The City of New Bedford Parks Recreation & Beaches has announced it will offer a lifeguard training program in partnership with the Friends of Fall River Heritage State Park and the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation.

The program will train participants in American Red Cross lifeguarding, first aid, Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) for the professional lifeguard, and automatic external defibrillation (AED).  The program will consist of in-class lessons as well as water-based training.  Classroom hours will be held at New Bedford’s Fort Taber Community Center and pool hours will be held at the New Bedford High School pool.

All youth must be 15 years of age or older prior to April 15, 2012 to participate in the lifeguard training.  There is a $225 registration fee to participate.  A pre-requisite swim test will be held on Sunday, March 4^th at 12:30pm at the New Bedford High School pool.  This swim test will test participant’s endurance, strength and ability to swim underwater.   Upon successfully completing the pre-requisite swim test, participants will be invited to register for the training program.

Lifeguard Training Program Schedule

Classroom Sessions/Pool Sessions

March 4 (pre-requisite swim test)

March 10/March 11

March 17/March 18

March 24/March 25

March 31/April 1

April 14/April 15

*All sessions are 12:30pm-3:30pm

For more information, please contact the City of New Bedford Parks, Recreation & Beaches at (508) 961-3015.

Gung Hay Fat Choy!

January 23rd, 2012 rings in the Year of the Dragon in the Chinese New Year. This is the most important of Chinese holidays celebrated by more than a billion people worldwide. The festivities begin on the new moon and last 15 days culminating with the Lantern Festival on the full moon.

Before the arrival of the Chinese New Year, homes are thoroughly cleaned to sweep away ill fortune and welcome good luck. Families will gather on New Year’s Eve to begin the celebration with sumptuous feasts and greet the year with fireworks at midnight. It is also customary to open all doors and windows at midnight to let out any bad spirits left over from the previous year.

In the days that follow, there are festive dance parades and children receive money in red envelopes. Red symbolizes fire, which, according to legend, can drive away bad luck. Food is symbolic also, and in the first five days long noodles are eaten to symbolize long life. On the 15th day, round dumplings shaped like full moons are shared as a sign of family unity and perfection. Oranges and tangerines are also featured as symbols of abundance and happiness.

Legend has it that in ancient times, Buddha called all the animals to meet him on Chinese New Year. Twelve animals came and Buddha named a year after each one. He announced that people born in each animal year would have some of that animal’s personality. The Chinese believe that the animal that rules the year you were born will influence your life. Dragon years are greeted with some trepidation and generally thought to be exciting but unpredictable. The dragon is a symbol of big things to come.

Those born under the sign of the dragon are thought to be colorful and confident. They are innovative, brave and passionate. Some famous people born under the Year of the Dragon are Joan of Arc, John Lennon, Sandra Bullock, Salvador Dali and Mr. Rogers.

Locally, for those of you wanting to celebrate Chinese New Year, head to Chinatown in Boston on Sunday, January 29th from 11am-5pm for the Chinese New Year Parade and enjoy the festivities and maybe some dim sum. Oh, and if you don’t know what to wear, I’d suggest something red!

Downtown New Bedford has become a Mecca for artists and art galleries in Southeastern Massachusetts. Just about every street downtown has at least one gallery on it. There are five galleries on William Street alone!

The problem most galleries have is getting foot-traffic, especially in a tough economy. Simply put, an art gallery can’t survive without foot-traffic or without customers purchasing art on a regular basis. Independent artist will have little success selling art without his or her art in a gallery.

Last February, we launched our first online art gallery for established galleries and non-established, independent artists. NewBedfordGuide.com reaches over 90,000 people through our website and  New Bedford Guide Facebook page. On average, a photo or painting reaches 1,100+ people on Facebook within a few days. Check out our statistics slide show here below.

Today, we are launching a beta version of our online art portal (http://www.newbedfordguide.com/art-portal) where buyers can browse, search and subscribe, and artists can list their own art for sale. The art portal is for testing only right now. Feedback should be sent to info@newbedfordguide.com. Photographers, this will be the basis of the photography portal.

