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Baroni to Make Return in Japan?
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Baroni to Make Return in Japan?
Saturday, January 12, 2008
by Jordan Breen (jbreen@sherdog.com)

Though the first formalized bout on the Sengoku card at Yoyogi National Stadium First Gymnasium card was announced Friday by promoter World Victory Road, it might not happen.

According to the promoter, middleweight Phil Baroni (Pictures) was slated to fight Sanae Kikuta (Pictures). However Baroni's agent, Ken Pavia, told Sherdog.com that the fight has not been signed and the 31-year-old New York is mulling over his options. Baroni has been out of action since testing positive for steroids following his June 2007 loss to Frank Shamrock (Pictures). In the second round submission defeat, Baroni also sustained a hernia and torn groin which required surgery. The California State Athletic Commission suspended Baroni for six months and fined him $2,500 following an appeal.

Kikuta, 36, has largely filled an elder statesman role in the Japanese MMA community in recent years, which have seen the success of GRABAKA products such as Akihiro Gono (Pictures) and Kazuo Misaki (Pictures). The former ADCC champion has fought only once in the last two years, taking a unanimous decision win against Frenchman Jean Francois Lenogue (Pictures) in Nov. 2006.

Earlier this week, WVR figurehead Naoya Kinoshita stated that he was both active and interested in securing the aforementioned Kazuo Misaki (Pictures) as well as Takanori Gomi (Pictures) for the March 5 bill. He has made good on at least part of the statement, by officially announcing the participation of Misaki for the card.

Misaki is coming off a vicious KO victory on New Year's Eve over Yoshihiro Akiyama (Pictures) on New Year's Eve. No opponent has been named for the former PRIDE 183-pound GP champion.

Sherdog.com also learned that WVR has signed Brazilian standout Fabricio Monteiro (Pictures) to a four-fight contract. Monteiro gained attention, especially in Japan, in 2006, where he enjoyed a winning streak in DEEP which saw him knock off Hiroyuki Abe (Pictures) (Hiroyuki Abe (Pictures)' class='LinkSilver'>Pictures), Kiuma Kunioku (Pictures) and then-champ Jutaro Nakao (Pictures). "Pitbull" was considerably less successful in 2007 campaign, going 0-2 with stoppage losses to Pancrase-bred stalwart Satoru Kitaoka (Pictures) and Frenchman Mohamed Khacha (Pictures). No opponent has been named for the Brazilian.

Still scheduled for competition on the Sengoku card are Hidehiko Yoshida (Pictures), Makoto Takimoto (Pictures), Ryo Kawamura (Pictures), Evangelista "Cyborg" Santos and Siyar Bahadurzada (Pictures).
 

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