We’ve all heard the term 86’d, most of us associate it with being banned from a bar. Well legend has it that the term originated right here in the City of Sin. The meaning derives from the times where the mafia was king, and to be 86’d meant to be removed, taken 8 miles out of the city, and buried six feet under.

Life in the early days of Las Vegas was rough and not for the meek. If you were risky enough to play with your fate, all you had to do was get involved with the wrong crowd and owe money on a bet. You would then be finding yourself on a slow ride, deep into the desert on a one-way trip to where no one would know of your demise.

The 20’s

Prohibition and speakeasies during this decade were not just hip but a necessity. The establishment of speakeasies brought lots of booze, gambling and organized crime-exactly what people craved in a depressed economy! So naturally, Las Vegas quickly became known as a great party getaway for tourists, traveling businessmen, and anyone belonging to a mob who wanted to control the city. The Irish, Italian, and Jewish Mafia made their presence known and anyone who stood in their way risked their lives. Mormons also teamed up with the mafias and as you can only imagine, they made one hell of a gang. Business intelligence and a fearless nature served up one deadly mix.

The 40’s

Fast forward to the 40′s, The crime bosses in New York City recruited Benjamain “Bugsy” Siegel to mark their territory in Las Vegas. One of Bugsy’s main missions was to make sure that Las Vegas would be a prime location for gamblers in the west. The recon mission proved to be a success  for the crime team as Las Vegas proved to be a gambling haven. Bugsy and his associates ran the town. Gambling and betting was popular and the money started to pour in. Vigilante justice kept the checks and balances, but Las Vegas was becoming the premiere destination for those looking for a debauchery outlet. (Much like today.) He continued to build downtown and then making his way south down Las Vegas Boulevard with establishing “the Strip” with properties like The Flamingo.

Unfortunately, it all came crashing down when Bugsy Siegel of the Jewish Mafia died in a blast of gunfire in Beverly Hills. His actions and death caused a trickle down effect for all the associated casinos. Lots of money was lost, but  the Mormons stepped in and aided Vegas. From 1952-1957, the Mormons financed many of the casinos in Las Vegas. Some of the casinos were The Sahara, Sands, New Frontier, Royal Nevada, Showboat, The Riviera, The Fremont, Binion’s Horseshoe  and The Tropicana.

New Eras

As we hop into a new era, the 60′s, casinos in Las Vegas got a lot more sophisticated and much more organized. The Sands Casino became a major hangout for the Rat Pack. Frank Sinatra owned part of The Sands and was purchased by Howard Hughes in 1967.

By time the 70′s rolled around, organized crime really came to a diminishing point. This was due to the Nevada Legislature allowing the public to own casinos. The crime lords did profit, however, as they were able to sell off their casinos for millions of dollars.

Sadly, many of the historical casinos in Las Vegas no longer exist today. They were demolished to make room for casinos that are more sophisticated and glitzy. Out with the old and in with the new has always been the motto for many cities across America.

Even though many of these casinos are gone they are still around in spirit and are not to be forgotten. Unraveling the secrets and mysteries of the past gives us a stronger appreciation of our city, Las Vegas! A city built on passion, crimes, dreams, and violence.

If you are interested in learning more about the history of the mob’s existence in Las Vegas then you will want to check out the following links:

http://www.themobmuseum.org/ – A museum dedicated to the mob. Opening in February 2012!

http://www.lvme.com - The Museum at the Las Vegas Mob Experience, at The Tropicana of course!

I was stoked to fly down to Vegas for the relaunch of Sinner Magazine, my wife and I have not taken a vacation in a long time. Coming to Vegas was a great opportunity to be at the event and see a grip of friends that we haven’t seen in years.  So our night of fun begins when we hit DTF and meet up with my old bro Rob Hester who was going to be doing a live paint session during the party. We bounced from friend to friend, catching up and enjoying the desert night. A definite change from the PNW (Pacific Northwest) where we have been living since 05, and trying to stay hydrated we did little drinking.  There was plenty of fun to be had else where, wink. But it sure seemed that the libations were flowing as drinks were all around and people were having a blast.  There was maybe too much of a blast as I know I caught part of someones. Myself and a couple other people I was hanging out with experienced someone behind us exploding the contents of their stomach on to our back, arms and legs.  I flinched as my mind wishfully went to a spilled cup of water and then the comments of vomit came into play.  One of the people I was puked on with made the comment, “It wasn’t blood…and and I have seen it way worse.”.  He was right but at the same time I don’t want to wear someones “one too many”.  I tried to dispel it from my mind but the car ride back to the casino made it very apparent that I was wearing puke. When I got back to my room I proceeded to spend the next 45 minutes taking the “I feel dirty” shower. I was able to keep my composure and not punch someone in the face but what would you do if you got puked on at a party?

