The "25th Annual AVN Awards Show" is taking place this Saturday, January 12, 2008 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. For those of you that don't know, the AVN Awards are achievement-based awards dedicated to recognizing the best products and most talented individuals that have contributed to the advancement of the porn industry. AVN Award recipients are determined by a vote of qualified industry peers and fellow professionals. The integrity of this process, together with a broad-based voting population, makes the AVN Awards the most credible, respected, and recognized awards in porn.

Now with that being said, I should also mention that there's a lot more to the porn industry than you would initially think. MMA and Porn kind of go together like hamburgers and french fries in this country. Not solely due to their obvious huge male fanbases, but they have a huge crossover with the actual stars and starlets themselves, especially in Las Vegas. OTM's regular fight guru Brittney Skye is a well known adult film star, as well as one of TapouT's featured spokesmodels. She's also been a regular attendee at major MMA shows, such as the UFC, IFL, K-1, EliteXC, and both PRIDE shows in Las Vegas. Many people have been influenced by Brittney's devotion to the sport. Tracy Lee, owner of NapkinNights.com, began covering MMA events and afterparties after Brittney introduced her to the sport. She can now be seen giving regular media coverage to the sport at the actual events and the ensuing afterparties. Jenna Jameson ended up meeting her current boyfriend Tito Ortiz, while attending a UFC event with Brittney's encouragement. Meanwhile, Brittney's other close friends who are also porn stars, such as Nadia Styles, Lanny Barby, Shyla Stylez, Gina Lynn, and Teagan Presley, are now all avid fans and advocates of MMA as well.

So this weekend as it's done in early January every year, the who's who of the porn industry and many other industries, such as MMA, will be partying it up on the Strip and putting the "sin" in Sin City, as they honor the porn industry's best and brightest talent in nearly 100 categories. The AVN's are commonly referred to as the "Oscars" of porn as some of these categories are analogous to industry awards offered in other film and video genres, while other AVN awards are specific to pornographic film and video. Below are the 2008 nominees for some of the main awards on Saturday night.

Best Actor, Film
Marcos Leon, Layout, Vivid Entertainment Group
Marty Romano, Flasher, Vivid Entertainment Group
Rod Fontana, Sex & Violins, Vivid Entertainment Group
Steven St. Croix, Sex & Violins, Vivid Entertainment Group
Tom Byron, Layout, Vivid Entertainment Group

Best Actor, Video
Barrett Blade, Nowhere Angels, Cal Vista/Metro
Brad Armstrong, Coming Home, Wicked Pictures
Chris Cannon, Dolores of My Heart, Pulpo Inc.
Derrick Pierce, Upload, SexZ Pictures
Evan Stone, Pulp Friction, Adam & Eve Pictures
Herschel Savage, Delilah, Wicked Pictures
Justin Slayer, Merc, Justin Slayer/Evil Angel
Mike Horner, Not the Brady's XXX, X-Play/Hustler Video
Nick Manning, Spunk'd the Movie, 6969 Entertainment
Randy Spears, Black Widow, Wicked Pictures
Rocco Siffredi, Fashionistas Safado: Berlin, Evil Angel
Steven St. Croix, Operation: Desert Stormy, Wicked Pictures
Tony De Sergio, Black Worm, Pulpo Inc.
Tony Pounds, American Dream, Vivid Entertainment Group
Voodoo, Insertz, Sinsation Pictures/Wicked Pictures

Best Actress, Film
Briana Banks, Layout, Vivid Entertainment Group
Penny Flame, Layout, Vivid Entertainment Group
Roxy Jezel, Sex & Violins, Vivid Entertainment Group
Savanna Samson, Flasher, Vivid Entertainment Group
Stefani Morgan, Debbie Does Dallas... Again, Vivid Entertainment Group

Best Actress, Video
Brianna Love, Brianna Love: Her Fine Sexy Self, John Leslie/Evil Angel
Carmen Hart, Just Between Us, Wicked Pictures
Carmen Luvana, Lady Scarface, Adam & Eve Pictures
Eva Angelina, Upload, SexZ Pictures
Hillary Scott, Not the Brady's XXX, X-Play/Hustler Video
Jenna Jameson, Janine Loves Jenna, Club Jenna/Vivid
Jessica Drake, Delilah, Wicked Pictures
Kaylani Lei, Candelabra, Wicked Pictures
Kirsten Price, Coming Home, Wicked Pictures
Lorena Sanchez, Black Worm, Pulpo Inc.
Roxy Jezel, For Love, Money or a Green Card, Wicked Pictures
Savanna Samson, Stood Up, Vivid Entertainment Group
Simone Valentino, Afrodite Superstar, Femme Chocolat/Adam & Eve Pictures
Stormy Daniels, Black Widow, Wicked Pictures
Tory Lane, Outkast, Sin City

Best Male Newcomer
Alan Stafford
Alex Gonz
Charles Dera
J-Mac
Jordan Ash
Justice Young
Mikey Butders
Shorty Mac

Best New Starlet
Alexis Love
Alexis Texas
Ashlynn Brooke
Audrey Bitoni
Bree Olson
Casey Parker
Lela Star
Lorena Sanchez
Maya Hills
Natasha Nice
Paulina James
Renae Cruz
Shay Jordan
Tera Wray
Veronique Vega

Female Foreign Performer of the Year
Baroka Balls
Caylian Curtis
Clara G
Diana Doll
Divinity Love
Isabel Ice
Liliane Tiger
Melissa Lauren
Monica Mattos
Nikki Rider
Nikky Blond
Oksana
Suzie Diamond
Tarra White
Yasmine

Female Performer of the Year
Amy Ried
Annette Schwarz
Brianna Love
Courtney Cummz
Hillary Scott
Jada Fire
Jenna Haze
Jesse Jane
Kirsten Price
Monique Alexander
Rebeca Linares
Sasha Grey
Savanna Samson
Stormy Daniels
Sunny Lane

Male Foreign Performer of the Year
David Perry
Franco Roccaforte
Frank Major
Greg Centauro
Ian Scott
James Brossman
Jazz Duro
Joachim Kessef
Kid Jamaica
Mick Blue
Nacho Vidal
Omar Galanti
Steve Holmes
Toni Ribas
Zenza Raggi

Male Performer of the Year
Charlie Macc
Dirty Harry
Erik Everhard
Evan Stone
James Deen
Jean Val Jean
Manuel Ferrara
Marco Banderas
Mark Wood
Mr. Marcus
Mr. Pete
Nick Manning
Randy Spears
Shane Diesel
Tommy Gunn