The NY BadAss

Would anyone care for a Baroni-Tanner rematch? "The New York Bad Ass" Phil sure would. On the heels of Tuesday’s notification from the Department of Athletic Regulation for the Mohegan Tribe that his one year suspension had been reduced to three months, the UFC middleweight contender wasted no time yesterday in naming who he’d like to square off against next in his return to the Octagon anticipated for June or July.

"I believe everyone wants to see the Evan Tanner fight, except for Evan Tanner," an enthused Baroni relayed from his home in Las Vegas. "I don’t think he wants to fight me in any way shape or form."

It was a controversial bout back at November’s UFC 45 that saw Baroni score early on against his opponent with his punching power, until Tanner turned the tables late in the round and achieved full mount on route to a questionable stoppage at the hands of referee Larry Landless. "I think he knows that he was very, very lucky last time," comments Baroni on their first meeting. "I think he knows he was saved by Larry [Landless] and he think he wants to get out of there the way he did with a cheesy win and never see me inside the cage again. He said numerous times that he’s never been hit so hard and that’s funny, because I never really hit him that hard. I hit him with glancing shots. When I hit him hard, he’s gonna be asleep. He’ll be on his back and I’ll be on top of him pounding away till the referee pulls me off."

Although Baroni says he’s game to lock horns with Tanner again, he’s also skeptical that his Team Quest adversary will take the challenge. "He had a big mouth after the fight which is very uncharacteristic of Evan Tanner. I said nothing to the guy. I didn’t take anything away from his so-called win, and he came on the Internet with his big mouth and started making comments and the reason he did that was because he’s afraid. Probably for the first time in his life, he was afraid to fight someone and that someone is me. I guarantee he won’t fight me. He’ll say he wants to fight me, but he’ll price himself out of the fight. It’s gonna be an amount that he knows the UFC won’t pay him. He’s going to fucking do that. I guarantee it. I’m telling you guys first now before it happens. That’s going to be his way of getting out of fighting me again."

Calls to the UFC last night confirmed the rematch is indeed under consideration. UFC president Dana White voiced that the organization is looking to make the bout happen as early as UFC 48, although no formal offers have been made to Tanner at this time.