ILLUSTRATION BY TYRONE WASHINGTON

ILLUSTRATION BY SUK FA2HQ

Graduating with a degree in art and design, Zach Walters moved to Vegas not ready to settle down behind a desk. Now with an amateur MMA record of 5-1, Walters is looking to go pro as he holds his own as an Advertising marketing director and full time warrior, but no one’s covering their wounds with a shirt and tie in this office, it’s the Wand Fight team!

Zach Walters came to Vegas not knowing what direction he wanted to go in life, but ever since accepting an invitation to tag along on a try out for the Wand fight team, ran by legendary UFC fighter and champion Wanderlei Silva, he’s been a dedicated  mixed martial artists and member of the gym ever since!

“That’s why I think I have a great world, because I get to be in the gym and train, take a shower and go straight into my “job” and do all the design work for the gym and for Wanderlei. Take a break from doing that and come out and hit the bag or lift weights or do whatever and then go back in there and get on the computer. It’s damn near perfect for me!”

Walters started his martial arts training 6-8 years ago while playing collegiate soccer. He and four of his friends decided to pad up a loft they acquired and created their own gym to begin training. Once out of school with his Art and Design degree, Zach continued boxing out of a growing love for the sport and eventually it turned into him studying all aspect of mixed martial arts.

“I had to quit playing soccer because of school, but I kept boxing. I ended up just putting more time into boxing, and then started doing jiu-jitsu and then started Thai boxing. It just felt right at home for me, I love that, it’s my passion.”

Walters began his official MMA training in Las Vegas a year and a half ago, where ever since he’s been helping get his fellow fighters at the Wand fight camp ready for their many different career changing fight opportunities. Struggling to find the right fight for his first pro match, I asked if Zach thought helping his teammates get ready for their big fights was good motivation for chasing his own goals.

“I’ve cornered guys really ever since I started training. I love helping guys, I just love that atmosphere! Any guy who fights or trains, who has that passion…when you get around it that fire’s going to grow! If you’re cornering an amateur or a pro…you start getting that itch!”

Just when I thought Zach was perhaps less nerdy than I hoped, I mentioned Zombies, and before I knew it, we were fully submerged into zombie pop culture!

I saw you’re a Zombie Survival Guide fan; have you read World War Z?

“I’ve heard about it, I haven’t read it though! My buddy is a Special Forces guy; he was telling me all about that though, he’s the one who really got me into all that zombie stuff! He was telling me about it, I really want to read it!”

I saw they have a movie based on the book in production, starring Brad Pitt! They spent a butt load on the rights to the book, so it should be good!

“Awesome! Yeah, I can’t wait for the second season of walking dead to come out next month!”

I haven’t seen that actually!

“Oh my god you have to watch Walking Dead! They do one of the best jobs as far as actually following the story line and the plot and the characters(of the graphic novel it shares its name with), it’s almost frame for frame! They did an awesome job at it and it’s sic! It’s one of the best zombie things ever!”

Well, Zach Thanks for talking about all things you, and hopefully we’ll see you around the local fight scene as you make a name for yourself!

Far from the only interesting fight on the card, the other two massively marketed co-main events also star Brazilian fighters as former Pride fighting Heavyweight champion Minotauro Nogueira faces up and comer Brendan Schaub in what is sure to prove a very interesting fight as the former champ known as Big Nog fights for the first time ever in his home country! Schaub on a recent tear is becoming known for his slaying of veterans. With fighters like Gonzaga and Cro Cop on his list of wins, Saturday night should see Schaub come out on top by a decision at least.

