EliteXC signs Baroni

EliteXC signed middleweight Phil Baroni to a multi-year contract Saturday. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

Baroni will face Kala Kolohe Hose for the vacant Icon middleweight title on March 15 in Honolulu.

"This is a great deal and opportunity. I appreciate EliteXC sticking with me and believing in me enough to sign me,"’ said Baroni, whose lost to Frank Shamrock in his last fight.

"I'm looking forward to returning to the cage and kicking (butt),"’ said Baroni. "Everybody knows I got hurt early and couldn’t do everything I wanted to do against Shamrock. But I’m 100 percent now, ready for anybody. I pity the guy I fight next, or the one after that. Trust me, everybody is going to pay from here on out."

Robbie Lawler was stripped of the ICON middleweight title after suffering a shoulder injury and missing a second straight scheduled title defense against Hose. Lawler remains the EXC middleweight champion, however.

"But what I truly love about (Baroni) is he always comes not only to fight but to win and put on a show," said EliteXC Live Events President, Gary Shaw. "He's a crowd-pleaser extraordinaire. This is a great addition to the EliteXC family and we are thrilled to sign him. Fans can expect to see Phil back in the cage and fighting his heart out very soon."