Las Vegas Weekly

July 13, 2009 · 10:24 AM

Photo Gallery: It’s playtime for UFC 100’s ring warriors

By Robin Leach

Michael Clarke Duncan, Chuck Liddell and Michael Strahan at the Chuck Liddell UFC 100 after-fight party at the Playing Field Lounge inside Planet Hollywood.

Photo: Tom Donoghue/www.donoghuephotography.com

The UFC has finally come of age as the biggest sport headquartered in Las Vegas, and after this past weekend’s UFC 100, it can now certainly claim positively and with pride the biggest event in MMA history that exceeded the best of boxing -- and now the boom has been lowered forever on that sport!

We’ll leave all the coverage of the Octagon wins for Brock Lesnar over Frank Mir and Georges St. Pierre over Thiago Alves to our colleague Las Vegas Sun sports writers (click HERE for their extensive coverage). Here at Vegas DeLuxe, we’ll shine our spotlight on the parties before and after the fights with some extraordinary photos.

The highlight of the out-of-the-ring action was centered on Chuck “The Iceman” Liddell. Chuck was everywhere with parties celebrating his induction into the UFC Hall of Fame. The UFC’s light heavyweight champion, Chuck held center ring at his ceremonies and the weekend-long series of parties celebrating the celebration!

Chuck had Michael Clarke Duncan and Michael Strahan as his wingmen throughout the weekend. Strip headliners as diverse as eccentric comedy king Carrot Top and singing ventriloquist extraordinaire Terry Fator joined in the fun.

Peepshow beauty Holly Madison showed up after her ring-girl card duties for the main events and was pictured with rugged British screen actor Jason Statham, who has just finished filming The Expendables, a new Sylvester Stallone movie on location in New Orleans. (Click HERE for our previous coverage of the film co-produced by Planet Hollywood owner Robert Earl.)

A very big thank you to photographers Denise Truscello, Tom Donoghue and Erik Kabik for keeping up with all the events and parties of the huge UFC 100 weekend.

At the daytime Tao Beach party, Chuck was with Ryan “Darth” Bader and Jens Pulver when he hosted the kickoff to UFC 100 weekend. Presented by Financiallyhung.com and MMA Jacked, the trio of fighters brought along several mixed martial artists, including Aaron Simpson, Noah Thomas, Eric Lawson and Bill Smallwood. Naturally, wherever these athletes go, the ladies follow, and a bevy of beauties primped, preened and posed for their pictures with the guys at The Venetian.

Chuck, who placed a new tattoo design around his finger while at Huntington Ink in the Palms, arrived with his signature headphones around his neck and stuck to his specially requested Orange Gatorade. Leading lens lady Denise Truscello was on hand for Chuck’s pre-celebration to the induction.

The UFC crowd set up camp for 72 hours in Lavo at the Palazzo and Tao in The Venetian: At Lavo, Tito Ortiz was with Jenna Jameson, his baby mama and live-in love who wore black leather pants and a pink t-shirt. Jenna sipped Veuve Clicquot champagne, while Tito stuck with Grey Goose L’Orange and soda. Over at Tao, UFC President Dana White gathered with friends drinking Grey Goose and cranberry.

The official Tapout after-fight party also was at Tao. Tapout owner SkySkrape held court in a lower skybox, and he hosted John “Magician” Dodson and The Ultimate Fighter Season 8 winner Efrain Escudero. Jason Statham was there celebrating a friend’s birthday and was mobbed by frenzied females.

After his win over Paulo Thiago, MMA fighter Jon Fitch headed to Lavo for his after-party. Jon kicked off with a celebratory glass of champagne, but then switched to McAllen 12 scotch on the rocks for the rest of the night. Joined by his girlfriend, Jon’s entourage of 30 took over a large dance floor table for the celebration that went until early morning.

Final notebook jottings

UFC fighters Quinton “Rampage” Jackson and Congo stopped by Rain in the Palms and appropriately rained down cash on the crowd. The two men playfully grappled for a short time as a rematch of their recent fight. … The day after UFC 100, victorious MMA champ and former Olympic wrestler Dan Henderson, who whipped fellow The Ultimate Fighter coach Michael Bisping, relaxed at Daydream, the pool club at M Resort. … Now it’s back to the gym for UFC 101, and the big question looms if our local hero Frank Mir will get a third shot at Brock or if Brock will defend his championship against another contender this fall. Meantime, Georges St. Pierre looks truly invincible and unstoppable in his weight class.

Robin Leach has been a journalist for more than 50 years and has spent the past decade giving readers the inside scoop on Las Vegas, the world’s premier platinum playground.

Follow Robin Leach on Twitter HERE.

Follow Vegas DeLuxe on Twitter HERE.

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