Two featherweights looking to get back into the title picture will square off at UFC 145 when Mark Hominick takes on Eddie Yagin.
Hominick—a well-known commodity amongst fans, after his impressive showing against Jose Aldo at UFC 129—is one of the best strikers in the division. Possessing some of the best technical skills on the feet, Hominick is dangerous as long as the fight remains upright.
As good as his striking is, it was Hominick’s undoing in his last bout against Chan-Sung Jung. The Canadian overcommitted on his first combination and was decked by Jung. The loss came only seven seconds into the bout.
Now, Hominick will look to reassert himself in the featherweight rankings and look towards a rematch with Aldo.
Yagin, on the other hand, is a name few MMA fans know. The former X-1 and Tachi Palace featherweight champion is only in his second UFC appearance but has been in the fight game for over a decade.
A good grappler in his own right, Yagin was outdone by BJJ black belt Junior Assuncao in his UFC debut. Yagin showed a great deal of patience in the bout, which could be his Achilles’ heel in the bout with Hominick.
If Yagin chooses to attempt to counter Hominick’s strikes, he’s going to be in for a long night. Hominick’s striking is crisp and leaves very few holes. Yagin won’t want to stay back and let Hominick dictate how the fight plays out.
Yagin has a number of paths to take in order to get Hominick away from using his kickboxing skills. He could turn it into a brawl and attempt to land a big punch or he can take the fight to the mat. Grappling with Hominick is no picnic as the Canadian is well versed on the ground as well.
I see this fight playing out with Hominick peppering Yagin with punches and kicks, while preventing the takedowns. Hominick may not be highly ranked, but let’s not forget this is a guy who went through a hellacious five-round war with one of the top pound-for-pound stars in Aldo.
Prediction: Hominick via Unanimous Decision.
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