The official co-main event is a great rematch between fan favorite Forrest Griffin and the man he beat by rear naked choke four years ago, Mauricio “Shogun” Rua. The difference tomorrow night will be a healthy “Shogun” Rua, who last time these two fought had just come off multiple surgeries and was not 100% going into the fight. Of course as many know, he gassed and was subsequently back mounted and choked out, but now Griffin has a whole different fighter to contend with this Saturday night, not to mention the fact Rua will be fighting in his native country, something not so uncommon for this long overdue visit to the heartland of modern mixed martial arts.

Rua vs. Griffin, fight of the night potential!

In the end, this fight might steal the fight of the night honors as Rua’s cardio will likely match Griffin’s and he’ll pull out an action packed decision victory, but I’d love to see a knockout! Besides these three fights there are many more Brazilians fighting on the undercard and it’s going to be a tough crowd to fight in front of for the visitors as the city waits in anticipation for the biggest MMA event of the year.

The biggest things to take away from tomorrow night and all this weekend’s UFC festivities is the beginning of a new era in the UFC. As the UFC walks away with a huge Fox Sports deal landing them on the network in the next few months, as well as several more Brazil based shows in the works, the UFC is quickly taking combat sports to the main stream and tomorrow is just another brilliant step in that direction.

Maka Watson grew up surfing on the island of Kauai, but unlike many mixed martial artists, he didn’t start fighting until he moved to Hilo to train at B.J. Penn’s camp. A few fights later, he finds himself in Las Vegas, training with the legendary Wand fight team. I recently spoke with Watson on his future in Strikeforce, the Las Vegas fight scene, and his favorite ways to have good time outside of the cage.

How did you originally get into mixed martial arts?
Actually, we moved to another island, I grew up on Kauai. We moved to Hilo, I actually went there for training at Bj Penn’s camp; they had me start out with jiu jitsu and I fell in love with it.

Interesting, so you didn’t get the early start that many fighters get, and yet here you are still finding success, that’s great! So, you didn’t jump right into MMA, but rather competed in some grappling tournaments before you first fight? Yeah, I did a few grappling tournaments, they actually were really strict in who they let fight when I first got there. I think it was two years of jiu jitsu, I got my blue belt before they let me fight.

Do you still have a blue belt, or have you progressed?
Yeah, I ended up getting a purple after my second fight.

How long have you been at this particular camp in Vegas?
About nine months

Cool, how many fights did you have before coming to train in Vegas and the Wand fight team?
4-0 as a pro.

So this is your first fight out of Vegas? What are the big differences between training in Vegas compared to your training in Hilo?
The Altitude-and besides that we get a lot more people here. I guess it’s because it’s the Mecca of MMA so there’s lots of different styles. Back home we just have a lot of jiu jitsu guys and a couple of good stand up guys. Here you get everything, wrestlers, jiu jitsu, muay Thai, boxers, there’s a lot more variety here.

Other than the diversity, is there anything else you especially like about training here in Vegas?
I actually like the dryness of it. Training in the humidity back home is not fun! (Also) The altitude’s (in Vegas) good for conditioning compared to Hawaii.

Do you have a favorite hotspot you like to hang out?
I’m not really a partier. I’ll go up to red rock, or outside the city to mountain bike in the desert.

So, you like to spend your time off remaining active?
Pretty much, I do play a lot of video games though!

Nice! What’s your favorite game, what are you hooked on?
Right now, Call of Duty

What did you take away from your first Strikeforce fight, despite the disappointing outcome?
I learned a lot man, not only the fight side but the business side. The way they run the show, it’s so professional.  I just learned so much. As far as the fighting, I’m frustrated by the loss, but…

What exactly happened in your latest fight?
Well, he got the choke in the second round. He was working for it the whole first round and I defended.  I’m pretty happy about that because the guy is a world champion. He did the same thing to me in the second but he was one step ahead and got the choke.

What’s your future with Strikeforce, any more fights coming up?
They gave me a four fight deal; I got word that they’re going to contact my manager about my next fight. As for right now we don’t know when it is but it’s going to be for them.