New Bedford Guide is recruiting art galleries and independent artists to place their art in the online art gallery when it goes live later in May on a listing fee or commission basis. If you’d like to list your art in the gallery fill out this form or email us at nbgarts@gmail.com, and we will contact you. Once approved, we will provide you the permission to upload your art to the portal.

Features List

• The main art portal has a filter system that allows visitors to narrow down their search by art category, price, artist and location.
• Artists can manage their own art work by adding their art with price and other details. The art will be displayed for browsing on the main art portal and in the individual artist’s page.
• Artists get their own Artist Page to direct potential customers to view their work.
• Visitors can commission artists through the artist’s individual page
• The subscription service allows people to get notifications when new art is uploaded based on their subscription preferences. Registered users can subscribe to a specific artist and/or specific categories of art.

Here are some benefits of listing your art in the online gallery:

• Your art will be listed on one of the most popular websites in south coast Massachusetts.
• Your art will be uploaded to a gallery on the the New Bedford Guide Facebook page (Nearly 5k active fans, 90,000+ reach in Southcoast, MA)
• You will be able to sell the art, digital downloads, prints and framed prints.
• Your art will be found in Google images from buyers around the world.
• Your brick and mortar gallery address and contact details will be promoted to thousands of potential local customers.
• We will help you get your art in local coffee shops, restaurants and other businesses.
• Customers can hire you on a commission basis.

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Art on our Facebook reaching over 1,100 people with 27 comments.

Art on our Facebook reaching over 1,100 people with 66 likes.

Sample artist page

Statistics and demographics

Sample portal

Betsey B. Winslow Elementary School was selected as the first winner this year of the Recycling Champions Contest at last week’s School Committee meeting.

A total of $8,500 has been awarded over the past three years to New Bedford schools with outstanding recycling programs.

Paula Bailey, principal at Winslow leads the recycling efforts.  “Having a motivated leader like Mrs. Bailey is very instrumental to the success of a school recycling program,” notes Meg Hebert, District Recycling Assistant.

Each applicant had to meet both basic criteria and two of the elective criteria.  The basic criteria required the school to recycle paper, cans, bottles and cardboard.  “Our students have been educated regarding the importance of recycling.  In fact, students have been given classroom jobs to empty bins and are happy to be a part of it” said Mrs. Bailey.

Winslow School met the elective criteria by recycling printer cartridges and collecting clothes from the school community to donate to Gifts to Give.  Mrs. Bailey also encourages students to recycle on morning announcements, through staff meetings and signs posted throughout the school.

“Recycling at school has made a positive difference in our learning environment and we are continuing to teach the students all of the benefits of recycling because it has an even greater impact in the world that we live in” said Mrs. Bailey.

Winslow School will receive $500 and recycling themed books.

This year, eleven schools met the criteria for the contest including nine elementary schools and two of the middle schools – Roosevelt and Normandin Middle Schools.  Additional monthly winners will be selected randomly February through June.

The City of New Bedford has issued a citywide snow emergency parking ban to take effect in New Bedford as of 2:00 a.m., early on Saturday morning January 21, 2012.  The citywide parking ban will remain in effect for 48-hours thereafter, unless lifted or further extended by City officials. The parking ban is designed to allow City workers to efficiently remove snow from New Bedford roadways to allow public safety vehicles and residents to travel safely.

The National Weather Service in Taunton has issued a Winter Weather Advisory for snow in effect from 2:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Saturday.

While the snow emergency parking ban is in effect, parking is permitted on the side of the street that is opposite the fire hydrants.  No vehicle should be parked on the same side of the street as a fire hydrant, except on streets that are regularly posted for parking on one side of the street only.  In posted areas, residents are to obey the signs as usual.

A double-sided parking ban will also take effect in both the Acushnet Avenue Business District and the Downtown Business District as of 2:00 a.m., on Saturday, January 21, 2012.  This double-sided parking ban will be lifted as soon as these business districts have been cleared.  Downtown parking is available at no charge in the Elm Street and the Zeiterion Parking Garages.

