UFC 140 preview: Hominick vs. Jung
Mark Hominick (20-9) vs. Chan Sung Jung (11-3)
Fresh off a gutsy performance in one of the year's most thrilling fights, Ontario native Hominick competes for the first time since the tragic death of his longtime coach and mentor, Shawn Tompkins, as he takes on crowd-pleasing South Korean showman Jung.
Hominick, 29, lost a courageous unanimous decision to pound-for-pound wrecking machine Jose Aldo at UFC 129 in April in Toronto. Despite coming out on the losing end, Hominick showcased his will and toughness by fighting through a hematoma that was an aesthetic nightmare and battering the Brazilian for five full minutes in the last round.
Based at Adrenaline Training Center in London, Ontario, Hominick holds notable wins over Yves Edwards, Jorge Gurgel, Yves Jabouin, Leonard Garcia and George Roop. The dynamic kickboxer has developed his submission skills over the years, and he's now armed with a dangerous ground game to complement his technically consummate strikes.
Hominick has gone through an up-and-down year with the birth of his first child and untimely passing of Tompkins, a key member of the Canadian mixed martial arts community. With training partners such as Sam Stout and Chris Horodecki rallying behind him, Hominick is ready to make another run for the title.
Jung, 24, avenged a controversial split decision loss to Garcia in his UFC debut by submitting him with a twister this past March. The taekwondo black belt has become a fan favorite since entering the promotion, willingly standing and trading punches in the center of the Octagon.
This crowd-pleasing strategy ultimately led to his downfall in his fight against Roop, but the Korean Top Team product is unlikely to change his style anytime soon.
If Hominick uses his killer instinct to target the finish, he could put Jung away. However, he should elect to tactically break the South Korean down, leaving him bruised and battered after three hellacious rounds.
Verdict: Hominick via decision
