Vegas Popular

Timing is everything. Just ask Women Standing Tall, the organization sponsoring the 1st Annual Celebrity Family Bowl-a-thon, taking place February 15 at 6PM, at Jillian's on Fremont Street

There's always a few stars in Vegas, so they were bound to draw a respectable turnout, but by scheduling the event close to the NBA All-Star Game, the celebrity roster also includes such hoops stars as Gary Payton, Earvin "Magic" Johnson and Alonzo Mourning. Other participating celebrities include E-40, Bow Wow and boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr.. By participating you can not only show of your bowling skills, but you'll help benefit the Lifelong AIDS Alliance and the Justin Timberlake Foundation.

Also Pop-ular in Vegas Right Now:
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- Luxe Life: Paula Abdul Talks Slurs, 'Idol' and Being Woman of the Year
- Luxe Life: Springtime for Hasselhoff
- Luxe Life: Pussycat Dolls Casino Opens
- Dry Heat: Celebrity-Spotting in Vegas
- Luxe Life: Vegas Gets Sexier with Return of X Girls
- Dry Heat: Old School Vegas
- Luxe Life: Adventures of Sin City Britney

How is it possible that Marco Antonio Barrera and Juan Manuel Marquez, two marquee Mexican fighters who have circled each other for years, have somehow avoided clashing before now? Their 12-round dream fight is set for March 17 at 6PM at Mandalay Bay, with the WBC Super Featherweight Championship on the line.

Barrera (63-4, 42 KOs) would love this win to cap a storied 17-year career that includes world championships in three weight classes. But to get there he'll have to beat a stellar technician in Marquez (46-3-1, 35 KOs), who has held the featherweight championship of the world twice.

Tickets to Barrera vs Marquez are priced at $400, $300, $200, $100 and $50.

OK, we lost.

As a fan of the Chicago Bears since before the Super Bowl Shuffle days, it hurts. But even in defeat it's hard not to feel good for Peyton Manning, a class act who has been a great representative of the game and ... oh, who am I kidding? Go shoot another lame commercial, Mr. "they're not saying 'boo,' they're saying 'moooooo-vers.'" It's bad enough we lost to the guy, now we'll still have to see his mug all over the tube selling everything but feminine hygiene products. And if they made him the right offer, who knows? "Hi, I'm Peyton Manning. And freshness is important to me ... "

But what's done is done. Time to start the recovery, fellow Bears fans. Food will be involved, and the more artery-clogging, the better. The Superfans are our role models, and they don't eat no sprouts.

Where shall we meet? Metro Pizza, for their Windy City style deep dish pizza accurately dubbed the Stockyard? Or maybe an Italian beef at Bono's, where we can debate whether this would have happened if Ditka were still in charge? How about a hot dog with the works at Chicago Tasty Dogs? Rex Grossman, if you're out there, you're invited. Just try not to drop the mustard on the way back to the booth.

It's about an hour until the kickoff of Super Bowl XLI and my headline above may end up joining 'Dewey Defeats Truman' in the crap pile of history, but I've seen the future and I don't see any other outcome. I'll even go as far as saying that the Colts will cover. (Fair warning: I sucked at predicting the outcome of the Miss America pageant, so wager at your own risk.)

You can't spell Rex Grossman without 'gross' and it's in his shell-shocked existence in which the game will be decided. That lost look in his eyes when Desmond Clark slapped his hand as he tried a double time out in the NFC Championship game sums it up. As fierce as Brian Urlacher and the Bears defense are, The Colts defense has been playing well enough in the post season to force the single worse Superbowl game by a quarterback. The Tony Dungy's defense isn't' playing Buccaneer good, but I like Peyton Manning vs. the Bears over Grossman vs. the Colts.

The only way the Bears can win is with their defense and special teams. Peyton can make any throw, any where, but the only pretty passes Grossman can throw are down the middle when he's given all day to stand in the pocket and chunk it and I don't see a lot of those opportunities. If the Colts defense folds, then the best thing about the game will be Prince's half-time show or the esoteric Cirque pre-game perfromance.

Truth be told, of the two teams, Chicago is my favorite. The 14 months I spent in Bucktown and working in the Loop were some of the fondest days of my adult life. The highlight being the sensation of my sinuses shriveling in -4 degrees weather. Unfortunately during my tenure in the Windy City, Soldier Field was being renovated and the Bears were playing down in Champaign so it was a similar NFL experience of living in Vegas.