Violations of this parking regulation will be subject to ticketing at $50 per ticket and towing at full cost to the owner of the vehicle towed. The vehicle owner is also responsible for the full cost of storage for any towed vehicle.

The following areas have been designated as preferred parking areas for those residents in need of off-street parking while the emergency snow parking ban is in effect:

• Victory Park – Brock Avenue
• Hazelwood Park – Brock Avenue
• Roosevelt Middle School – Brock Avenue and Dennis Street
• Cove Street Parking Lot – Cove Street and Morton Court
• Orchard Street at Shaw’s Soccer Field
• Congdon School – Thompson and Hemlock Street
• Buttonwood Park Parking Area – Hawthorn Street Side and Lake Street Side
• Coggeshall Street Parking Lot – Coggeshall Street and Acushnet Avenue
• Sawyer Street Parking Lot – Between Sawyer Street and Beetle Street
• Brooklawn Park Parking Area – Brooklawn Street (South Side)
• Normandin Middle School – Tarkiln Hill Road
• Jireh Swift School – Tarkiln Hill Road
• Campbell School – Phillips Road
• Ottiwell School – 26 Madeira Avenue
• Dunbar School – 338 Dartmouth Street
• Philips Avenue School – 249 Phillips Avenue
• Elm Street Garage
• Zeiterion Garage – 688 Purchase Street

UFC on FX 1 MAIN CARD
155#: Melvin Guillard (29-9-2) vs. Jim Miller (20-3) wins by Rear Naked Choke in RD1!
170#: Duane “Bang” Ludwig (22-11) vs. Josh Neer (32-10-1) wins by Front Naked Choke in RD1!
135#: Mike Easton (11-1) vs. Jared Papazian (14-6) wins by Majority Decision!
265#: Pat Barry (6-4) vs. Christian Morecraft (7-2) wins by KO in RD1!

PRELIMINARY BOUTS
185#: Jorge Rivera (19-9) vs. Eric Schafer (12-6-2) wins by TKO in RD2!
155#: Khabib Nurmagomedov (16-0) vs. Kamal Shalorus (7-1-2) wins by Rear Naked Choke in RD3!
185#: Charlie Brenneman (14-3) vs. Daniel Roberts (12-3) wins by Unanimous Decision!
155#: Fabricio Camoes (13-6-1) vs. Tommy Hayden (8-0) wins by Modified Rear Naked Choke in RD1!
145#: Daniel Pineda (15-7) vs. Pat Schilling (5-0) wins by Rear Naked Choke in RD1!
135#: Nick Denis (10-2) vs. Joseph Sandoval (6-1) wins by KO in RD1! (Elbows)

The Ultimate Fighting Championship’s inaugural event on FX channel takes place on January 20th at the Broadcast Arena in Nashville, Tennessee. The six preliminary bouts will be broadcast on FUEL TV beginning at 6pm before switching to the main event on FX at 9pm. Additionally, UFC on FX 1 weigh-ins will air live on FUEL TV at 5pm this Thursday, as will a post-fight show immediately following the main event.

Melvin Guillard vs Jim Miller
After gaining serious momentum by stringing together five wins in a row, Melvin Guillard was derailed by Massachusetts native Joe Lauzon by choke in 47 seconds at UFC 136 last October. Guillard who has most of his wins by way of TKO/KO prefers the striking game, which he has been most recognized for. He has however, shown a susceptibility to being submitted with 8 losses by way of submission.  He’ll certainly will want to get back on the winning track and will be under some pressure to do. He is not getting a break by any means against Jim Miller who has the majority of his wins by route of submission.

Guillard will have to avoid the ground at all costs, since the very powerful Miller only needs a moment to finish a fight. Miller himself had a 7 fight, 3 year win streak going before having it snapped by Ben Henderson at UFC Live 5 last August. In that bout Miller lost a unanimous decision in a fight where he never got going. Miller has striking prowess of his own and certainly won’t be adverse to trading kicks and punches with Guillard, but would be better suited to hit Guillard where he is weakest-the ground. This fight will simply come down to whether Guillard can quickly finish the fight before Miller attempts his takedowns or can simply stop Miller from taking him down in the first place. Both men are coming off of losses and will feel the pressure to not only pull of a win, but make a statement in doing so.

