Strikeforce: "Diesel" confident against Baroni, but Shields ultimate target

Originally posted on MMAjunkie.com

Still one month out from his June 6 Strikeforce showdown with Phil Baroni (13-10) in St. Louis, Joe Riggs (29-10) is ready.

He's ready for Baroni. He's ready to perform. And he's ready for a chance to shut Jake Shields' (22-4-1) mouth.

"I wouldn't be starting this stuff, but as a professional fighter, you get offered to fight someone, you fight them regardless," Riggs recently told MMAjunkie.com Radio (www.mmajunkie.com/radio). "Unless you have a legitimate reason you don't want to fight them. Then [Shields] is going to say that I'm beneath him? [Expletive] that mother[expletive]."

Riggs had been preparing to fight Shields, but the organization instead decided to match the former EliteXC welterweight champion up with the former EliteXC middleweight champion Robbie Lawler. That bout will serve as the evening's main event.

Riggs was angered by what he perceived as a lack of respect on Shields' part for not taking the bout. Riggs doubts Shields skillset, and he hopes to prove his point in the very near future.

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