If the Bears do win and people send me hate mail for doubting the Monsters of the Midway, I don't care. It's the Superbowl and as such, a day of reverence and celebration. And it's f****** brilliant weather in Vegas -- makes me wish they had outdoor sports books. As it is, I'm taking my computer outside and moving the big screen closer to the door so I can enjoy my steak with HP my and purple potato steak fries and my Boddingtons and my Fuente 8-5-8 and bask in the glory that is this day.

I'll have some commentary throughout the game, including review of the Prince's half-time show. If you want to chat live, hit me up on AIM, screen name is hotblogs.

Happy Superbowl Sunday!

POST-GAME UPDATE: Proving that I'm easily one of the top 264 greatest living football minds, my prediction above came true and in the fashion of which I predicted with the collapse of Rex Grossman. It is a sad day for fans of the Chicago Bears and I empathize with them, but with Grossman leading the charge, you knew this was going to happen.

It is interesting for prop bettors that had Devin Hester or Chicago special teams as the first to score. I'm sure Manning was on a lot of gamblers' tickets to score first. The Colts, also as predicted, did cover the seven-point spread and with the final score at 46 points, the score was under the 48 O/U. So I'm good at picking football winners, but not so good at picking pageants.

The gambling estimate for today's action in Vegas is more than $100-million in play with twice as many people visiting Vegas for the Super Bowl than Miami, the game's location.

God bless Las Vegas

Sports books in Vegas are already predicting another mammoth betting spree and are hoping to shatter records this Super Bowl weekend with a $100 million betting bonanza. It is the busiest sports wagering weekend of the year, exceeding even March Madness. A year ago, when the Pittsburgh Steelers beat the Seattle Seahawks in the Super Bowl, the final take was a record $94.5 million.

So, the city is packed to the rafters; probably more than in Miami itself! Hilton's executive sports book director Jay Kornegay said: "Vegas is at this moment insane. The whole week is big for everybody in Vegas." That's partly because we also have the first middleweight title defense by Anderson Silva, who will battle Travis Lutter inside the Octagon tomorrow at Mandalay Bay.

However, I must also point out that two weeks from now, when the NBA All-Star Game is played in Vegas, the city will be even busier and more crazed. I learned today that some tickets for the All-Star match-up with Kobe vs. LeBron and Tim Duncan vs. Shaq are being offered around town at a whopping $17,000 a seat, but Harrah's sports book executives tell me, "No Betting at all on NBA," because that was the major concession the league wanted for the game to be played in our gambling mecca.

Now, back to the Gridiron Glory of the magical meeting in Miami. At Caesar's, sports book director Chuck Esposito added: "The Super Bowl may be 2,500 miles away, but it might as well be here as it fills up every avenue of the casino. People actually camp out the night before just to get a seat in here."

For the best party in Vegas, Luxe Life tips its hat to The Joint in the Hard Rock. Sports book director Jamie Shae told my ABC Radio producer pal Al Mancini: "It will be wild as usual particularly with the "hot girl football toss." We'll have a slew of gorgeous sexy girls dressed in very skimpy sports outfits who will throw out footballs stuffed with chips into the crowd. It's a lot of money so the party will kickoff in a very wild and exciting way. It really is the event of the year and the best party of the weekend. Throughout our entire circular casino you can hear the roar of the crowd anywhere. They're energized. They're screaming and it's so much fun." Jamie is confident the game will break the $100 million betting mark in Vegas. "This will be the best handle ever," she said. "People want this game. You couldn't ask for better teams. This is the best match up. This will be the wildest, craziest of them all. Chicago and Indianapolis are two teams that belong to the entire country, so everybody comes out for them rather than just a local favorite."

Al asked if big bets of $100,000 might even escalate up to $500,000 this year. Jamie replied: "We take substantial bets, and the numbers are truly fantastic. We don't reveal individuals or the size of their bets, but those numbers wouldn't surprise me around town. We have just 60 props and because everybody thinks they know football the margin of victory becomes the most popular."

Just remember though, you cannot bet on the outcome of the coin toss. The Nevada Gaming Control Board has ruled that, because that is not a sporting event, but is pure luck, there can be no betting.

Late checkup at the Hilton indicates Indianapolis is favored by 7 points over Chicago and the total is 48 at its SuperBook, which has no less than 300 different propositions offered to bet the game any which way you choose. I really don't need an excuse to run a photo of luscious lusty ladies, but it helps when they even make Super Bowl predictions.


