The MMA World Cup: Featherweight Semi-Finals
by Jonathan Snowden on Apr 23, 2011 6:19 PM EDT
in MMA Analysis
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Veteran Joachim "Hellboy Hansen couldn't overcome the wrestling prowess of Team Alpha Male's Chad Mendes in the opening round and Mark Hominick barely broke a sweat taking out Deividas Taurovicius. That leaves the four favorites intact as they battle for a spot in the finals.
1. Jose Aldo vs. 4. Mark Hominick
My Take: Hey, a fight that is actually going to happen. I guess this doubles as a fight prediction for UFC 129? I may be out on a limb here, but I think Hominick is the best fighter Aldo has ever been in the cage with. His fluid striking and submission skills have been tested against the world's best in the Octagon, not against guys who fought most of their careers against opponents completely off the radar. I'm with Hominick.
2. Hatsu Hioki vs. 3. Chad Mendes
My Take: Hioki is for real. He's beaten Hominick twice and recently upset Marlon Sandro to win the Sengoku Featherweight title. It would be really cool if the gold medal was decided in a third bout between "The Iron Broom" and "The Machine." But Mendes has the tools to beat anyone - and it's going to be hard for Hioki to keep the wrestler at bay. I like Mendes here, but hate myself for it.
- Brazil: Jose Aldo
- Asia/AUS: Hatsu Hioki
- USA: Chad Mendes
- Canada: Mark Hominick
CIS/Assorted: Deividas TauroseviciusEurope: Joachim Hansen
Vote in our Poll!
Links to Previous Posts after the Jump
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Couldn't vote Mendes.
I feel like he would probably take it, but I just can’t vote for him. Eugh.
Oh, and Aldo crushes Hominick.
"Unless you can’t think of something intelligent to say, don’t reply and make the world as dumb as you are appearing to be." - mabel4life
by lowellthehammer on Apr 23, 2011 6:23 PM EDT reply actions
Agreed. He’s got a chance, just a very small one. Don’t know why anyone would choose him in a straight pick. Then again, this is mma.
"A blowjob is like a stacked card. You can't guarantee it will deliver, but people will come regardless."
by Hendo_One-Shot on Apr 23, 2011 7:09 PM EDT up reply actions
wow tough tough pick
hioki vs mendes sounds beautiful but it is so hard to predict a winner
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I think Hominick might be able to strike with Aldo for a bit
but he gets predictable with his combos like a lot of Shawn Tompkins products. He’s better than Stout and that 13 year old, but I’m not sure he has enough power to threaten early, while Aldo is capable of ending the fight at any time (other than the 5th round apparently). His ground game is still pretty rudimentary and Aldo seems to have a strong handle on basic wrestling and a seriously heavy base. He looked like a boulder on top of Urijah. I like Hominick as a dog before but after watching their past several fights I just don’t see it. Aldo has too many ways to win while Hominick needs to avoid getting caught over 5 rounds and has no hope of finishing on the mat or putting it there if he wants to. Aldo unless Aldo turns out to be a total frontrunner or is too cautious and gives the fight away (and he has been more cautious since winning the title) then he wins just because he’s a better fighter.
Hioki should beat the still limited but improving Mendes and would be a real fight for Aldo. The Sandro win was awesome.
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by pdl on Apr 23, 2011 6:50 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
do the guys in 'ere
even know the level that hioki has right now?
I would urge anyone who is fighting to check out some of Hioki’s fights. He has very technical wrestling and he is well-versed off his back. Considering how limited Mendes is at this point in his career, Hioki has so many ways to win.
"Referees, be sure to step in and stop the fight on time tomorrow, because I might get carried away in the moment and my many punches may end up destroying my opponent." - Tatsuya "CRUSHER" Kawajiri
I don’t doubt that Mendes can and would take Hioki down. Hioki has decent wrestling, and great balance giving how tall he is for the weight class, but he is nowhere near the wrestling level of Mendes. Hioki though, is miles ahead on the ground world. Hioki is deadly from the top and really tricky from his back, and giving how large he is, I don’t see Mendes getting to much going on if he is on top. Hioki likely sweeps him, gets to his feet or taps him when it hits the ground. Standing, I think he picks apart Mendes. Rough match-up for Chad, but i think he has that chance of winning a decision in a similar way to Jardine-Mousasi
by Carlos Estrada-Ibars Martínez on Apr 24, 2011 1:42 PM EDT up reply actions
I don't follow
winning a decision in a similar way to Jardine-Mousasi
It was a draw, and only because of a point deduction.