Now that you’ve experienced your first loss, does that change the way you’re looking at training, or are you just pushing forward?
Both. I think that I have things I need to change as far as training, of course I’m gonna still kick my ass in the gym. But I still have to step back and look at things.

How important is it to have training partners who just don’t have a wide range of skills, but are also there to push you past your limits, and not just be yes men?
Very, very important man! That’s why I love the camp I’m at now because we spar real hard. We’re all friends, there aren’t any yes men around, I totally know what that’s like. Everyone pushes each other here. If you’re not getting tested in the gym, you’re gonna buckle in a fight!

Do you have a calling? What’s your reason for fighting?
At first it was competition, then the deeper into it I got, I started doing it for my family and friends. The main thing for me, I’d fight for free if we didn’t need money to survive. At this point, I just want to make my training partners, coaches, family and friends proud!

Do you have a favorite technique, or something you’re known for?
I’m a ground guy, so anything having to do with ground and pound!

Some guys prefer staying in side control as opposed to mount as it provides better control and more submission opportunities, which do you prefer?
Well actually, half guard! With half guard from the top you have really good control of the guy’s hips. You control his hips with your legs and his shoulders with your arms, and then bomb him with elbows!

Do you ever bait guys into taking half guard?
I try it!

Yeah, at your level guys don’t fall for it! Well, thanks for taking some time to sit down and chat, and hopefully we’ll talk to you after your first Strikeforce victory!
Yeah, thanks for having me!

We’ll keep you posted on Maka’s next fight.

It is the stuff of Sport Legends, the league’s BRAND NEW team takes down the only team with an unblemished record. Some fans might say they wanted it more but that’s bullshit. Every pair of skates that hit the ring on that warm Summer evening, rolled to win. In the end, it was the team with the most points when the buzzer buzzed that claimed the victory. Yes, that is how it is in EVERY sport, but seeing this upset transpire was epic for those of us in attendance.

Tension laced the air as me and my team; Spike, Bash and Riot made our way to a row of seats saved for us by the artist Christian Gabriel and his fiancé, the lovely Adrielle. Our seats were perfect. Second row, on the left shoulder of the first turn. We watched the action unfold before us as the zombie faced, Hoover Damned took on the seasoned and unbeaten Tommy Gun Terrors.

Part of the magic of the Sin City Roller Girls, and in fact, all of the leagues across the country, is how the power of twitter lets fans become part of the action. Fans that can’t make the bout can follow along at home or about via the revolutionary SMS service.

So in this vain we recap the event the way it was done that night. With a listing of select tweets that made this bout so very special and dramatic. Also links are embedded in nearly every photo taking you to a photo, a video, or something magical. Click away!

SCRG have the hottest raffle ticket girls of ANY sport! #LUST

Illustrations by: Skizo Fa2hq

The retweets included a viddy @johnmischief shot and a call from @PJPerez for @RetroBakery to strap on some skates.

Click Here to go to Page 2

I feel the same way about Vegas as I do about whiskey or women – I fucking hate it. My bitter, angry hate for each comes from a place of love though. I drink with romantic passion. I live to get fucked up, but I don’t really care for the obligatory black outs and finger-forced vomit sessions at the end of the night. And there’s no greater feeling than employing the lessons of the good old fashioned school of lover boys, going home with a girl and banging her out to Zeppelin I. I’m not really a fan of fake pregnancy scares, arguments about nothing, or waking up next to a woman in Summerlin (A.K.A Narnia) with no ride home.

The same is true for Vegas. I’ve lived here since I was nine, this is my home, and I’ve learned everything I know about life in this city. Unfortunately, this town is filled with a bunch of fucked-to-death-cultureless-mongoloids with moral fiber as thick as a sheet of toilet paper. No one goes out to see local music, art, theatre and comedy. The closest thing we had to a museum was The Sands and we blew it up. I, for one, think the bathroom where Frank and Dean double-teamed a girl while Sammy sang “Candy Man” should have been preserved as a national monument.

I’m a local, Las Vegas comedian doing comedy in front of different combinations of the same 400 people. I’ve stood in empty bars to watch my friends play music, and I’ve seen poets doing poetry in front of poets and no one else.  This fucking astounds me. I know Netflix has that streaming option now, and you’re tired when you come home from your shitty job, but why not go out, get fucked up and appreciate the art that’s coming out of your city?