The girls of Sinsation Pictures (seen above) showed up at the Imperial Palace with their Super Bowl picks. Dee and Kristal Summers took the Bears plus 7 points, Mika Tan sided with the Colts minus 7; Dee and Kristal both liked over 49 points, while Mika selected under the total; their Prop picks were: Kristal Summers: Colts will be the first team to call a timeout at -115, Peyton Manning over 265.5 passing yards at -130, and Marvin Harrison over 5.5 receptions at -115.; Dee: There will be a successful coaches challenge +130, There will be a special teams of Defensive TD in the game at +140, Rex Grossman to throw an interception before he throws a TD at even money. Bonus selection: Devin Hester will go over 25.5 with a kickoff return at -120; Mika Tan: There will not be a safety scored in the game at -900, Cedric Benson will go under 51.5 rushing yards at -120, and neither team will score in the final two minutes of the first half at -300. Quite frankly, it doesn't matter if they are right or wrong when they look like at them, but if they are spot-on that would be an added bonus!

While every hotel has its big-gun entertainment stars and over-the-top parties, ironically one of our biggest superstars is out of town in Miami! Prince is away from his Club 3121 in the Rio to perform at the Super Bowl halftime show, so artist Lauryn Hill will perform live here in his regular slot. She launched her music career with the hip hop trio, The Fugees, with their debut album 'The Score' selling more than 17 million albums worldwide. Going solo she sold more than 12 million albums worldwide with 'Miseducation' with such hits as "Ex-Factor" and "Everything is Everything." Also, members of our Cirque du Soleil shows here in Vegas will perform pre-game entertainment along with Miami's salsa-singing queen Gloria Estefan.

MORE MISS AMERICA
If you couldn't tune into Monday's live broadcast of the 2007 Miss America pageant, CMT will give you four more opportunities to catch it this weekend: Today at 4PM and Saturday twice at 2:30PM and 9PM prime time, and then Sunday at 6PM, opposite the Super Bowl. Personally, I think its brilliant counter-programming, because if you're not into hunks manhandling one another over a ball, then watch the glamour girls smile in their swimsuits and sashes! Click here for our extensive Miss America coverage.

NEW INTERNET OLDIES NETWORK
My friend, Ron Dante (seen below with yours truly), who is a legendary recording artist in his own right (The Archies, The Detergents, The Cufflinks), and one of the biggest and busiest record producers in the business (Barry Manilow, Cher, Trini Lopez), is preparing a comprehensive series of performance music videos here of the top pop recording artists of the 1960's and 1970's for the new Rock and Roll TV4U.Com. The artists include The Miracles, The Grass Roots, Len Barry, Mitch Ryder, Brian Hyland, Lou Christie, Spencer Davis, Chuck Jackson, Al Wilson, The Association, Iron Butterfly, Big Brother and the Holding Company, Lenny Welch, Cannibal and the Headhunters, Jewel Akins, and the Bay City Rollers. Each artist will return to perform and film their Billboard Top 40 Hits from the Rock and Roll era.

"The '60s and '70s were an exciting time in the music industry and it's a pleasure to record these artists using 21st century technology so their fans can enjoy their classic hits with today's quality," exclaimed Ron on a visit to the recording studio at the Palms, where he was producing Trini Lopez's newest album. "Rock and Roll TV4U.Com is a broadband channel concept that gives the millions of fans of these great artists the chance to enjoy their performances on video after all of these years. You can think of this as a Baby Boomer MTV style channel." Ron Dante also performs on the Cufflinks videos and plans to reprise his hits with The Archies as well. "We've enjoyed making music videos of almost 100 top songs so far and we're just getting started," Dante continued. "We'll be making the majority of these videos in Las Vegas and Henderson."

STRIP SCRIBBLES
Sugarcult's birthday party at Rainbow Bar & Grill was anything but sour. While known as one of the hardest working underground rock bands, lead guitarist Marko DeSantis, bassist Airin, and drummer Kenny Livingston took a break from their schedule and partied with birthday boy and lead singer Tim Pagnotta. Fresh off a U.S. headlining tour, the band also just released their new CD 'Lights Out' and are heading to Japan this week. The Rainbow Bar & Grill, located directly opposite the Hard Rock Hotel and Cafe, has just celebrated its 1st anniversary. Its growing reputation as a new playground has attracted an exciting celebrity clientele. Alice in Chains drummer Sean Kinney signed the "Drumhead of Fame," and Clint Holmes regularly stops by to pick up pizzas. Members of the band Smash Mouth came in for a bottle of vodka and pizzas, and drummer Vinnie Paul had dinner and drinks before hanging up his snare drum in the green room. Dave Navarro came in for some drinks with a trio of lady friends, and 3 Doors Down dropped in for a bite; all in the past few days! Now all ears and eyes may be on Miami this weekend for Super Bowl but Vegas offers up an abundance of alternatives and here they are in what we affectionately refer to as ...

