Featherweight, Hyder Amil vs. Emrah Sonmez
Tale of the tape
33-years-old
5’8″
San Francisco, California
El Niño Training Center
7-0
4 KO/TKOs, 1 Submission
Combined opponent’s record: 31-17-1
Emrah Sonmez
31-years-old
5’10”
Turkey/England
Great Britain Top Team
14-4
8 KO/TKOs, 3 Submissions
Combined opponent’s record: 38-45
Pros and Cons
Hyder Amil
Pros
- Tough as hell/granite chin
- Fast starter
- Power striker/kicker
- Volume striker
- Aggressive
- Durable
- Good ground and pound
- Constant forward pressure
Cons
- Poor striking defense
- TDD needs some work
- Slows as the fight goes
- Advances in straight lines
Emrah Sonmez
Pros
- Good wrestling
- Strong hips/wizard
- Active ground and pound
- Solid grappling
- Credible kickboxing
- Good knees
- High wrestling pace
- Strikes to wrestle well
Cons
- Rushes in recklessly at times
- Slows as the fight goes
- Head movement needs work
Who has the advantage?
Striking: Amil
Speed: Sonmez
Output/Volume: Amil
Kickboxing: Sonmez
Striking defense: Sonmez
Footwork/movement: Sonmez
Wrestling: Sonmez
Grappling: Sonmez
Gas tank: Amil
Prediction: This fight is a contrast of styles. Amil is a fan-friendly brawler and Sonmez is a smothering wrestler. Each man represents the other’s toughest match-up on paper. Sonmez struggles with hard-nosed strikers and Amil struggles against wrestlers/grapplers.
Sonmez fought a similar fighter in Amil when he fought Liam Gittins. Sonmez started off well but gassed out and got finished later in the fight. That’s exactly what can happen against Amil.
Amil is the big favorite to win but it’s closer than people think. Amil has a big issue with takedown defense having very little resistance. He will, almost every time, go to his knees and give up his back as well. Even in bad positions, Amil is super hard to finish. My pick is still Amil though. If Sonmez has the cardio to match his wrestling I would pick him. Saying that I think Amil is too tough and too powerful to get the late finish.