The last I checked, these are hard times. This is a boomtown past its boom. Everyone’s getting fired, they’re out of work, and 80% of Vegas homeowners are underwater in their mortgage. That sounds like prime time for going out, getting plastered and having a laugh. Why stay home like a sad, old bastard with a TV dinner and network sitcoms when you can see the art inspired by a decaying town? There are songs about growing up here, poetry that reflects this city, and the purpose of comedy is to say the things you’re thinking but don’t say. I’ll be the first to shit on Nevada Energy, sub-prime mortgage loans, or that gross fart smell on the strip.

With all things, you take the bad with the good. As much as I hated the time I slept in the alley behind a bar in the dead of winter, I’m never going to stop drinking. And as many times as I’ve had my heart shit in like a truck stop bathroom, I’m never going to stop fucking. As much as I hate Vegas, I will always love it. I’d love it a little more if the people were more passionate about hearing the voice of its disenfranchised citizens. Leave your fucking house! You’re losing it anyway.

Check out Mike Shields at C.U.I: Comics under the influence this Thursday, and every Thursday at The Black Door, 10:30PM

He got his mma career started simply by being a fan, looking to get an autograph from UFC legend Randy Couture. His amateur career had a rough start with his first three fights all ending in defeat. He bounced back and has reeled off an impressive ten wins in a row. His amateur record sits at 7-3 and Jimmy is 2-0 as a professional fighter leaving his overall record at 9 victories compared to three defeats. Considering his first fight was in May of 2008, and he just turned pro in November of 2010, Jimmy has come a long way and continues to improve. Don’t believe me? Youtube him, you will see his skills. Before you do that, check out this interview with this future mma star.

What got you into mixed martial arts?

“My best friend at the time, him and I were just really into watching it, we would go over to my house and just watch the fights. Then one day we were just driving down the street, on Sunset, and we heard Randy (Couture) was opening a gym and signing autographs for the grand opening so we came down to get it, and there weren’t a whole lot of people here and I just started talking to him and he was like “you should sign up” and I was like, alright, you know…what am I going to tell him, no? I was one of the first members to sign up here since day one.”

You started your fighting career 0-3, what went through your mind? Were you ready to give it up?

“I never thought about giving it up, I’ve always been pretty good at all the sports I played. When I was younger I played tennis, soccer, basketball, football, hockey. I was not too great when I first got into it, within a few months I got the hang of it pretty well, same thing with MMA. I caught onto things pretty quick in here, transferring it into the ring wasn’t as easy as I thought it would be at first. I lost my first few and came back into the gym and worked on what I needed to and actually started winning a lot and I haven’t lost since the first three.”

What do you need to work on more?

“I definitely need to work on my wrestling, its probably the weakest part of my game. It’s also the hardest thing to work on, thats probably why I’m not good at it. It’s really hard to come in here and work on something that is really frustrating when you can’t get the hang of it. I really have to be better at forcing myself to come here and work on my wrestling. Luckily I have good training partners helping me, some of my best friends are actually really good wrestlers who have been helping me out. In my last fight it (wrestling) came into help a lot, I utilized everything they had taught me to use in my favor.”

What is the most rewarding thing about fighting?

“I just like getting in there and competing and performing in front of a large crowd, it’s always fun for me.”

I heard your nickname is “Rabbit”, how did that name come about?

(Laughs) “My very first muay thai teacher, my second day here, his name is Cady Anderson. He was teaching a demonstration, while he was teaching it he was bouncing up and down to show us how to do it. Then when I did it I was bouncing up and down too and he was like “What are you doing?” I said this is how you showed me how to do it. He was like “No” so for whatever reason I was doing it. Then for a month it stuck, I just kept bouncing everytime I would do anything without even realizing I was doing it, so he started calling me rabbit and it kind of stuck.”

I noticed Dana White was in the audience for one of your fights, did you know that ahead of time? Did it make you nervous?

