A Magical Year: Things Falling Into Place for UFC Veteran Mark Hominick
by Jonathan Snowden on Jan 13, 2011 6:01 PM EST
in UFC Analysis
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Dustin Poirier's surprising upset of top contender Josh Grispi at UFC 125 created difficulties for more than just the Grispi family. The UFC had penciled in the young Bostonian to face UFC featherweight champion Jose Aldo in the rising star's first UFC appearance. A multi-faceted young fighter, Grispi was thought to have the skill set to challenge Aldo on his feet and on the ground. That plan was shattered into pieces as Poirier decimated Grispi's standing defenses and avoided numerous submission attempts on the ground.
Now the UFC is in a tough spot. They didn't groom any real contenders in the featherweight division in the WEC. The promotion was so focused on Aldo and rehabilitating Urijah Faber that it seemed to pay little attention to the future. Well, the future is now and the UFC has a hot young fighter - unfortunately he's a hot young fighter with no contenders in sight. Enter Mark Hominick.
"The Machine" has been in the game for 10 years waiting for an opportunity like this. Undersized for most of his career, spent at 155 pounds because that's where the money was, Hominick can earn a shot at the world championship with a win over the unheralded George Roop at UFC Fight for the Troops 2 later this month at Fort Hood, Texas.
"If Mark Hominick wins this fight, he gets a shot at the title with Aldo," UFC president Dana White revealed to the world in a conference call Tuesday. "That will be in Toronto."
For Hominick, the hard fighter's life has magically disappeared, in its place a fairy tale of sorts. Not only would he earn a shot at the title, he'd do it in his home province at UFC 129. If things fall into place, he could wear the belt to the hospital while his wife delivers the couple's first child in May. The fighter tells the USA Today that while none of this is lost on him, Roop has to come first:
I go into every fight treating it like a world-title fight, so I'm fighting George Roop for the world title Jan. 22 in my mind.
If you are legitimately going to fight for the title, you have to be able to take all comers. George Roop is just another guy in the way.
Yet, as much as he purports to be focusing on Roop, an Ultimate Fighter cast member with an ordinary record and like Poirier not the kind of fighter you'd expect to be taking on a top challenger before a title fight, Hominick can't help but think about living his dream.
This is my 10th year fighting as a pro, and to be on the first card in my home province in Toronto, Ontario would be amazing, and would be a dream come true. It's a goal I've had a long time, and to be fighting for a world title on that stage would be amazing...Things in life happen for a reason, and I believe that's just a natural progression. Get to fight Jan. 22, April 30 and then have the baby. In a perfect world, that's the way it's going to work.
Hominick poses an interesting threat to Aldo should he get by Roop unscathed. In his pro career the slick kickboxer has been too much for anyone to handle standing. Except for a cut stoppage against the tough Stephen Palling at the beginning of his career, all of his losses have come on the ground to grappling oriented fighters. As yet, Aldo is exclusively a standup fighter, winning all of his WEC fights with a combination of hard punches, kicks, and flying knees.
Will Hominick be the man to test Aldo's much heralded but little seen ground game? It's an intriguing matchup, but one that depends entirely on Hominick beating Roop in a little more than a week. We've seen Roop derail the "Korean Zombie" express when Chan Sung Jung was at the height of his popularity. Now he'll have the chance to spoil Hominick's magic year as well. There's a lot on the line on SPIKE TV - and that's why this was one of my five favorite January fights.
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Hopefully he can win
Without getting hurt so Aldo can do the hurting in Toronto.
" Its like when I'm right I'm right, when I'm wrong I coulda been right, so I'm still right cause I coulda been wrong, you know, and I'm sorry cause I could be wrong right now, I could be wrong, but I'm right..." Bama
Really?
C’mon man, don’t be a douche.
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by Worldisart on Jan 13, 2011 11:26 AM EST via mobile up reply actions 2 recs
Well..
I never heard of this guy so my opinion should be unbiased.
He has a mediocre record (19-8) and I recognized very few of the names he fought.
He could be an underrated diamond in the rough or another Marcus Davis.