Duane Ludwig vs Josh Neer
Ex-kickboxer and UFC record holder for the quickest KO in just 4 seconds, Duane Ludwig is hoping to pull off another fast exciting KO over salty, tough veteran Josh Neer. Ludwig who is 4-2 in the UFC has spent his career going in and out of the UFC. He has fought for multiple organizations over his 12-year career and hoping this is his final destination. Here is a man who fought for a few hundred dollars when the UFC was just beginning. It certainly would be nice to see him garner some larger paydays.

In spite of his striking background, Ludwig has shown to be well-rounded with multiple submission wins. He will need to utilize his entire toolbox against Josh Neer. The dangerous, aggressive Neer has a finish rate of almost 80%, and can finish you with strikes or submissions. He is a gritty, aggressive, pressure fighter. Like Ludwig, Neer has been in and out of the UFC organization over his long 9 year career and also is on his last hurrah. His last bout in the UFC was at UFC 6 Live and was a TKO stoppage in RD 1 over Keith Wisniewski. Both men are finishers and will be making every attempt to steal the show and a Fight of the Night bonus. Don’t blink, or go to the fridge for a snack because this one won’t last long.

Mike Easton vs Jared Papazian
The Bantamweight class is known for being fast-paced and exciting. The Easton vs Papazian bout will showcase these common characteristics. Jared “The Jackhammer” Papazian is a  KOTC import – where he was Bantamweight Champion – and making his UFC debut,  winning his last 3 bouts, and 8 of his last 9. Papazian will want to tap into his athleticism, well-rounded, fast paced style to beat Easton and build on the win streak. Easton who has won his last 6 bouts, 4 by way of finish, left his Ultimate Warrior Challenge Bantamweight belt behind to make the move to the big show. In October at UFC Live 6 he TKO’d Byron Bloodworth with brutal knees and punches highlighting how dangerous of an opponent he is. Even though he has 4 TKO finishes, he is a Brazilian Jui Jitsu black belt under Lloyd Irvin and will gladly finish his opponents on the mat. He presents a real problem for anyone at Bantamweight and is certainly a fun person to watch. Stylistically these two ex-Bantamweight champions are similar and as past champions will be putting on as best a performance as they can to get a hold of a championship again.

Pat Barry vs Christian Morecraft
In the final main card bout, fan favorite Pat Barry faces Massachusetts native Christian Morecraft. Barry in spite of his 6-4 record seems to always put on an exciting show and is why he continues to be placed on the main card. Coming off of 2 losses by being choked out by Stefan Struve and being KO’d by Cheick Kongo (in a fight that looked like he was about to win), he will be under serious pressure to come out with a win or in all likelihood be cut from the UFC. The heavy-handed, light-hearted Barry seems to have too much fun in the ring and needs to take this bout very seriously. Morecraft, who also has a loss against Stefan Struve (by KO) is 1-2 in the organization and will be under similar pressure to rack up a win. The well-rounded Morecraft has both submissions and TKOs on his record, and win or lose has never heard a judge’s decision. He leaves it all in the ring and prefers to go out on his shield. I expect these two to stand in the center of the ring and pound away until someone falls.

What are your picks for UFC on FX? Who do you think will come away with the bonuses of Fight of the Night, Submission of the Night, and KO of the Night? Will Barry be back to winning form?

If I asked you what the number one cause of death for all women in America is, what would you answer?

I’m betting a large number of you answered “breast cancer.”  Am I right? October glows pink with ribbons, coffee cups, and (strangely) football gear to raise awareness for breast cancer research and education.  I’m also betting that very few of you out there answered “heart disease.”  Gold stars to those of you who answered correctly.