“I had fought for Tuff N Uff a few times before that and had heard a rumor he might be there, but it never came to fruition. I heard the same thing for that fight, that Dana was going to be there and I kind of thought he would be there because his son was fighting on that card. Going into that fight I didn’t even think about it, I let it go. As I was leaving the ring after I won that fight I had someone grab my arm I turned around and it was Dana White. I was like, holy crap, he told me that I had a good fight, and I was just struck by it. That’s one of the coolest moments I’ve had as an amateur.”

When are you going to be there, in the UFC?

“The way things are going right now, things are going pretty well. I have a lot to work on, maybe this time next year.”

That’s a goal you have set?

“Oh for sure.”

Another reason why we have chosen to profile Jimmy Jones is his fight outside of the ring. Jimmy Jones works very closely with a non-profit organization called itaintchemo.org. Kevin Hoyt, founder of itaintchemo.org speaks very high of Jimmy for his contributions in the charity as well as his abilities in fights. Hoyt started the foundation after experiencing the discomforts of chemo while fighting cancer personally. The local charity provides “comfort items” like thick blankets, DVD players, books on tape and other tangible items that help patients get through the harsh treatments. “None of our money goes to research. Research money is 75% administrative fees, it’s a black hole. We want the people that we are helping to see where the money goes. We’d much rather  use that money for comfort items or things like paying for funerals.”

Hoyt goes on to tell us that they help anybody with cancer, no matter what kind they have or how far in they are. Jimmy Jones has done a lot of fights for charity and really cares for the cause and SINNER Mag applauds him for using wrath to contribute. SINNER Mag will be in your corner at your next fight.

You can join us and watch Jimmy “Rabbit” Jones’ next fight at the Orleans Hotel and Casino on August 20th 2011. Get your ass down there and show support for one of our best up and coming local fighters.

Illustrations: Skizo FA2HQ

“I know that sometimes it’s hard to stay away from your phone when you drive, but please pay attention to the light cycles people! I hate it when I get stuck through cycles of lights because people aren’t paying attention.”#sinnerrant #WRATH

39 year old Mosley is coming off two losses in a famed career, in which he has effectively used his jab many times over, but not in these last two losses, and this will be the turning point in the fight. In other words, will Mosley remain stuck in a rut in which he’ll most likely finish his career? Or will he put to use the reach advantage he hold’s over Pacquiao? Bottom line in, Mosley is coming off consecutive losses, but Mayweather Jr. and Sergio Mora are both defensive fighters Mosley had trouble hitting. Pacquiao is known for coming forward and being aggressive, and this could play right into Mosley’s game plan, if he goes old school Sugar Shane.

I think Pacquiao will come forward, even if it does end up playing into Mosley’s strengths. Pacquiao is at the top of his game, and won’t forget how he got there, Mosley on the other hand needs to forget about the critics and remember how he made his name, a crisp jab and a killer left hook. My prediction is Pacquiao by 7^th round KO.

UFC 129 in Toronto Saturday night left the largest event in North American history with a definite sense of accomplishment after a great night of fights. With a total gate of 12.075m and an ecstatic 55,000 fans, UFC 129 had more than their work cut out for them when dishing out the Submission, knockout, and fight of the night cash bonuses. From a devastating standing elbow KO by  Ivan Menjivar, to a skillfully set up and finished triangle from the guard by returning Canadian Jason MacDonald, all the great wins of the night didn’t get bonuses.

There were two titles up for grabs Saturday night in Toronto. The main event between Welterweight champ Georges St-Pierre against San Francisco’s Jake Shields was a great fight, but as expected by most, St-Pierre did pull out a unanimous decision despite losing the 5th round to Shields and, looking more beat up than most would have thought.

Fight of Night went to the second title fight against Featherweight champ Jose Aldo against Canadian Mark Hominick in which an epic war developed before the fans eyes. Aldo after complications with the weight cut seemed to absolutely gas come the last two rounds, in which during the 5th round a badly beaten Mark Hominick gave his all trying to put away a grounded exhausted Jose Aldo. But in the end, Jose Aldo’s dominant wrestling and jiu-jitsu proved too much for Hominick to overcome on the score cards.