"Common sense is not so common"
You're a fan I guess
So grow up and don’t be offended at an unbiased/outsider’s opinion :)
You can be offended I just told you to grow up though!
"Common sense is not so common"
I think the bigger issue here is you going into the comments of a mixed martial arts site and saying “Mark who?” It’s not that you don’t know who he is but the fact that you felt the need to make a point of the fact that you’ve not heard of him.
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by Brent Brookhouse on Jan 13, 2011 12:47 PM EST up reply actions
Luckily there is an article right here to explain a little bit about Hominick for fans like SPL. I think it’s fair for a fan to say they’ve never heard of The Machine. Many of the WEC guys will face the same issues.
by Jonathan Snowden on Jan 13, 2011 1:29 PM EST up reply actions
It’s plenty fair to say you haven’t heard of him but a comment of “Mark who?” serves no purpose at all.
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by Brent Brookhouse on Jan 13, 2011 2:52 PM EST up reply actions
Flawless logic
However, is it really an “issue” that I pointed out that I’ve never heard of him? I know some might not want to hear that but this is the comments section after all.
I know I sound kinda like a jerk right now to his fans but I tried to show I’m not hating on him by saying he might be a diamond in the rough.
He probably deserves more media coverage, but I think Jim Miller for example is more deserving.
"Common sense is not so common"
Jim Miller fights at lightweight
so it’s unlikely he’ll be challenging Aldo for the featherweight belt
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Especially when it says his name right in the headline. What a horses ass.
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by Tokyo Sandblaster on Jan 13, 2011 2:10 PM EST up reply actions
Your opinion isn't unbiased
It’s uninformed. There’s a big difference.
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So very true
And I think I gained some hatred for that comment, will make sure not to give more uninformed opinions :)
"Common sense is not so common"
What?
Cool. Well got look up some Mark Hominick fights online.
http://www.pancrase.org/mark-hominick-vs-yves-jabouin-wec-49/06-22-2010/
I guess the reason that I remember him so well is that I saw him fight on the UFC 58 card against Yves Edwards and that was around the time I really got into MMA. Not to mention that he is a Canadian(as am I) and he won a fight that Edwards was the favourite in. Another reason is that he did push-ups after submitting Edwards.
It’s not that Im a huge fan of his it’s that maybe you should check out a fighter before making uniformed comments.
Oh and Im All Growed Up already thanks!
:-)
Thanks for the website.
I think you mean “grown up”
I love Canadians.
"Common sense is not so common"
nah
growed up.
no probs man.
On a side note I have been re-watching some Evan Dunham fights. Evan Dunham vs Sean Sherk and Evan Dunham vs Efrain Escudero are good fights to check out.
Can’t wait to watch him submit Melvin Guillard!
Dunham is legit
I was very impressed with his fight against Sean Sherk and I’m excited about the fight with Guillard, not an easy fight for either of them.
I was surprised when I knew that Jim Miller is actually younger than Dunham, Miller is very underrated and I think he has a future in the stacked LW division.
"Common sense is not so common"
he’s really not that good. He’s another failed 155er turned “elite contender” in the WEC who people like to pretend is one of the best in the world just because they WANT to believe that the WEC’s lighter divisions represented the best fighters in the world.
by frosnt1 on Jan 13, 2011 12:28 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
The best fighters in the world at their respective weights, sure. Hominick WAS undersized at 155, and at 145 has lost to some really talented ground-fighters. He has some of the slickest stand-up in all of the lighter divisions, though, and while Aldo will probably take his soul, it should be one of the more competitive matches Aldo has had.
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by Ephemeral Artery on Jan 13, 2011 2:05 PM EST up reply actions
Honestly not picking an argument here as I'm genuinely interested to hear your response...
…but if the WEC doesn’t/didn’t have the best BW and FW fighters in the world, where do think does? Japan? I would have said that a few years ago but that’s changed big-time in my opinion, especially now Zuffa are snapping up a lot of the best talent from over there
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If Hominick can win a decision over Garcia, there’s nothing he can’t do. Go Hominick!
by Shnak on Jan 13, 2011 11:26 AM EST reply actions 5 recs
I long suspected this
As soon as Aldo was forced to pull from his fight with Grispi I figured a fight with Hominick in the t-dot was in the making. Really excited for Mark.