ROBIN'S ROYAL RUNDOWN
FRI, FEB 2
* Sir Elton John will be at his Red Piano in Caesars Palace this weekend and through February 17. (Click here for our Tuesday Luxe Life story.)

* Kevin James keeps the yuks coming on strong at the Mirage tonight and tomorrow

* Howard Stern's comedic sidekick Artie Lange will standup in his own spotlight at the Luxor through tomorrow night, and you can bet your last buck he'll also be standing up at the gaming tables!

* More comedy from Damon Wayans at the Orleans for two nights and it's anybody's guess how many members of that special showbiz family will be there to root him on.

* Brilliant jazz guitarist Larry Carlton really makes smooth music up at the Suncoast through Saturday night.

* For the best in artists' studios, antique stores and art-galleries walkabout downtown in our monthly art celebration known as First Friday.

SAT, FEB 3
* Girls girls girls! My pal, Motley Crue's Vince Neil sings it and will host it at a Fashion party tied into Super Bowl at Scores.

* It's All or Nothing with the UFC, as the world middleweight championship is at stake inside the Octagon when Silva takes on Lutter at Mandalay Bay. Teamed up also is the UFC debuts of Rampage Jackson and Mirko Crocop, which will be more intense than the Chicago and Indianapolis battle.

* He was the breakout hit of 'Undercover Brother' and 'Deuce Bigalow' and now Eddie Griffin goes live solo at Mandalay Bay, bringing Sheryl Underwood in as his special opening act guest.

* Country's greatest, some would say, but this double header speaks volumes about being at the very top. George Strait & Ronnie Milsap sing and play to frenzied fans at MGM.

* Goodness knows how long the five members of Little River Band have been traveling but their train pulls into Boulder Station one more time.

SUPER BOWL SUNDAY, FEB. 4
* The streets will be quiet and the casino sports books will be buzzing as the majority of America will be glued to their TV sets for the big game.

* 'Fame Games' even takes a week's rest so as not to go head-to-head with the Super Bowl. Episode five will air next Sunday, Feb. 11 when yet another train-wreck contestant will be kicked out of the house for good!

MONDAY'S TEASE
We'll have the wrap up of all the Super Bowl excitement as celebrities pour into our desert kingdom to watch the clash of Chicago go up against the imperialism of Indianapolis. And Tuesday we'll have an extraordinary and amazing world exclusive interview that will make headlines around the globe. It's a story and photo-souvenir you will only see here at Luxe Life. Before the week is over we'll also see how a 10-year-dream finally comes true and will help change the world.

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You can't bet on the Academy Awards in Las Vegas. They allow that kind of action in London, where there's probably a lot of Euros going down on hometown girls Helen Mirren, Cate Blanchett and Judi Dench, but that's a long way to travel to win a few quid, even in the current year when so many of the top categories seem like foregone conclusions. But just because the Vegas books won't take your money doesn't mean they can't post odds on the outcome just for fun. Jay Kornegay -- the Las Vegas Hilton's Superbook odds-master, offers the following handicapping guide to the major races:

Best Picture
Babel 3-1
The Departed 5-2
Letters From Iwo Jima 4-1
Little Miss Sunshine 10-1
The Queen 6-1

Best Actor
Leonardo DiCaprio - Blood Diamond 3-1
Ryan Gosling - Half Nelson 8-1
Peter O'toole – Venus 6-1
Will Smith - The Pursuit Of Happiness 10-1
Forest Whitaker - The Last King Of Scotland 6-5

Best Actress
Penélope Cruz - Volver 6-1
Judi Dench - Notes On A Scandal 6-1
Helen Mirren - The Queen Even
Meryl Streep - The Devil Wears Prada 9-5
Kate Winslet - Little Children 4-1

Best Supporting Actor
Alan Arkin - Little Miss Sunshine 5-2
Jackie Earle Haley - Little Children 4-1
Djimon Hounsou - Blood Diamond 3-1
Eddie Murphy - Dreamgirls 8-5
Mark Wahlberg - The Departed 6-1

Best Supporting Actress
Adriana Barraza - Babel 4-1
Cate Blanchett - Notes On a Scandal 2-1
Abigail Breslin - Little Miss Sunshine 8-1
Jennifer Hudson - Dreamgirls 7-5
Rinko Kikuchi – Babel 6-1

He won't be here lookin' for trouble, but instead of doing the 'Super Bowl Shuffle,' William "The Refrigerator" Perry will spend Super Bowl Sunday in Las Vegas.