Submission of the night went to Pablo Garza who after receiving several powerful leg kicks from opponent Yves Jabouin, and dishing out his own knees to the body, capitalized on Jabouin dropping his arms to block knees to the body, at which time Garza committed to an awesome flying triangle, throwing his leg up and over the lowered arm of Jabouin, Garza wrapped his legs around Jabouin’s neck and arm, dragging him to the ground where after a brief struggle Jabouin succumbed to the choke.

Finally in highlight reel fashion Lyoto Machida finished off UFC hall of famer Randy Couture’s legacy with a switch front kick to the face, knocking down, and out the UFC legend. The second front kick KO in UFC history, Machida’s training partner and Middleweight champ Anderson Silva scored the first. If it really was the last time we see Couture fight in the octagon, we will definitely see him behind the scenes and in the corners of the UFC for many years to come. Randy, We are forever fans. Thank you for being a great man and also for all the support you have shown for SINNER Mag.

Main Card:
Georges St-Pierre def. Jake Shields via unanimous decision
Jose Aldo def. Mark Hominick via unanimous decision
Lyoto Machida def. Randy Couture via second-round TKO
Vladimir Matyushenko def. Jason Brilz via first-round TKO
Ben Henderson def. Mark Bocek via unanimous decision
Undercard:
Rory MacDonald def. Nate Diaz via unanimous decision
Jake Ellenberger def. Sean Pierson via first-round TKO
Claude Patrick def. Daniel Roberts via unanimous decision
Ivan Menjivar def. Charlie Valencia via first-round TKO
Jason MacDonald def. Ryan Jensen via submission (triangle)
John Makdessi def. Kyle Watson via third-round KO
Pablo Garza def. Yves Jabouin via submission (triangle)

With two title fights on the card, the headlining fight is between Welterweight Champ Georges St. Pierre and challenger Jake Shields, who is coming off a significant winning streak outside of the UFC. Thing is, his only fight in the UFC he won via split decision against Mark Kampman and was not a very impressive win. Unfortunately for Shields this seems to be a reoccurring theme.  He recently defeated former UFC veteran and champ Dan Henderson as well as Jason “Mayhem” Miller, both by decisions where Shields’ opponent came close to stopping Jake.  A tribute to his heart no doubt, but Miller would have put him to sleep in their Strikeforce bout earlier this year in which the end of the round saved the UFC’s latest Welterweight challenger.

St. Pierre on the other hand, doesn’t just beat his opponents, he dismantles them. The UFC bringing in new talent just to challenge their key champions is necessary for the UFC to continue challenging their champions and thus keep PPV views and attendances high. Only in this case, I’m not sure Shields’ past wins over notable opponent’s show him bringing anything into the octagon St. Pierre hasn’t dealt with before and taken apart. Shields’ submission game could be the tipping point if he can get it to the ground, an unlikely event in most people’s eyes.

The co-main event between Featherweight Champion Jose Aldo and challenger Mark Hominick promises to be an exciting battle between two sick stand up artists.  Jose Aldo’s leg kicks could overtake any early defense Hominick attempts to put forth.

Photography is property of UFC.

Among a fight card I could talk about all day, one last fight I’ll mention features Vegas’ own Randy Couture. Now 47 years old, Couture will be fighting stand up kickboxing/karate technician Lyoto Machida in what will be a very interesting style match up. Machida’s counter striking and excellent foot work could prove difficult for Couture to counteract with what will likely be a clinch and take down strategy. As Couture has proven before though, he is deceptively strong in the clinch against the cage, and I can easily see this proving almost impossible for Machida to contend with. But as is shown time and again in mixed martial arts, impossible or unbeatable is a dangerous word to throw around, which should make UFC 129 well worth the wait.

For more information on Saturday’s Fights, click here.

Lon Kruger arrived to coach the Rebels in 2004 and revamped the program with his great experience and motivational abilities. He formally coached at Kansas State, Florida, Illinois and the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks. UNLV may not be considered a recruiting paradise but Kruger and his staff have managed to put together some good teams–most notably the 2007 team that reached the NCAA Tournament’s Sweet 16. The season is young, but UNLV is already nationally ranked in the top 25…college basketball’s elite.

