UFC veteran blames CTE for arrest of UFC Pioneer Phil Baroni for the alleged murder of his girlfriend

Former UFC star Phil Baroni has been arrested in Mexico on suspicion of killing his girlfriend.

Baroni competed in the UFC from 2001 to 2005 before joining Japan’s PRIDE FC. He subsequently alternated between a number of other MMA organizations before a second stint in the UFC.

Baroni was 46 year old at the time of his arrest. He has a record that consists of 16 wins and 19 losses. He used to train out of American kickboxing academy (AKA).

Along with UFC, Baroni competed for Pride, Strikeforce, ONE FC, Bellator and King of the Cage.

Another veteran explained that the reasons to be concerned about Baroni were there for a long time.

Josh Barnett explained that CTE was likely to blame for the legal issues Baroni was now facing.

“The news about Phil Baroni is terrible and incredibly tragic as well. I’ve known Phil for 2 decades + and at the 1st JB Bloodsport show could see that his personality and behavior was erratic, displaced, and emotionally he was all over the place and it was obvious why: CTE”

“It was so tough dealing with him at the show that I couldn’t keep booking him even though I wanted to. He was too much to handle and so scattered. He blew up at me because I hadn’t used him again and I blocked him on social media but there wasn’t much I could do.”

“Fighters, need to take of themselves and those around them need to be vigilant and watchful as well. I’ve seen the decline from the man I have been friends with for so long to where he was last I saw him and it’s heartbreaking. Now with what has happened in MX it’s just so awful.”

“Oh, just in case for the absolute midwit, moron reply guys who have zero reading comprehension – no, this is not excusing nor defending. I have not and am not making those points. It is simply some personal opinion and context. If you want to be stupid, go do it somewhere else.”

Jake Shields and Bobby Razak confirmed the reports of erratic behavior. Shields writes:

“I’ve known him 20 years as well and it was apparent he wasn’t well. Sad situation all around”

Razak wrote:

“Phil needed help for so many years now. The whole MMA community knew, but there was no organization that could help him. This train wreck was coming.”

Razak was an exec at Spike TV at a time and was familiar with MMA promotions.

Reporter JE Snowden was another insider to confirm a history of erratic behavior:

“I’m really sad to read the news about Phil Baroni.

I’ve talked to Phil a ton in the decades I’ve covered MMA and his mental and emotional decline over the past five years has been stark. I’m no doctor, but I have to think he’s suffering the results of significant brain damage.”

A lawyer invested in MMA regulation and brain health added:
“Modern MMA is relatively ‘young’.

CTE is a disease of mileage. It takes time. It progresses.

MMA fans are going to see a lot of cruel realities in the upcoming years.”

CTE can famously only be confirmed post-humously though there are some signs that are .

MMAFighting‘s obituary outlines that Bonnar was likely suffering from CTE:

“Bonnar was open about the damage caused from his career in MMA, saying his decision to hang up his gloves was influenced by the discovery of an enlarged cavum septi pellucidi, which has been linked to the potential future diagnosis of CTE.”

Baroni’s faith now rests in the legal system of Mexico.

It should be mentioned that another MMA veteran recently donated her brain for science.

Julie Kedzie, formerly of the UFC, has pledged to donate her brain after her death to scientific research into chronic traumatic encephalopathy. This was reported by MMA Underground.