From “Mayhem” to the “New York Bad Ass.”
VICE TV’s hit mixed martial arts (MMA) documentary series, Dark Side of the Cage, continued its second season earlier this week, turning its attention to former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) knockout artist Phil Baroni.
The complete episode, titled “Phil Baroni: Fall of the New York Badass,” is now available to watch online for free.
Watch it above in the embedded player.
Baroni was one of MMA’s most colorful and explosive personalities during the sport’s early years. The hard-hitting New Yorker made his UFC debut in 2001 and quickly became a fan favorite thanks to his aggressive fighting style, bodybuilding physique, outrageous interviews and unforgettable “New York Bad Ass” persona.
His 18-second knockout of former UFC Middleweight champion Dave Menne remains one of the most memorable finishes of his career. Baroni later competed across the globe for PRIDE FC, Strikeforce, EliteXC, Bellator, ONE Championship and several other promotions, sharing the cage with names such as Frank Shamrock, Nick Diaz, Evan Tanner, Matt Lindland, Yoshiyuki Yoshida and Hayato “Mach” Sakurai.
However, Baroni’s life outside the cage eventually became much darker than anything that happened during his 35-fight career.
In Jan. 2023, Baroni was arrested in Mexico following the death of his girlfriend inside a hotel room in San Pancho, Nayarit. Mexican authorities subsequently charged the former UFC fighter with aggravated femicide. Baroni remains jailed in Mexico while his case is unresolved. He has not been convicted, and the allegations against him remain pending.
The 44-minute documentary traces Baroni’s rise through the early UFC, his thunderous knockouts and the creation of his larger-than-life identity. It also examines how the line between Phil Baroni and the “New York Bad Ass” gradually disappeared before culminating in the most serious allegation of his life.
Friends, family members and figures from Baroni’s fighting career are left attempting to reconcile the charismatic fighter they once knew with the shocking murder charge he now faces.
Dark Side of the Cage debuted in early 2025, examining the stories of Kimbo Slice, Diego Sanchez, Evan Tanner, Nick Diaz, Ronda Rousey, Matt Hughes, War Machine and the rise and fall of PRIDE FC. Season 2 will also cover Baroni, Don Frye, Chael Sonnen, Tito Ortiz, Mark Coleman and the bitter UFC 229 rivalry between Conor McGregor and Khabib Nurmagomedov.
Dark Side of the Cage Season 2 airs Tuesday nights at 9 p.m. ET on VICE TV.