The interesting thing this year is that this team’s heart and soul is fueled by transfer students. And they can do some damage this year! Chace Stanback (Tranfer from UCLA) and Tre’Von Willis (Memphis) lead the way, followed by Quintrell Thomas (Kansas) and Derrick Jasper (Kentucky). UCLA, Memphis, Kansas and Kentucky are all powerhouse basketball programs. It should mean a lot to us locals that these players transferred from their programs to come play at UNLV and thrive. They truly are rebels.

This team is exciting, and the Thomas and Mack center is brutally loud and entertaining during home games. So don’t be afraid to catch the Rebel Fever. Get down there and support your local team! Go Rebs! The UNLV Runnin’ Rebels basketball schedule can be found here.

Billboard Campaign for Erik Scott

(July 24, 2010) A billboard campaign  sponsored by Erik Scott’s friends and family is about to capture the attention of Las Vegas . Erik Scott was shot and killed by Metro police on July 10^th at Costco in Summerlin while him and his girlfriend shopped for supplies for an upcoming camping trip.

Although Scott had a license to carry a concealed weapon, a Costco employee reacted and told management. A 911 call was made reporting that Scott had a gun. Shortly after, an announcement to evacuate the store was demanded over the loud speaker. As Scott followed the rest of the people to exit the store he was confronted by three police officers, who shot Scott seven times, 3 of which were in the chest and killed Erik Scott.

Mixed reports of the Saturday afternoon shooting saturated the news. Metro police claimed that Erik Scott had pointed his weapon at police, and they responded by shooting him. But over 3 dozen witnesses don’t agree that it happened that way, and neither do friends and family of Erik Scott.

Media outlets all over Vegas immediately began to cover the story but they reported what Metro Police were claiming as fact, but it didn’t take long for eyewitnesses and outraged friends to challenge the false reports. “There’s no one who knew Eric that could ever conceive of him acting in a way that is defiant to a man in uniform,He was a man who supported those guys” said a friend of the Westpoint Graduate and decorated soldier.

Erik's memorial service was on July 17th, 2010

As more details and witnesses came forward the media outlets began to back peddle and change the story showing people of Las Vegas that maybe what they had originally reported was not accurate. Costco surveillance tapes could put an end to this debate, but for some strange reason, the tapes are not surfacing. The billboards are intended to encourage the community to provide any information to the family with details of the high profile shooting. We hope that the billboards will also put pressure on Costco to release the tapes to prove that Erik Scott did not deserve to be killed. The billboard includes a phone number to call the family with any information.

Ross Goodman, attorney for Erik Scott’s family says Scott never pulled a gun and was not acting in a threatening way toward officers. He says surveillance video, along with the witnesses he’s hearing from, will show Scott did nothing wrong. Supporters believe that Ross Goodman, son of Mayor Oscar Goodman will not be afraid to pursue Metro.

Conflicting reports of the story continue to arise.  When the 911 call was made allegedly claiming that Erik was acting erratically, Metro Police Captain Patrick Neville said “What he was doing was removing metal water bottles out of their packages or boxes. He threw a few on the floor, and put other ones within his cart.” But friends close to Erik and girlfriend Samantha who was with him say that Erik was trying to see which water bottles would fit in his backpack. Does that qualify as acting erratically and justify their actions to consider him a threat? We don’t believe so and based on SINNER Mag’s conversations with the community and real voices of Las Vegas residents we believe that the tapes are crucial evidence to get justice for Erik Scott and his family.

Erik Scott was loved by many.

The officers involved in the shooting are Officer William Mosher, 38, who has been with the department since June 2005; Officer Joshua Stark, 28, with the department since September 2008; and Officer Thomas Mendiola, 23, with the department since March 2009. These officers are on paid administrative leave while the case is being investigated.

Please do your part to speak about this in your community and support the billboard campaign by spreading the word. We hope that the billboards will also continue to pressure Costco to do the right thing and release the tapes. If you are interested or have any ideas to get Coscto to surrender the tapes, please contact ginah@sinnermag.com , we are in touch with the supporters of Erik Scott and we will forward your ideas accordingly.

If you have any information, Please call 702.240.5339 or visit erikbscott.com

Tonight’s game is the Las Vegas 51′s vs. The Salt Lake Bees.
For tickets to tonight’s game visit here.

Sponsored by Airforce Reserves.