The Chicago Bears legend, who played on the 1985 Super Bowl championship team, is joining with Carfax to raise funds for Opportunity Village, Nevada's largest private, not-for-profit community rehabilitation program. From 11AM - 2PM, on February 4, Perry will be at the Las Vegas Convention Center signing autographs and undoubtedly fielding requests to do his famous rap from 'Super Bowl Shuffle.' I doubt he'll oblige, but I can't understand why he wouldn't want to relive his moment of wordsmith glory:

You're lookin' at the Fridge,
I'm the rookie.
I may be large, but I'm no dumb cookie.
You've seen me hit, you've seen me run,
When I get the pass, we'll have more fun.
I can dance, you will see
The others, they all learn from me.
I don't come here lookin' for trouble,
I just came here to do
The Super Bowl Shuffle

I'm not a gambling man, but if I was to make one solid bet it would be that, come President's Day Weekend (February 15-19), as we welcome the 2007 NBA All-Star festivities, we'll hear definitively for the first time that Vegas will get its very own professional basketball team.


"We're in very serious negotiations," Mayor Oscar Goodman told me. "We'll get it done this year." But when I pushed him if he'd announce it next month during the All-Star weekend he looked me right in the eye and winked, saying "Now Robin, you know I can't tell you that first. It has to be a regular, proper public announcement." But when I pushed some more he added: "The most I'll say is 'maybe.' First we've got to land the team and then the arena has to follow. That's a two-year-process but a Vegas team could be playing before three years from now."

And old B-ball pal, Greg Anthony (seen below with Mayor Goodman), a former UNLV hometown star and 11-year NBA player, is anxious to head-up and be part of the investment group that would ante up the $350 million to purchase a team to relocate here -- maybe the Memphis Grizzlies since they are currently for sale. The well-spoken, smart businessman who is also an ESPN analyst is already beginning to line up potential investor partners. He told me: "There are four or five teams that could actually come here. But there's no doubt anymore this will happen. The NBA doesn't give a city like Vegas the All-Star game if it's not serious about sending the signal that it's A-OK for a team to be located here. I'm going to go further and predict that since the game is going global there will eventually be a European conference, and thus World Finals fame. Can you imagine that being held in Vegas? It's not out of the realm of possibility, and I never even dreamed there'd be an All-Star game here when I was growing up here."


"All the players in the league can't wait to come here; they love our city," Anthony continued. "However, during the season they won't be distracted by everything Vegas has to offer. Michael Jordan and Charles Oakley come here now to play because they are retired, but the players will not be tempted during season." Incidentally, both Michael and Charles are expected at the Brendan Theaters in the Palms where the Sacramento Kings will be hq'd when actor Dennis Hopper hosts a charity screening of his celebrated basketball film 'Hoosiers' at as the CineVegas Film Festival tips off the All-Star weekend.

Gregg and Mayor Goodman were at Mandalay Bay to

Saturday night, Manchester's Ricky "The Hitman" Hatton will make his Las Vegas boxing debut, and he's hoping it's the beginning of his fights being among the greatest in Vegas history.

"I want to be remembered for enjoying success in Vegas, and from here for the next two, three years, it is my chance to be remembered for great fights. I look at champions like Mike Tyson and Oscar De La Hoya, they just had that little bit of magic stardust around them that other champions didn't seem to have," Hatton told the Daily Telegraph.

But, although he can already ride up and down the Vegas Strip and see his name and face in lights, when the bell rings at Paris Casino, Hatton is going to see undefeated IBF light welterweight champion Juan Urango standing in his way of greatness.

This will be the first title defense for Urango (17-0-1, 13 KOs), who doesn't seem to care at all about creating a Vegas legacy. "I'm here for business," he said. "The only thing on my mind is defending my title."

If the fighters' records mean anything, it should be an exciting, and brutal battle. Combined, Hatton and Urango have a record of 58 wins, 0 losses and one draw. Even more impressive is the 43 knock outs, meaning 74% of their foes fail to hear the final bell.