Picture the women in your life.  A quarter of them are at risk of dying of heart disease.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention lists heart disease as the number one cause of death for all women of all ages.  Twenty-five percent of women in America die of heart disease every year.  The heart disease spectrum is broad, but dangerous: high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart attack, and stroke all contribute to the deaths of twenty five percent of women.  Since women often experience different symptoms of heart disease than men do, they are less likely to seek treatment and more likely to suffer the negative consequences of heart disease.  Many women don’t even know what the symptoms of heart disease are.  The American Heart Association (AHA) wants to change that.

February has been designated American Heart Month by a number of governmental agencies in an attempt to raise awareness of the dangers heart disease poses.  The American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women campaign works specifically to inform women of the risks of heart disease through outreach, events, and Wear Red Day, this year February 3rd.  The goal of Go Red for Women is to encourage awareness and education amongst women and to save lives.

Here in Greater New Bedford, Pauline Pavao has spearheaded the effort to raise awareness about heart disease and women.  A longtime Dartmouth resident, Mrs. Pavao was inspired by her parents’ deaths of heart disease to do something to educate others before they lost loved ones like she did, completely unaware that heart disease was slowly killing the people she held dearest.

For the past two years, Mrs. Pavao has organized The Red Dress Ball, a formal dinner dance to raise money for the American Heart Association’s education and awareness efforts.  The Red Dress Ball has raised nearly $24,000 in those two years alone for the AHA.  Mrs. Pavao hopes this year to raise $15,000 through ticket sales and donations.

This year, the Red Dress Ball will be held Saturday, February 4th at 6:30 pm at White’s of Westport. There will be a cocktail hour, dinner, fashion show, dancing, and silent auction.  Tickets are $50 and are available until Friday, January 27th.  For tickets, donations, or more information, contact Mrs. Pauline Pavao by email at reddressball@yahoo.com or phone (508-997-7124). Additional information and photos visit the Red Dress Ball’s official website at thereddressball.com.

Want still more information about heart disease? Talk to your doctor or check out these websites:

• Go Red For Women
• The Center for Disease Control

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This Sunday at 3pm EST the Baltimore Raven’s will face off against the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship game. The winner moves on to play in the Super Bowl and the loser gets to watch the Super Bowl from the couch. The game also has consequences for two small, regional cafes.

Richard Romero, the owner of Mirasol’s Cafe, has put out a challenge to Zeke’s Coffee Shop in Baltimore, Maryland. Zeke’s accepted the challenge.

The losing team’s cafe must were the winning team’s gear (shirts, face-paint, pants, etc.) for a full week beginning on Sunday, January 29th through the conclusion of the Superbowl. The losing team’s misery doesn’t stop there. A picture of the losing team wearing the gear will be taken and displayed in both cafes until the start of next year’s NFL playoffs. Additionally, Mirasol’s has agreed to serve Zeke’s purple blended drink (their tribute to the Ravens) for the week leading up to the Superbowl.

There is an escape clause for the losing cafe that will benefit a local charity. If the losing team raises $500 from donations before the end of the painful week, and sends it to the winning team’s charity of choice, the losing team can STOP wearing the offensive shirts and donate the gear to the winning teams local Boys & Girl’s Club. Mirasol’s Cafe has selected is the Dartmouth Education Foundation as their charity. We are still waiting on Zeke’s Coffee for their charity selection.

If you’d like to back Mirasol’s Cafe and pledge some financial support, you can contact Richard Romero at info@mirasolscafe.com. If you’d like to talk smack head over to Zeke’s Facebook.

The New Bedford Crawler Series: New Bedford as seen by the people who live and work there.

By this time some of us have reservations about the New Years resolutions we made. About this time we start to realize that we might fall a little short on our promise to lose 40 pounds by February 1st or clean out the cellar enough to turn it into a weight room by March.

Occasionally, though, you might meet someone who has made a resolution and stuck with it. More rarely, someone who has stuck with one for a lifetime.

Roger Chartier’s resolution was made after his divorce from his first wife.

