When Mark Hominick announced his retirement following a UFC 154 loss to Pablo Garza, many MMA fans (myself included) were left somewhat disappointed.
A former featherweight title challenger, Hominick was (and is) greatly respected in MMA circles for his crisp boxing and phenomenal speed. Somewhere along the lines, he seemed to simply lose his step and fall behind his 145-pound companions.
There is no doubt that the death of his trainer, Shawn Tompkins, played a part in his demise, but the resulting slide to mediocrity was no less painful to endure because of this fact.
Despite this obvious hardship, Hominick had a phenomenal career. He challenged some of the best fighters in the world for its duration—a rare and coveted opportunity.
From former WEC featherweight champion Mike Brown to current UFC champion and No. 1 ranked featherweight in the world Jose Aldo, Hominick can hold his head high and say he challenged the best of the best over the course of his career.
To the delight of MMA fans, Hominick is not shy about opening up on these opponents, and he revealed some interesting inside information in a recent interview with cagepotato.com.
Concerning Jose Aldo, Hominick said:
It was like he had two fists in one. When he hit with his right hand, he hit like a heavyweight. And his explosiveness, that was the biggest difference, I noticed. I’m normally good with distance and being able to fade from a shot, but he can close the distance with not just speed, but with power.
Jose Aldo was the first guy to really drop me in my career. I fought 25 kickboxing bouts, never got dropped — ever — and he dropped me, I think, three times in the fight. That’s how hard he hits.
As many fans and critics suspect, Jose Aldo is scary good, and Hominick confirms that at length in the interview.
In addition to his praise for the Brazilian sensation, Hominick talks about his speediest opponent, his best win, his worst loss and more.
For the full scoop, be sure to check out the interview in its entirety.
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