No one was ever held down in the fight either. Mousasi battered Keith.
"Run and tweet THAT, homeboy."
Ah, I get it.
If Jardine had won, it would have been by useless TD’s.
"Run and tweet THAT, homeboy."
yeah, that’s what i meant.
by Carlos Estrada-Ibars Martínez on Apr 24, 2011 5:21 PM EDT up reply actions
All right. We get it.
this is taking up too much site space. and we’ll see if hominick wins.
by miked612 on Apr 23, 2011 7:45 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
Meh
This feature was a bit iffy in the first place and the fact you put Gegard Mousasi in “Soviet” and now straight up pick Hominick makes it even worse.
Fighter, lover and all around awesome.
by Sebastiaan Tauran on Apr 23, 2011 8:18 PM EDT reply actions
This is an all together off feature to me…. and I like everything you do whether I agree with your opinion or not. But this whole feature is just kinda odd to me…
BAWSE
Polishing turds since back in the day
MMA Fan. Bernard Hopkins is a tool
by ChickenSalad on Apr 23, 2011 9:19 PM EDT reply actions 3 recs
I appreciate the feedback. It was a slow week and we were hoping to pass the time. We won’t do it again, but I don’t intend to quit in the middle.
by Jonathan Snowden on Apr 23, 2011 9:21 PM EDT up reply actions
I think it's kind of fun
Considering there isn’t much else to be talking about.
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Head Kick Legend
by Neil Manich on Apr 23, 2011 10:00 PM EDT up reply actions
I do too. But I guess the complainers are going to win since the people who enjoy the idea of it are silent. It doesn’t even get good until we do a medal count and tally scores!
by Jonathan Snowden on Apr 24, 2011 12:13 AM EDT up reply actions
You could try just doing one post for each round of the tournament then use the single poll to address a few matches that are particularly competitive. I like the feature but it takes up a lot of space.
Is it possible for an administrator to change my handle? I want it to be "Genki Pseudonym." I just thought of that myself.
What is the concern about “space.” There is unlimited space and no other material.
by Jonathan Snowden on Apr 24, 2011 9:50 AM EDT up reply actions
Hummm....
I’d have to disagree with you on one of your picks. As much as I have a tendency to root for the underdog, I’d have to go with Aldo on this one. It’ll be one of the harder fights for Aldo, but I see him slowly dismantling Hominick standing, eventually landing a counter that sets up the finish in the later rounds. Aldo wins by T.K.O or submission in round four…or in this tournament, he wins a unanimous decision. I think he has the skill and creativity that cements him in the top spot for some time.
As for Hioki vs. Mendes…I say Mendes gets the job done, "Money" style, with round after round of Mendes getting those takedowns, and sticking to Hioki like a wet blanket. Three rounds of ground and pound later, Mendes will walk away with the unanimous D. Who can stop the Mendes money train?
"Good People drink good beer." -Hunter S. Thompson
I love this feature
One of the many reasons is because I like seeing what other mma fans think would happen in these hypothetical fights.
"I will do nothing lightly. When I walk, I will walk heavily. When I fight, I will fight with conviction. When I speak, I will speak strongly. When I love, I will love with everything"
by dedstrk316 on Apr 24, 2011 4:57 AM EDT via mobile reply actions
Go easy on yourself with the Mendes pick. He’s an already dynamic, wrecking ball of a fighter who is clearly improving fight to fight. And while he has never fought on hallowed Japanese ground (and I suppose that therefore points must be subtracted from his overall “true fan likability” score) what he did to Omigawa should have been enough to convert any doubters to the seriousness of his game.
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