By CHRIS HOWIE
MMANEWS.COM Staff Writer

"The New York Bad Ass" Phil Baroni has been in this position before: do or die in the UFC. Baroni (13-12), who is just under a month out from his UFC 118 bout against John Salter (5-1), spoke with MMANews.com this weekend about the situation he finds himself in.

“It's obvious I have to win if I want to keep my spot in the UFC. I'm going out to keep my job. To keep a good paying job. I'm a little older and I don’t want to go back to being a journeyman at my age now. I need to win.” Baroni continued, “I've been in this position before. I've been in this position for the past six years, man. It's a sin. I've answered all the same questions. I'm good in this position and I'm going to go out and fight. I'm not focusing on it or worried about it. I’m going to let the chips fall where they may.”

Baroni returned to the UFC in November last year against Ultimate Fighter winner Amir Sadollah, dropping a unanimous decision in a typical Baroni blood-and-guts type performance. Reflecting on the bout, Baroni feels he should have won. “I wasn't as prepared for it as I should have been. My weight was out of control for that one. I think I could have won that fight nine times out of ten, just not that night. It was a hard fight to lose.”

Since that fight, the "NYBA" has spent some time training Muay Thai-striking in the home of the martial art: Thailand. Baroni discussed the trip in-depth. “That was pretty awesome and unforgettable. It was a good experience. I was supposed to go for just a month, but ended up staying for two. I learned a lot of new Muay Thai technique.”

Baroni feels that had he trained Muay Thai more often during his career, it would have been a big help to him. ”I really enjoyed it. I wish I had trained Muay Thai for the last ten years. It's a really good form of stand-up for MMA. I was training it twice a day, but I mean, what can you really learn in two months in Thailand? What am I going to learn in two months - really?" Baroni continued, "If I go to Brazil and train Brazilian Jiu Jitsu twice a day, I'm not going to become Demian Maia."