“I made it a point to live a life with as much adventure as possible and do as many interesting things as I possibly could,” claims Roger; who is a musician, DJ, webmaster, writer and resident of New Bedford, MA.

No doubt Roger continues to follow his goal. He has traveled the world including China. His current wife is from China and they have a condo in Shanghia. He plays at least a dozen different musical instruments. He has 14 websites available online and maintains with five blogs. He received his pilot’s license in 1992.

A typical work day for Roger starts with a trip upstairs to his home office. He spends hours each day working on his blogs and websites, including www.whalingcity.net, a site devoted to detailing the history New Bedford. Roger meticulously adds information to this website, filling in details in a chronologically ordered list of events.

“I put way too much time into it,” claims Roger, “I just can’t help myself with the history thing. I was taking a journalism course at the Standard Times. Just for fun I took the course with my brother-in-law Jim Donnelly. Jim and I had a conversation about New Bedford, during which I expressed some frustration with the current state of the city. By the time I got home that night, though, I had started thinking about the reasons that I had put together my two CD’s of Sea Shanty songs.” (Some of the lyrics of the songs refer to New Beford history.) “I thought about the past and the glory of New Bedford. I thought I had better open my mind.”

Roger started writing about New Bedford’s history, starting from tales of Norse appearances in the area to the establishment of a fortification on Cuttyhunk Island by Bartholomew Gosnold and the trading at Smoking Rock.

“It is an enormous amount of information,” claims Roger.

“Besides the chronological history, there are also biographies of New Bedford historical figures and videos,” Roger adds. In spite of this, Roger claims that he is just getting started. “It kills me not to be able to add information about surrounding areas such as Fairhaven.” But Roger wants to keep his website specific to New Bedford.

Roger’s sources for the website include his extensive library of historical books including selections from the 1800’s and historical navigational charts from the 1700’s and 1800’s. Chartier’s online accessibility results in some interesting debates with others who are interested in local history. When I interviewed Roger for this article he was negotiating with another local historian about whether King Philip’s (a native American) wife and son were once held on Palmer’s Island. According to Roger’s website, captured Indians were held on the island garrison during “King Philip’s War,” a conflict between settlers and the Wampanoag Indians. Most were later sold as slaves in the West Indies.

When Roger finaly makes it out of his office and into the sunshine, he’s ready to jump on his Goldwing motorcycle, ready for the day’s adventure.

He might be traveling to one of his music performances at senior centers, nightclubs, lounges, adult day care centers, nursing homes or restaurants. Within a fifty-mile radius of Roger’s home, Roger estimates there are about six hundred potential venues for him to play. He usually plays guitar and sings with recorded tracks in self-accompanyment. Roger is capable of a wide range of styles, including Beatles, roaring 20’s, standards, swing or Hawaiian steel guitar.

“I have been doing it all of my life.” Roger says. “ I am always learning new songs.”

Or Roger might be heading off to a wedding to be a disc jockey. He has a special trailer that can be hitched to the motorcycle.

Alternatively, Roger might be heading with his wife to one of his favorite historical hideouts. His father and grandfather were also interested in history and they taught him several things about local history and showed Roger a few local historical spots while he was growing up. Roger hints that besides King Phillip’s cave, there may be other spots unknown to the public waiting to be rediscovered.

Roger has also been a photographer. He worked as an audio technician for Fox and ESPN. He has worked as a talent agent and had his own sound company. He ran a nightclub in the 1990’s. His writings include everything from the historical “Crew of the Essex” to some humorous and outrageous stories he has written under a pseudonym. He played in bands until the 1980’s.

We can probably trace Roger’s talent for chronicling history to his excellent memory for dates. Roger remembers the time of the day he bought his first guitar.

“It was Saturday, March 15th, 1965 at 2:00 PM. I was 14 years old.”

“If I see a guitar, I get an itch right here.” Roger claims, pointing to his palm. He cannot resist the temptation to pick it up and play.

Is there some secret to having the time to do a miraculous number of things in one lifetime?

