SAN JOSE, Calif., June 21 -- Frank Shamrock (Pictures) and Phil Baroni (Pictures) stood in front of one another in what will likely be their last face-to-face confrontation without the added dimensions of strikes, takedowns and submission.
Shamrock appeared to be in excellent shape Thursday afternoon at The Grill inside the HP Pavillion, which tomorrow evening will host the anticipated middleweight showdown, as he stood on the scale at 184 pounds. Meanwhile his loud nemesis looked extremely lean at 183.
The fighters stood side by side as promoters and officials from the California State Athletic Commission watched nervously, hoping no pre-fight fisticuffs would ensue. They didn't.
With the spotlight firmly locked onto the Shamrock-Baroni Strikeforce title fight, Friday's EliteXC middleweight title scrap between Joey Villasenor (Pictures) and Murilo Rua (Pictures) has been covered more for the status of "Ninja," whose participation was threatened during the licensing process for the CSAC, than it has for the five-round title bout.
However, that didn't deter the fighters from jawing under their breaths after each weighed 184 pounds.
Despite EliteXC's best efforts, "Krazy Horse" Charles Bennett (Pictures) was unable to fight after being arrested on a pair of probation violations last Friday. EliteXC promoter Gary Shaw said that Bennett was "sprung" from jail, but on the way to the airport was stuck in traffic and he failed to make his flight to the Silicon Valley. In his place, as previously announced, James Edson Berto (Pictures) steps in to face Victor Valenzuela (Pictures).
Four fights on the card -- Theotikos vs. Covert; Richards vs. Seraille; Cariaso vs. Figueroa; Bassett vs. Smith -- feature three, three-minute rounds.
Weights in pay-per-view bout order:
Frank Shamrock (Pictures) (184) vs. Phil Baroni (Pictures) (183)
Cung Le (Pictures) (179) vs. Tony Fryklund (Pictures) (177.5)
Paul Daley (Pictures) (170) vs. Duane Ludwig (Pictures) (170)
Josh Thomson (Pictures) (154) vs. Nick Gonzalez (Pictures) (155)
Joey Villasenor (Pictures) (184) vs. Murilo Rua (Pictures) (184)
Paul Buentello (Pictures) (250.5) vs. Carter Williams (Pictures) (265.5)
Edson Berto (155) vs. Victor Valenzuela (Pictures) (155)
Off-TV bouts:
Nikk Covert (175) vs. Nik Theotikos (181)
Mike Pyle (Pictures) (168.5) vs. Aaron Wetherspoon (Pictures) (168.5)
Jason Von Flue (Pictures) (173) vs. Luke Stewart (Pictures) (173)
Rex Richards (Pictures) (305.5) vs. Ray Seraille (Pictures) (265.5)
Chris Cariaso (134) vs. Anthony Figueroa (Pictures) (132.5)
Sam Spengler (Pictures) (184) vs. Seth Kleinbeck (Pictures) (184.5)
Sean Bassett (Pictures) (154) vs. David Smith (Pictures) (155)
Shamrock appeared to be in excellent shape Thursday afternoon at The Grill inside the HP Pavillion, which tomorrow evening will host the anticipated middleweight showdown, as he stood on the scale at 184 pounds. Meanwhile his loud nemesis looked extremely lean at 183.
The fighters stood side by side as promoters and officials from the California State Athletic Commission watched nervously, hoping no pre-fight fisticuffs would ensue. They didn't.
With the spotlight firmly locked onto the Shamrock-Baroni Strikeforce title fight, Friday's EliteXC middleweight title scrap between Joey Villasenor (Pictures) and Murilo Rua (Pictures) has been covered more for the status of "Ninja," whose participation was threatened during the licensing process for the CSAC, than it has for the five-round title bout.
However, that didn't deter the fighters from jawing under their breaths after each weighed 184 pounds.
Despite EliteXC's best efforts, "Krazy Horse" Charles Bennett (Pictures) was unable to fight after being arrested on a pair of probation violations last Friday. EliteXC promoter Gary Shaw said that Bennett was "sprung" from jail, but on the way to the airport was stuck in traffic and he failed to make his flight to the Silicon Valley. In his place, as previously announced, James Edson Berto (Pictures) steps in to face Victor Valenzuela (Pictures).
Four fights on the card -- Theotikos vs. Covert; Richards vs. Seraille; Cariaso vs. Figueroa; Bassett vs. Smith -- feature three, three-minute rounds.
Weights in pay-per-view bout order:
Frank Shamrock (Pictures) (184) vs. Phil Baroni (Pictures) (183)
Cung Le (Pictures) (179) vs. Tony Fryklund (Pictures) (177.5)
Paul Daley (Pictures) (170) vs. Duane Ludwig (Pictures) (170)
Josh Thomson (Pictures) (154) vs. Nick Gonzalez (Pictures) (155)
Joey Villasenor (Pictures) (184) vs. Murilo Rua (Pictures) (184)
Paul Buentello (Pictures) (250.5) vs. Carter Williams (Pictures) (265.5)
Edson Berto (155) vs. Victor Valenzuela (Pictures) (155)
Off-TV bouts:
Nikk Covert (175) vs. Nik Theotikos (181)
Mike Pyle (Pictures) (168.5) vs. Aaron Wetherspoon (Pictures) (168.5)
Jason Von Flue (Pictures) (173) vs. Luke Stewart (Pictures) (173)
Rex Richards (Pictures) (305.5) vs. Ray Seraille (Pictures) (265.5)
Chris Cariaso (134) vs. Anthony Figueroa (Pictures) (132.5)
Sam Spengler (Pictures) (184) vs. Seth Kleinbeck (Pictures) (184.5)
Sean Bassett (Pictures) (154) vs. David Smith (Pictures) (155)
