Las Vegas Weekly

January 22, 2009 · 4:48 PM

UFC + LAX = 4eva

By Sarah Feldberg

Frank Mir does some ground work on Brock Lesnar.

Photo: Josh Hedges/UFC

It’s a marriage made for Vegas: UFC and LAX have tied the knot.

Today, the club announced that as of January 31st LAX will be the official bottle-popping, Affliction-wearing, post-fight home of the UFC in Las Vegas.

In a city that looks for virtually any excuse to party (note: Kelly Clarkson’s ex-boyfriend’s little sister’s birthday is not a legitimate reason to throw down), post-fight blowouts have become a regular part of the UFC line-up.

On tonight’s fight card, Frank Mir versus Antonio Nogueira and Chuck Liddell versus a bottle of Grey Goose and a swarm of camera-wielding tourists.

After the blood is swabbed away, the press conferences have wrapped up and the fighters have traded in their shiny shorts for club gear and hair gel, the fun really starts.

Following UFC 94 on January 31, UFC President Dana White will be stepping up to a VIP table at LAX as the official host of the official UFC 94 after party at the official nightclub of the Ultimate Fighting Championship. It all sounds very organized and, well, official.

But just because LAX has locked down the role as the league’s 2009 post-fight party stop, doesn’t mean it’s the only place you can booze with brawlers in Las Vegas. Rok Vegas will welcome welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre following his title bout with BJ Penn, while current lightweight champion Penn will stay at MGM for a party at Studio 54 sponsored by only the finest of beverages, Mickey’s malt liquor.

Even though UFC has made itself a one-club kind of girl, the fighters are still willing to spread the love around, which ultimately is for the best. We never mind a few more excuses to party.

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