Related Pop-ular Stories:
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- Vegas Pop: Tickets Going on Sale for De La Hoya vs. Mayweather

Oscar De La Hoya vs. Floyd Mayweather is one of the most anticipated fights in recent memory and soon you'll be able to buy your tickets to witness the showdown in person.

Tickets to the May 5 bout at MGM Grand Garden Arena will go on sale Saturday, Jan. 27 at 10AM. Tickets are priced at $2,000, $1,500, $1,000, $750, $350 and $150. Be sure to check back here Saturday for a link to buy tickets.

The fight between six-division world champion De La Hoya and unbeaten, four-division world champion Mayweather is expected to generate the largest live gate in Nevada history. This would exceed the $16.8 million generated by the Lennox Lewis vs. Evander Holyfield rematch in 1999. There is high anticipation that ticket sales will be brisk and could sell out quickly.

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Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman reached out to the San Diego Chargers this week to make another pitch for the team to make the move here from Southern California. Tireless in his attempt to bring a major professional sports team to Las Vegas, he's certainly one of the hardest working mayors in the country. Although the nature of governing a city like Vegas makes it seem more like fun than work. But it is work.

Mayor Goodman is fighting an uphill battle against outdated fears of bringing a team here. The argument is that the players will somehow be corrupted. I contend that with the mounting legal troubles with the Cincinnati Bengals, there should be more concern with an NFL team being in Cincinnati. A pro team is critical to the Mayor's plans for the city and as he says there is progress as he's having "real discussions with real teams and real leagues."

Name Game
So let's say the Chargers can't find a site in San Diego County for their new stadium and they did move to Vegas. What would the team's name be? I hate it when a team moves and keeps the same name -- hello, Arizona Cardinals. Vegas Chargers fits in with the power generation of Hoover Dam and neon power consumption on The Strip, but the name doesn't really fit in with the "cash is king" mentality of Vegas, and besides, it is someone else's name.

One of the problems with naming a Vegas team is that Nevada doesn't have very threatening state animals that would be appropriate for a menacing team name:
- Vegas Mountain Bluebirds (state bird)
- Vegas Desert Bighorn Sheep (state animal)
- Vegas Desert Tortoises (state reptile)
- Vegas Lahontan Cuttthroat Trouts (state fish)
- Vegas Tule Ducks (state artifact)

Not much help if we looked to Nevada history for the team's moniker:
- Vegas Settlers (Mormon settlers)
- Vegas Battlers (state slogan)
- Vegas Snowcaps (Spanish Nevada translation)
- Vegas Silver Strikers (mining history)

An obvious and wealthy source of names can be found in the gaming industry. There are a couple of poker-related teams found other sports like the Royals (MLB) or the Kings (NBA), but that still leaves hundreds of names:
- Vegas Black Jacks
- Vegas Aces
- Vegas Jackpots
- Vegas Rouletters
- Vegas Gamblers
- Vegas Full Boats

Although MGM Mirage or Harrahs could take a fraction of the billions in revenue, buy and move a team here and go the way of the Anaheim Ducks with the Vegas Pharaohs, Vegas Knights, Vegas Maximus, Vegas Flamingos -- the list is endless with the themed resorts.

We could pay homage to the Mayor himself and go with the Vegas Sapphires in honor of one of his favorite spirits. We could pay tribute to Siegfried and Roy and go with the Vegas White Tigers.

If we do get a team, maybe there will be a naming contest. If so, I'm going to submit the name I use for my fantasy football team, Bionic Thunder Donkeys. We do have wild burros around and donkey is a poker term, although unflattering. However adding both bionic and thunder, should conjure the fear suitable for a team name.

More Options
If the Chargers won't come, the Mayor should go after one of the team's in Florida. That state has three and the Jags would make more money in Vegas than in Jacksonville. Missouri has two teams. With Lamar Hunt off in the owner's box in the sky, it might be a good time for the Kansas City Chiefs to motor West.

When the Mayor is successful and we do get an NFL team, I'll be happy with almost any name, drunk with the elation of being able to watch live NFL football without jumping on a plane. We need more football. We can only go so far with UNLV, the Gladiators (welcome Peter Warrick) and the Las Vegas Bowl.

If nothing else, the NFL should give Vegas a regular-season game each year. If Mexico can get a game, why can't Vegas?

After the Chuck Liddell and Tito Ortiz three-round fight at UFC 66, I was really excited that I didn't have to wait much longer for the next mega fight. "UFC 67: All or Nothing" is one-month away from today on Super Bowl weekend at Mandalay Bay.

