Celebrities in L.V.: 2016 PBR World Finals, Best of Las Vegas, Pacquiao vs. Vargas, Rumer Willis, Soul Train Awards
Boxing fans usually root for Manny Pacquiao when he’s fighting here, but this weekend the warrior from The Philippines might be on the receiving end of jeers rather than cheers. At Saturday’s battle for the WBO welterweight crown, much support will go to the underdog, 27-year-old Jessie Vargas, our Las Vegas hero. Yes, it’s older man vs. young kid.
Manny, 37, has been out of the ring for 7 months at work as a senator but insists that his return is not a one-night bout. It’s the 67th fight of his career that began in 1995. Jessie held the then-vacant title since beating Sadam Ali with a TKO win in March. Here’s a YouTube video of their press conference hosted by Las Vegas promoter Bob Arum.
The title match between “The Legend” and “The Champ” is part of four bouts at the Thomas & Mack Center where presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump last duked it out. Jessie is younger, taller and has longer arms. Manny’s record is 58 wins, 38 by knockout. Jessie has 10 knockout wins in 27 fights and one loss.
If Bruce Willis attends tonight’s “Over the Love Tour” show by his daughter, Rumer Willis, at Cabaret Jazz in The Smith Center for the Performing Arts, you can bet that he’ll stay to watch the fight. Two other weekend highlights: Soul Train Music Festival events and the 2016 Build Ford Tough Professional Bull Riders World Finals at T-Mobile Arena. The $1 million prize and other awards will be handed out Sunday after two more nights of action.
Guilherme Marchi of Brazil and Ty Pozzobon of British Columbia were winners of Round 2 after matching 89.5-point rides Thursday. Reigning two-time world champion J.B. Mauney of North Carolina shaved 75 points off No. 1 bull rider Kaique Pacheco’s lead after riding for 87 points to finish fifth.
J.B. is the only rider in the Top Three to go 2-for-2 in the five-day event. Chase Outlaw remains the event leader with 300 points, with Ty behind him at 257 points. The Top 40 riders enter crunch time today as they return for Round 3 airing on CBS Sports Network starting at 6:30 p.m.
Our thanks to contributing photographer Tom Donoghue for his Night 2 ringside photo gallery featuring headliner Rick Springfield. Entertainers appearing for free at Toshiba Plaza outside the arena are Jerrod Niemann tonight, Warrant on Saturday and Kyle Park on Sunday. Las Vegas regular Dustin Lynch is the headliner tonight at T-Mobile. PBR top gun Sean Gleason said: “It’s the biggest and most successful world finals in our history.”
Country fans also have Kellie Pickler in concert Sunday at Henderson Pavilion while Montgomery Gentry is at Stoney’s Rocking Country in Town Square as advance salutes to next weekend’s Veterans Day remembrances.
Stars set for Soul Train events include Cedric The Entertainer, D.L. Hughley, George Lopez, Eddie Griffin and more Saturday at Mandalay Bay for BET’s Comedy Get Down, with the Soul Train Awards taped for television Sunday at The Orleans Arena. Meantime, my first appearance hosting “Legends in Concert” at the Flamingo begins Sunday and continues through Nov. 21.
With the clocks falling back Sunday, our nights will get dark an hour earlier, and we’re reminded that winter is almost upon us … but the Dayclub Dome at Marquee in The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas will keep pool parties going strong through winter. Tritonal entertains Saturday. Now let’s take a dive into the warm waters of this week’s edition of Robin’s Royal Rundown:
FRIDAY, NOV. 4
MUSIC
Celebrate Voting “Suffrage” by Las Vegas Academy’s musical theater group on First Street Stage at Fremont Street Experience as a highlight of First Friday.
The Man in Black is at South Point all weekend.
Soul Train Music Fest with Jill Scott, Tyrese, Anthony Hamilton and Tish Hyman is at Mandalay Bay Events Center.
Bush is at The Foundry at SLS Las Vegas.
Tim Reynolds and TR3 are at Vinyl in The Hard Rock Hotel.
Rumer Willis is at Cabaret Jazz for two nights.
Montgomery Gentry is at Stoney’s Rockin’ Country.
America is at Golden Nugget Showroom.
Kaleo, Bishop Briggs and The Wind + The Wave are at Brooklyn Bowl Las Vegas in The Linq Promenade.
COMEDY
Bill Engvall is at T.I.
Tim Allen is at The Mirage for two nights.
J.C. Currals is at Bonkerz Comedy Club in Pahrump.
OF SPECIAL NOTE
Tickets are on sale for Alter Bridge at BBLV on Feb. 16.
PBR World Finals are at T-Mobile all weekend.
“Dr. Lepper Art Show: The Incarceration of Cherry Biscuits” Prohibition-Era fashion exhibit is at The Mob Museum.
PARTY PATROL
Hardwell is at Omnia in Caesars Palace.
“The Usual Suspects” host a fight pre-party at Hyde Bellagio.
DJ Vice is at Marquee.
DJ Yo Yolie is at nearby Bond for two nights.
SATURDAY, NOV. 5
MUSIC
Cash Presley is at South Point.
The Las Vegas Philharmonic is at The Smith Center.
Another Journey is at BBLV.
Richard Cheese & Lounge Against the Machine is at Red Rock Resort.
Asia featuring John Payne is at Sunset Station.
Alejandra Guzman is at The Foundry.
The Fab Four is at Suncoast Showroom for two nights.
Jay & The Americans are at Cannery.
COMEDY
Soul Train Weekend presents BET’s Comedy Get Down at Mandalay Bay.
OF SPECIAL NOTE
Our 35th Anniversary Best of Las Vegas Awards by the Las Vegas Review-Journal with host Suzanne Sommers is at The Venetian.
It’s Manny Pacquiao vs. Jessie Vargas at the Thomas & Mack Center.
Race season continues at Pahrump Valley Speedway.
CIS Nevada fundraiser with celebrity chefs and flapper girls marks “Today for Tomorrow” at The Cosmopolitan.
American Heart Association Heart & Stroke Walk is at FSE.
The 7th Annual Fashion for Autism featuring Diane von Furstenberg fashions is at Aria.
The 3rd Annual St. Jude Against All Odds Celebrity Poker Tournament with six-time WSOP winner Daniel Negreanu to benefit children battling cancer is at The Hard Rock Hotel.
PARTY PATROL
Soul Train Day Party is at Daylight Beach Club at Mandalay Bay.
DJ Chuckie is at Omnia.
Nelly is at Drai’s atop The Cromwell.
DJ Carnage is at Marquee.
SUNDAY, NOV. 6
MUSIC
Kellie Pickler and James Wesley are at Henderson Pavilion.
I debut as MC for eight “Legends in Concert” shows.
Attila is at Vinyl.
Zions Youth Symphony and Chorus is at The Smith Center.
Brazilian jazz sensation Patty Ascher is at Italian American Club.
OF SPECIAL NOTE
The Soul Train Awards are at The Orleans Arena.
“Conversations With Norm Clarke” is at Cabaret Jazz.
Locals participate in the Topgolf Tour Competition ahead of the Topgolf $50,000 on Nov. 13.
PARTY PATROL
DJ Franzen is at Drai’s.
DJ Crykit is at Bond.
Make it a knockout weekend as boxing meets the bulls on the Strip!