In case you forgot

This is going to be a barn burner. The NYBA has so much to gain here.

Burkman vs. Baroni

Apparently it happened.

Shamrock vs. Baroni: Judgement Day

Kudos to Strikeforce and Elite XC for this event. This one's going to be a barn burner.

Snapshot of the Day

Phil Baroni and LA Anacondas/Team Tompkins Head Coach Shawn Tompkins toasting a potential NYBA victory come June 2.

In the poke

It turns out MMA fighters are starting to act (always have been?) like professional athletes in other sports.

Not that I care or anything.

UFCJunkie has more details.

Baroni to train with Team Tompkins

In doing research for an article upcoming in MMA Insight, I found out that the NYBA Phil Baroni is going to be training with Shawn Tompkins for his upcoming fight with Frank Shamrock in June.

Tompkins is the leader and trainer of Team Tompkins, most recently prepping fighters such as Dan Henderson, Sokoudjou, and the entire squad of the IFL's LA Anacondas. Henderson has given a great deal of credit to his improved stand-up and gameplan against Wanderlai Silva to Tompkins.

If this pans out, Shamrock will have his hands full. Tompkins is the real deal and, in my view, the Canadian equivalent of Greg Jackson. He gets fighters ready, enables them to fulfill their potential, and generally has winning ways on his side.

Jake Rossen has lots of friends

Wow. Looks like Jake Rossen's column over at Sherdog suggesting that certain fighters should call it quits in the game has attracted some attention. Negative attention. Courtesy "The New York Bad Ass" Phil Baroni:

You guys said the same shit about me a few years ago.

http://www.sherdog.com/news/articles.asp?n_id=6975

Nobody asked you who should quit or retire.

Get a life ass hole.

And stop fucking your mother.

NYBA

Phil B

I don't know if Rossen fucks his mom or not, but I do know that I agree with Baroni...to an extent at least.

I'd have to go back and do a little research before I can agree with Baroni's claim that what Rossen said about these 8 fighters is identical to what was being said to Baroni when he was coming off of 4 UFC losses. Baroni was losing, but he was losing to top-caliber fighters (save Pete Sell) and he was putting up a hell of a fight. The claim seems plausible, but I'm also willing to believe Baroni's blowing that out of proportion a little.

However, Phil is right about one thing: what an asshole column. I can't speak for Jake personally as I don't know him. But in terms of using language that's mean-spirited and unnecessarily dismissive, Rossen is guilty. The entire column uses a tone that insults the fighters' and their place in the MMA game. He dismisses ability, punching prowess, and the entire reason for even stepping into the cage. The issue for Rossen is not that he's not entitled to his opinion or maybe even correct in some cases, it's that he's almost contemptuous he even has to write about them. It's as if he's insulted such trash is bandied about, like that were an insult to his prestigious sensibilities.

Generally when fans and commentators ask fighters to step down its for their own personal health. And Rossen's done just that when discussing the need for Sakuraba to step down. But in the case of fighters like Frank Mir or Cabbage or Kevin Randleman, Rossen writes them off for being unable to perform to the premier level. Sorry Jake, but that's a reason for them to not step into the UFC octagon or PRIDE ring, but give up MMA? Seems hasty, broham.

Mir may look subpar in the UFC, but something tells me he could probably be King of the Cage Heavyweight champion. And to that end, there a probably a thousand other fighters Rossen could've named. He could've listed Travis Fulton for almost any of the reasons he wrote off the other fighters, but he didn't. He picked formerly premier stars (save Shannon Ritch) who just can't seem to get it together at the elite level. That's fine if you're suggesting perhaps they should take their careers elsewhere, but Rossen forgets the MMA food chain is long enough to accommodate many talent levels. And for as "bad" as some of those fighters may seem to Rossen, it's simply far too early to suggest they should no longer fight.

Baroni is a cunning linguist

MMA KO scored an interview with Phil Baroni who is always good for a chat. He was a little annoyed with me after I interviewed him, but honestly, it just boosted his popularity if anything. Notable quote:

MMA-KO:Back to Strikeforce.What are you're feelings towards Frank Shamrock?
BARONI:he is a cock sucker

MMA-KO: Do you have any enemies in this sport?
BARONI:no not really, do I?

MMA-KO: Want to know a little about the other side of the New York Bad Ass,What do you like to do when you're not training and kicking ass?
BARONI:partying and practicing my ground with my girl

Nothing like a little ground n' pound to take the edge off the day.