It was to feature two outstanding title defenses where the champs are taking on winners from Ultimate Fighter reality show on Spike TV. I started using the past-tense because one of the title fights is unfortunately off. Georges St. Pierre hurt his knee training yesterday and will not be able to fight. When your job is to punch, kick and slam, you're bound to get hurt from time-to-time in your day-to-day.

However, the show must go on and there's still plenty of action. Two of the bigger bouts anticipated are Anderson Silva's defense of his middleweight title against Travis Lutter, who won the right to fight the champ on Ultimate Fighter.

Another anticipated battle is the UFC debut of mixed martial artist, Quinton "Rampage" Jackson. Rampage is only one of three people to have beaten UFC light heavyweight champion, Chuck Liddell and since it was in Japan outside of the UFC, it's the only loss Chuck hasn't avenged in a rematch.

Fans (and Rampage himself) are hoping that Rampage is able to burn through his opponents so there will be a Liddell vs. Jackson 1.5 fight for the light heavyweight crown later this year in one of the mega fights UFC is planning.

As for the welterweight title fight between Georges St. Pierre and Ultimate Fighter Matt Serra will take place, UFC President Dana White says, "We look forward to having Matt Serra's title fight as soon as we can."

Related Pop-ular Stories:
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- Dry Heat: Tito Loses to Chcuk in Three Rounds

With porn-queen Jenna Jameson gamely at his side, a bruised and battered Tito Ortiz (above) did finally make it to his JET nightclub party in the Mirage this morning after the Chuck Liddell victory at the UFC showdown in MGM Grand.

First though he had to stop at our Valley Hospital for a CAT scan, x-rays and treatment to his left foot, injured during his losing battle with the Iceman! Its expected Tito will undergo surgery this coming week back in Huntington Beach, California for a splintered ankle bone. Chuck will also have to undergo surgery for a knee injury he sustained BEFORE the fight and hid from officials so the battle wasn't canceled at the last moment! Both men will be out of ring action for at least 10 weeks apparently.


Tito has promised Jenna that he'll be back in Vegas arm in arm for her January 11 party at the Palms which kicks off the weekend Adult Film convention and awards show. Luxe Life has heard whispers that because Jenna's recently separated husband, Jay Grnda will also be attending this years AVN at Mandalay Bay they've both hired extra bodyguards to keep the 2 love-rivals apart. I'm told there's really "bad blood" between Jay and Jenna's new loves!


Kid Rock and Grandmaster Flash (above) also trekked over from the MGM Grand octagon fight HQ's for dinner at STACK with ZZ Top pal Billy Gibbons and then into JET. As a warm-up to tonight's New Years Eve party and countdown there led by Kid Rock both he and Flash guys shared the DJ booth for a spin session that also ran till dawn!!

Meantime multi-millionaire movie-star Leonardo di Caprio has been dubbed the Grinch who stole Christmas. He dined at FIX with his pal Lukas Haas and then, at 4AM this morning, after hitting JET, he went out to the Mirage casino floor. Trying to disguise himself under a baseball cap he began playing a new Ultimate Hold 'Em poker table game and within 20 minutes was up a couple of thousand dollars. I'm reliably told that with nary a word of thanks he grabbed all his winnings and in a royal stiffing didn't even tip the dealers!

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Tito Ortiz lost his chance to reclaim the UFC title he once held when he was TKO'd 3:59 into the third round by reigning champ, Chuck Liddell at UFC 66: Liddell vs. Ortiz 2. The Ultimate Fighting Championship Light Heavyweight title fight almost lasted as long as the majority of the other bouts this night at the MGM Grand: one round.

It was in that first round with celebrities everywhere watching that the brash Ortiz was tentative and rigid compared to Liddell's fluid, mellow-dramatic movements. Tito almost didn't make it to the second round. He got cut on a punch early in the round and when he wobbled toward the end of the round, Liddell rushed in for the kill. Lesser fighter's would have submitted during the fist storm Liddell was making, but Ortiz's experience in absorbing punch after punch, carried him through to a second five-minute round where he looked a little better, but only a little better.

In the second round, Tito was able to land a couple of blows, but it looked like he was just trying too hard. Tito said in phone interviews earlier in the week that his strategy was to get Chuck on the floor of the Octagon where Tito would have the advantage. The strategy seemed all-but abandoned until Tito made an awkward lunge at Chuck's legs in the second round and landed, prostrated on the mat. Luckily for him, he was able to get up with Chuck landing a fist in the face. Just before the round ended, Tito was able to get Chuck on the floor with a hold. The hold was brief, but Tito was gaining confidence even amidst the crowd was shouting, "Chuck, Chuck, Chuck."

