Mark Hominick talks WEC 51
Mark Hominick is not only one of Canada’s best fighters; he is one of the best fighters in the world. Hominick has never backed down from a fight and he has even stepped up in weight class just so that he could fight the best competition that mixed martial arts have to offer. We recently sat down with Hominick to discuss his current training camp as well as his thoughts about his upcoming opponent Leonard Garcia at WEC 51 plus his thoughts on fighting at the mile high altitude of Denver, Colorado.
What got you started in MMA?
Hominick: I got started through my school gym class. Then I went down to a local martial arts studio, took a class and signed up that night. Then I started to compete in Jiu Jitsu and I was hooked.
How is your training camp going for Leonard Garcia?
Hominick: I’m just picking it up now. I am one those guys where I am always in the gym, so it is not like I go from zero to one hundred. The last week and a half I have really picked up my sparring. I think that is key, to get in a lot of rounds and to get a lot of different looks from different styles.
You fought in June; do you feel that you have enough time to properly prepare for this fight?
Hominick: Yeah, I have two months as it is right now. After the last fight, I had two weeks where I kind of chilled after the fight but I have been in the gym since then. I was healthy after my last fight and I am ready to go. At the start of my career I was very active where I would fight five times a year. So I always stay in the gym and try to stay active. I’ll be ready.
How many fights would like to have each year?
Hominick: At this stage in my career I would like to be fighting at least three to four times a year.
How do you feel about fighting in Colorado at the mile high altitude?
Hominick: I’m heading out to Vegas and there is a little bit of altitude there. The higher elevation is a factor. I fought in Colorado about four years ago so it won’t be my first time fighting at altitude.
Are you doing anything else to change up your camp?
Hominick: I am getting as many sparring partners as I can. Garcia is not a very technical striker, he throws punches from many different angles, he comes from everywhere really. So I am just trying to prepare myself for that.
Being the technical striker that you are how do you prepare yourself for someone as wild as Garcia?
Hominick: You have to prepare to fight. For me I have to stay in my element and find the holes. I have to make him miss and then make him pay when he does miss. I have to be sure that my hands are up at all times and I have to be ready for whatever angle his strikes and punches are coming from. He is one of those guys when his back is against the wall he is going to start swinging and throwing punches from everywhere. I have to make sure that I stick to my guns and that I stick to my game plan and not stray from that. That is the way to win this fight.
What were your thoughts when the WEC offered you this fight?
Hominick: Well you know I was the one that asked for this fight and I know that Garcia is not a fighter that will back down so now I have to live up to my demands. I wanted this fight so now I have to prove to everybody not only why I wanted it but why I deserve it. I think stylistically we match up very well against each other. For him he is going to want to come out and trade punches with me. I think that this is a tailor-made for both of us and a tailor-made fight for the fans as well.
Is the 145lbs division your permanent home?
Hominick: Yeah, I think so. The only fights that I have had at 155lbs were in the UFC and that was really just to fight in the big show and I got that opportunity at the Canada vs USA card. Now I am in the established number one place for 145lbs fighters and this is where I feel that I can be world champion so this is where I want to compete.
Is becoming world champion your main goal as a fighter?
Hominick: No question. It always has been. I’ve always wanted to fight against the best people, when I fought in the UFC I went up in weight and fought the number one contender, which at the time was Yves Edwards. I’ve always had that feeling, I want to fight the best and I will fight the best. I’ve always wanted to push myself.
What do you do to stay calm right before your fights?
Hominick: I don’t really get nervous; I get more anxious than anything else. When I am in the back I just want the fight to happen and when you are later in the card it is even tougher because you have all these fights before you and you have been waiting, warming up and cooling down so that is the hardest part, staying relaxed. It is hard to time it especially if you do not know what time you are fighting. So the main thing that I try to do is stay relaxed and focus on my goal and be ready when they call your name.
What are your plans after the Garcia fight?
Hominick: I have always kind of taken my fights one at a time and I do not want to look past this fight. At the top of the heap there is no question that it is Aldo and I think he is going to be walking away still the champ, but at the same time I do not think that anybody brings skills to the table against him that I do. I don’t think that he has faced somebody that can hang with him on the fight like I can, and I know he is world class on the ground but I think I bring something different to the table so that is what I am climbing for.
If you could fight anyone in any weight class who would it be and why?
Hominick: I think I would like to fight Anderson Silva. I think our styles of technical striking match up very well and I think it would be a pretty exciting fight. And again, they say he is the best so I think it would be pretty cool.
Anything that you want to say to your fans?
Hominick: Yeah, I want to say thank you for the support. You guys are great and the feedback that I have received from you since my last fight has all been positive and good. Again I just want to say thank you.
Hominick is not only one of the best competitors at 145lbs but he is also one of the best fighters that this division has to offer. Win or lose, Hominick is going to give it his all in every fight and he will always give the fans the best performance that he can. With his skills and determination to win, it will not be long before he is fighting for the title. The featherweight division better be ready for Mark Hominick because he is coming with everything he has.
Click here for complete WEC 51 coverage
This article also appears on The MMA Corner
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