UFC Featherweight Championship bout: Jose Aldo vs. Mark Hominick
Odds: (-550 Aldo /+325 Hominick )
Betting Pick: ALDO
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In the semi-main event, Featherweight phenom Jose Aldo makes his UFC debut as he tries to become the inaugural UFC Featherweight Champion against top contender Mark Hominick. Hominick is a very skilled and well-rounded fighter, but Aldo had WEC’s Featherweight division in a chokehold with his amazing mix of striking and defensive grappling, so Hominick is going to need to find a way to take Aldo off his game if he wants to avoid being the latest entry on Aldo’s ever-growing highlight reel.
Mark “The Machine” Hominick is undeniably one of the world’s better Featherweights, with a very effective and versatile offensive skill set. He is a very aggressive fighter who keeps up a relentless pace and mixes technical and powerful striking with very good submissions. He isn’t a dominant wrestler but he is definitely competent and has good takedown defense. The only real hole in his game is his submission defense, which is responsible for the majority of the losses in his career. Hominick can compete with anyone standing or on the ground, but against Aldo he will probably want to try to close the distance on the feet and work in the clinch or try to get this fight on the ground in order to neutralize Aldo’s dominant striking, especially his leg kicks.
Jose Aldo absolutely tore through WEC’s 145 pound division, completely overwhelming opponents with dominant striking. He has great punching with good accuracy, hand speed, and power to go along with some of the best kicks in the sport. He mixes his punching and leg kicks up very nicely, and that makes it difficult for opponents to defend either since he is so good at exploiting any hole he is given. His offensive ground game has not been displayed that much because he so easily outstrikes most of his opponents, but he has great takedown and submission defense and his ability to punish opponents’ legs tends to take a lot of effectiveness off their takedown attempts.
Jose Aldo has made pretty much everyone he has fought in the last few years look like an amateur, and I don’t see how Hominick is going to be any exception. To beat Aldo, it is going to take someone with good enough striking to hold him off on the feet and dominant enough wrestling to keep him grounded for the majority of the fight, and Hominick doesn’t have either. In a five round fight, I don’t think Hominick is going to be able to keep Aldo from chopping his legs out from under him in the early rounds and then jumping all over him once his movement is limited. Aldo will be able to keep this fight standing, and in the striking game he will demolish Hominick. Aldo by T/KO.
Prediction: Jose Aldo via third round T/KO.
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