UFC 154: 5 Fights for Mark Hominick to Take Next

Eric Bolte-US PRESSWIRE

Mark Hominick's Octagon woes continued at last night's UFC 154 as the former top contender received his fourth straight loss, dropping a unanimous decision to Pablo Garza in front of his hometown Canadian crowd.

"The Machine" started off strong, dropping his opponent with a nasty body shot in the first round. However, Garza was able to battle back in the second and third frames, using a vicious combination of wrestling and ground-and-pound to defeat Hominick.

Surprisingly, UFC President Dana White has not released the slumping featherweight following his fourth consecutive loss, so a return to the Octagon is likely in Hominick's future, although it may be his last should he come up short once again.

Here are five fights we'd like to see the Canadian take in order to get back to his winning ways.

5. UFC Newbies

Image via Bloody Elbow.

"The Machine" needs a UFC win badly, so taking a fight with a lesser known opponent isn't necessarily the worst thing in the world for Hominick.

He should feed off a steady diet of UFC newbies and lower-tier featherweights before he even attempts to get back into relevancy within the division.  If fighting for the UFC wasn't so lucrative, I'd even suggest that Hominick spend some time outside of the promotion before he tries another inside the Octagon.  

Since that's not how the fight business operates, Hominick has to be the gatekeeper for a bit and take on (and hopefully take out) a few newer guys before jumping back into higher-profile fights.

4. Cody McKenzie

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If Hominick wants to start racking up the wins in the UFC, he also needs to face guys that he can unload his striking on without having to worry about being taken down.

The Canadian is a great striker, but gets worn down when he takes on solid wrestlers who like to grind away from on top.  TUF alum Cody McKenzie would be a great matchup because he's a slick submission artist, but does not have the hands or the wrestling to stop a striking war with Hominick.

As long as "the Machine" doesn't get caught in McKenzie's signature guillotine, he should be able to get punch his way towards in easy win should the two ever face each other.

3. Mike Brown

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Former WEC champ Mike Brown may have been on the verge of retiring, but after two-straight wins in the Octagon, the 37-year-old veteran looks to be back to form and ready for another run.

While it may be an odd choice to pit a surging vet against a plummeting young star, stylistically, I believe that this would be a fun fight, and a winnable one for Hominick.

These two featherweight standouts actually faced off way back in 2003 with Brown taking the submission victory.  However, both guys are very different fighters now and I believe that the Canadian's speed and striking accuracy would be more than enough to neutralize Brown's power.

2. Loser of Nam Phan vs. Dennis Siver

Mark J. Rebilas-US PRESSWIRE

Another interesting matchup that would work stylistically for Hominick would be a battle with the loser of Nam Phan versus Dennis Siver.

Both guys are solid featherweight fighters with an affinity for the stand-up game.  Paired up against Hominick, either fighter would be a great opponent to face in a striking battle.

I think Siver would make for the better matchup in what would be an action-packed kickboxing war.

1. Bart Palaszewski

Bruce Kluckhohn-US PRESSWIRE

One of the lighter weight classes' most experienced veterans, Bart Palaszewski has been in a slump of his own recently, dropping two straight to Diego Nunes and Hatsu Hioki.

Considering Hominick's experience and recent woes, a fight with Palaszewski makes the most sense for the Canadian at this stage of the game.

Not only would this be a great fight stylistically for "the Machine," but "Bartimus" also brings some name recognition to the table, at least among the more hardcore fans.  A win for Hominick over a guy like Palaszewski could be exactly what he needs to get back on track.

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