“I don’t waste much time. I probably have watched a total of two hours of television programs in the past month,” claims Roger. It would be safe to assume that this has afforded him more time for other things.

Roger mentions that he is goal oriented. “I manage to get there.”

I guess that Roger knows where “there” is for himself. I’m sure that many of us would like to know where that is for ourselves. Perhaps then we could cycle off to that place post-haste.

UFC 142 MAIN CARD
145#: Jose Aldo (21-1) vs. Chad Mendes (11-1) wins by KO in RD1!
185#: Vitor Belfort (21-9) vs. Anthony Johnson (10-4) wins by Rear Naked Choke in RD1!
185#: Rousamir Palhares (23-3) vs. Mike Massenzio (13-6) wins by Heelhook in RD1!
170#: Erick Silva (13-2) vs. Carlo Prater (30-10-1) wins by Disqualification (Punches to the back of the head)!
155#: Edson Barboza (10-0) vs. Terry Etim (15-4) wins by spinning wheel kick in RD3!

PRELIMINARY BOUTS (On FX @ 8 P.M. EST)
155#: Thiago Tavares (21-4-1) vs. Sam Stout (18-7-1) wins by Unanimous Decision!
265#: Gabriel Gonzaga (13-6) vs. Ednaldo Oliveira (13-1-1) wins by Rear Naked Choke in RD1!
145#: Yuri Alcantara (26-3) vs. Michihiro Omigawa (13-11-1) wins by Unanimous Decision!
170#: Ricardo Funch (8-3) vs. Mike Pyle (22-8-1) wins by TKO in RD1!

PRELIMINARY BOUTS (On Facebook @ 6 P.M. EST)
145#: Felipe Arantes (14-4) vs. Antonio Carvalho (13-5) wins by Unanimous Decision!

Jose Aldo vs. Chad Mendes
In the main event, undefeated “wrestler” Chad Mendes is facing Featherweight champ Jose Aldo in what is sure to be a classic striker versus grappler match-up. The Brazilian Aldo, who is a WEC alumni, has been terrorizing the division with his lethal striking.

Twelve of his twenty wins have been by KO or TKO. Since moving to the UFC early in 2011, he has had two bouts, both of which went by way of decision. Many critics are wondering if the step up in competition has dulled his striking prowess. He will certainly be compelled to make a statement by working strenuously for a finish Saturday night. Having the characteristically raucous Brazilian crowd backing him up will certainly help motivate him in that direction.

The American Chad Mendes has won all eleven of his bouts by imposing his wrestling excellence on his opponents. He uses just enough striking to set up his takedowns and grinds out wins. Many critics find his style similar to Jon Fitch who has a grinding, outworking, decision style of fight. Mendes’ wrestling career began in high school and culminated in garnering All-American status in 2006 and being voted 2008’s Pac-10 wrestler of the year. He is certainly the best wrestler that Aldo has faced and inversely Aldo is the best striker that Mendes has faced..

This battle should come down to which person executes his game plan. Aldo in the early stages of the fight needs to strike Mendes’ legs causing enough damage that it interferes with Mendes’ ability to shoot single and double legs. He also must not plant and throw combos early on, which will only assist Mendes in his take-down attempts. He needs to take potshots, while executing the kicks to Mendes’ thighs. When Mendes shoots for take-downs Aldo must make him pay in the transitions. In the middle rounds with Mendes’ legs in pain and weakened, and psychologically fatigued from failed take-down attempts, Aldo can then take more risks, plant his base and begin to fire combinations and work towards his desired finish.

Mendes’ game plan is to have early success with his grappling. Getting a take-down early on would be an excellent indicator of how the fight will unfold. Mendes success will hinge on making Aldo grapple and fatigue his arms in the process. So if a take-down fails, as long as Mendes’ can get to the clinch or against the cage where he can pummel and burn Aldo’s arms out in the process, weakening his punching power, it will contribute to his Mendes’ game plan. As Aldo pulls away from the clinches, Mendes needs to strike in combination in the transitions as he has had success with in the past. This transition strategy is where Mendes’ needs to be to win the fight. In the middle to later rounds, Mendes’ will have increasingly more success with his take-downs and can work his ground and pound en route to a decision or finish.

