
I have always been a fan of this fight. Two training partners who don’t want to lose. Gonna be a brawl
by Poopybum on Oct 30, 2009 2:15 PM EDT reply actions
UFC:106 NO EVOLUTION
Featuring :
Toto Ortiz & Phil Baloney
by KS on Oct 30, 2009 3:40 PM EDT reply actions
neigther deserve to be on the main card. Very sad
by RonnyRAGE on Oct 30, 2009 5:44 PM EDT reply actions
Definitely downloading this one via torrent the day after. I suggest more people doing the same until a worthwhile card comes along. You can rip people off for so long until they eventually wise up and stop giving away their hard earned money (especially in this economy)
by Swallow the Truth on Oct 30, 2009 11:40 PM EDT reply actions
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