In between the second and third rounds, Chuck was breathing heavily in his corner as if this six years senior to Tito was taking a toll and it seemed like the momentum might be shifting. Tito came out in round three as relaxed as Chuck was in round one doing a couple of Andrew Dice Clay head bobs. Unfortunately it was at least 10 minutes too late. Tito makes another uncomfortable attempt at a takedown, and that was the beginning of the end.

Chuck landed some punches and (in a Forrest Gump voice) he kept hitting, and hitting and hitting. The ref stopped the fight due to a TKO. There are already conspiracy talk that the fight was stopped too soon, but in post-fight interviews, Tito seemed emotionally, physically and spiritually beaten. In a pre-fight phone interview, I could hear the outcome of the fight in their voices. Chuck sounded like he owned everything, living up to his name "Iceman." It wasn't the words coming through the phone, but the intonation. Tito sounded like he had hopes to win. It was a smooth delivery, but not very convincing. That is not to belittle Tito's desire to win, but the different between the two was evident on the phone and in the results.

Earlier in the week, I proclaimed boxing is dead and the UFC will take its place. I think that era started tonight and as more people are turned on to UFC, it will grow and grow. Next up for the UFC is UFC 67: All or Nothing during Superbowl weekend. The winners from Spike TV's successful Ultimate Fighter 4 get their title shots. Matt Serra will go against Welterweight champ Georges St. Pierre and Travis Lutter will try and dethrone Anderson Silva for the Middleweight Crown. Quinton "Rampage" Jackson will be making his UFC that night hopefully setting up context for a match with Chuck Liddell as Jackson is one of the few to have beaten Liddell.

Boxing may come out of this just fine, but the UFC is on the rise. Tito will definitely come out of this just fine as well, but he was reminded tonight, one night in the Octagon can make a hard-man humble.

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With $50-million+ flowing in from pay-per-view and a $5-million+ gate at the MGM Grand, little wonder the stars turned out in full force for the Ultimate Fighting Championship showdown between former friends and now mortal enemies , worthy warriors Chuck Liddell (here with yours truly) and Tito Ortiz.

The 3rd round TKO victory went to defending champion Chuck and it appeared that his recent five late-night escapades at nightclubs all around Vegas didn't seem to harm his work-ethic disciplines and power performance. Tito's new galpal, porn princess Jenna Jameson burst into tears of agony with her beaufriend's loss. She stayed behind in his dressing room backstage to watch the fight on closed circuit feed and gave her ringside seat to her regular bodyguard.She still burst into tears at Tito's loss biting her lip! Chuck was as loose entering the ring with his skill sets as he'd been partying around town all week.

Our Luxe Life ringside observer reported Vegas residents and world tennis champions Anrde Agassi and Steffi Graff reveling in the electrifying excitement. Also spotted near the fenced Octagon was Kid Rock who'd flown in from Iraq where he'd been entertaining the troops prior to his New Years Eve DJ duties at JET nightclub in the Mirage.

Magic man Criss Angel was getting wild applause even without performing any tricks for the sold-out crowd, alongside was Palms hotel mogul George Maloof with "Dancing with the Stars" mambo maestro Mario Lopez.

Meantime popstar Ashley Simpson joined a rock grouping of Tommy Lee , Dave Navarro, Nikki Six, Jared Leto and other members of Supernova to watch the battle-royal on PPV On-Demand over dinner - before moving onto their VIP section at PURE nightclub in Caesars Palace. (Luxe Life will have the full photo report on that rock summit tomorrow -on New Years Eve- so you don't have to wait to the New Year for that Journal posting).

Incidentally local Las Vegas Ultimate Fighter, Forest Griffin lost his battle against Keith Jardine in a ruthless and relentless pounding seconds before the end of their 1st round brawl by TKO at 4:41. Forest promised he'd be back to fight again.

After the war-torn champion combatants cleaned up, Chuck Liddell set off for the Studio 54 nightclub at MGM Grand for his after-fight party while Tito Ortiz went over to the JET nightclub in the Mirage for his after-fight festivities. Luxe Life will have full photo coverage of both glittering events - with our very own Scott Doctor on the red carpet at MGM on New Years Eve.

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