Anthony Johnson vs. Vitor Belfort
In the Anthony Johnson vs Vitor Belfort fight, you have a young, athletic, and huge Anthony Johnson against the older, heavy-handed veteran Vitor Belfort. 2004 NCJAA Champ, Johnson who has spent his UFC career campaigning at Welterweight (170 lbs) with much success has decided that his typical weight cut of approximately 50 lbs is too much so is debuting at Middleweight (185 lbs) for the first time. He has failed to make weight twice by 5 lbs, and as a Facebook follower, the last week of extreme weight cutting is a frightening thing to behold someone go through. Though a “wrestler” Johnson spends his time in the octagon striking. 70% of his wins have come by way of KO/TKO. His size, speed, and athleticism are his best weapons. Having to cut less weight should on paper, be a boost for him psychologically and physically.

Vitor Belfort made his UFC debut in 1997 at UFC 12 and is famous for his highlight KOs. However, his criticism is that if the fight does’nt go his way, he wilts and wilts fast. Like Johnson, most of his wins (14 of 20) have come by way of KO/TKO and he has very heavy, fast hands. Vitor is incredibly dangerous in the first minutes of the fight, but fades as the fight goes on as is evidenced by the majority of his KOs coming in the first round, only 2 in the second round, and none in the third. Expect some fireworks in the first round as both men battle for control.

Don’t be surprised if Vitor gets a fast, quick KO or if Johnson gets a TKO in the second or third.

Rousimar Palhares vs Mike Massenzio
Big strong, slightly unstable, leg lock master Rousimar Palhares is facing veteran, tough as nails Mike Massenzio. Massenzio seems to be stricken with the big fight “curse” losing every fight against top opponents. He can’t let his nervousness get the best of him. In the past, Palhares has continued to crank a leg lock, even after his opponent has tapped and even after a referee has told him to relent. He has even continued when referees have physically gotten involved and prying at his hands to get him to release. Massenzio is 2-3 in the UFC and unfortunately with his nerves is under a lot of pressure to win and win big. Massenzio will need to put on the best performance of his life to win.

Erick Silva vs. Carlo Prater
Brazilian submission specialist Erick Silva exploded on the scene with his UFC debut with his brutal 40-second KO of Luis Ramos at UFC 134 in August 2011. He was the topic of discussion all over the chat boards. 13-1, Silva has 10 finishes and has the style that fans like to watch. All eyes are on him for another highlight performance as he takes on fellow Brazilian and salty dog Carlo Prater. Prater is on a four fight win streak, all finishes. He has the experience, is more well-rounded and will present a lot of problems for Silva. This fight has all the makings of an upset. Of course, Prater and his fans won’t see it as an upset since he has all the tools to win. However, it remains to be seen how Prater performs as he took this fight on short notice. This fight is the dark horse fight of the night, and could very well come way with Fight of the Night, KO of the Night, or Submission of the Night honors.

Edson Barboza vs. Terry Etim
In a Brazilian vs Brit match-up, we have the very heavy handed Brazilian Edson Barboza against the more well rounded Brit Terry Etim. Barboza, who was a kick boxer before transitioning to MMA, has had 22 of his 25 wins come by way of KO/TKO. Six of his nine wins in MMA have come by KO, but he has yet to finish a high-level opponent since coming to the UFC. While Etim has dangerous, and in my opinion, underrated striking, it is Barboza that has the far more dangerous power. Either man can finish with strikes in a “stand in the middle and bang it out” type of fight. However, Etim’s ace up his sleeves is his submission game, winning 3 submission of the night bonuses in his last 3 wins in the UFC. Etim will need to strike to set up his take-downs, but strategically even though he can win a stand up battle, it would be more prudent for him to get the fight to the ground at some point.

Expect this fight not to last and vie for KO/Sub of the night honors.

Come back to this article to get live updates on the results. I will also answer any questions during the broadcast for those who have them.