Baroni would go on to lose his three remaining fights in the organisation; twice at the hands of the late, former champion Evan Tanner and once to veteran card-filler Pete Sell. He was dropped amid calls to retire.

Given his showmanship inclinations, it is perhaps unsurprising that Baroni would enjoy the most productive period of his career, within the bright lights and unashamed spectacle of the East. Achieving a credible, if not spectacular, record of 4-2 in the Pride Fighting Organisation it is the performances rather than the results that mark Baroni's time in Japan as the pinnacle of his powers.

In Japan, Baroni faced fighters sharing in the ethos of entertainment and consequently each bout during that period is an exhibition in relentless aggression and heart. (The two fights against Ikuhisa Minowa, highlight this more than any others) It was a period he would consequently struggle to recreate outside of Pride.

Upon leaving Japan, Baroni has enjoyed minimal success. A highly publicized loss to Frank Shamrock and a subsequent battle against allegations of steroid abuse, resulting in a much disputed fine and six month suspension, seemed to have cemented his demise as a fighter ranked among the elite.

TKO defeats to journeymen fighters, Kala Hose and Joey Villasenor, only further endorsed the calls for retirement. Baroni instead decided to drop weight for the first time in his career and was rewarded with the first three fight win streak he has enjoyed since those opening bouts. He would fight Riggs with an opportunity for redemption.

In Riggs, Baroni was offered a possible path back to the pinnacle of the sport. A path back to that arena in which he felt he always belonged. A path back to the UFC.

That path now appears forever unavailable and Baroni is in legitimate danger of leaving a legacy exclusively concerning his pre-fight antics rather than his talent. It is a fate he is acutely aware of. In the weeks and months preceding the Riggs fight, the Pride veteran regaled a story, symbolic of his varied and somewhat disappointing career to date.

"I was at a gas station one night and some dudes were getting hammered and were getting ready to go drive their car, and they were like, 'Hey, dude. Nice entrance.' Yeah. Nice entrance. Not even nice fight.''

Perhaps lost behind the bravado and posturing, lies an awareness of a potential that will probably never be fulfilled. But still, It is an excellent entrance.