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by Worldisart on Jan 13, 2011 11:27 AM EST via mobile reply actions
Great article, hoping for the best for Mark......but a question
Why did he leave the UFC after beating Yves and Gurgel at LW?
That was a beautiful kick
but he ruined it with the Frank Shamrock nighty night gesture…
" Its like when I'm right I'm right, when I'm wrong I coulda been right, so I'm still right cause I coulda been wrong, you know, and I'm sorry cause I could be wrong right now, I could be wrong, but I'm right..." Bama
Hominick has always seemed like a nice guy
happy for him that he gets the opportunity, but Roop is a tough puzzle for anyone in that weight class. his length and accuracy are going to be a problem for Hominick.
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George Roop...
Ultimate Fighter winner? guh?
Other than that, great article.
Except for a cut stoppage against the tough Stephen Palling at the beginning of his career, all of his losses have come on the ground to grappling oriented fighters.
I guess the Hioki fight never happened?
MMA > The UFC
That’s a good point. The second Hioki fight was weird. Although he is a ground oriented fighter, he stood in and threw like a billion leg kicks. I had Hominick, but my opinion doesn’t count. Good catch.
by Jonathan Snowden on Jan 13, 2011 1:26 PM EST up reply actions
This is the missing piece UFC 129 needed
To go from big to “Super Card” status. Honestly, Jose Aldo vs. A warm body would have sufficed. That its Hominick is only icing on the cake.
And anyone who’s selling him short in this fight is…well, probably right, but I’m gonna hope against hope all the same. Mark has technical, precise striking, good movement, and power in his strikes. He has all the tools to make it interesting on the feet vs. Aldo.
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by hobbie on Jan 13, 2011 12:43 PM EST via mobile reply actions
I agree
With Couture, Lyoto, and Jose adding onto the super drawing power of GSP, this could very well make some ridiculous buy numbers
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by sitnam90 on Jan 13, 2011 1:08 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
I wonder if Roop would be given a titleshot
I mean, not like they have any other contenders. I wonder what the div would like in a year when some of the smaller LW’s move on down
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by sitnam90 on Jan 13, 2011 1:00 PM EST via mobile reply actions
Go Coach!
I gotta support the Hominick. He’s a super nice guy with a hard work ethic. He’s also done a lot to help promote the legalization of MMA in Ontario. He deserves this fight for sure. I’m biased, but only because he’s my coach. Go Adrenaline TC!
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A multi-faceted young fighter, Grispi was thought to have the skill set to challenge Aldo on his feet and on the ground
Even before the Dustin Poirier i had very serious doubts in Grispi’s standing game, and he did what i thought he would when pressed with strikes. He turtled
He is a young fighter though, and it was nice to see that even though he turtled, he still stood and took the punishment, so he has heart.
by TheBiggertheyare... on Jan 13, 2011 1:09 PM EST reply actions
Does anyone know if the wikipedia redname losses from way back on his record
were against dramatically larger opponents? While 8 losses looks “mediocre” at first glance if you look deeper all of his losses have come against top guys besides a few early in his career. His standup is very technical and this is what made this fight more compelling than the Fluke in the first place.
Win 19-8 United States Leonard Garcia Decision (Split) WEC 51: Aldo vs. Gamburyan 02010-09-30 September 30, 2010 3 5:00 United States Broomfield, Colorado, USA
Win 18-8 Canada Yves Jabouin TKO (Strikes) WEC 49: Varner vs. Shalorus 02010-06-20 June 20, 2010 2 3:21 Canada Edmonton, Alberta, CAN
Win 17-8 United States Bryan Caraway Submission (Triangle Armbar) WEC 46: Varner vs. Henderson 02010-01-10 January 10, 2010 1 3:48 United States Sacramento, California, USA
Win 16-8 United States Savant Young Submission (Armbar) Affliction: Banned 02008-07-19 July 19, 2008 2 4:25 United States Anaheim, California
Loss 15-8 United States Josh Grispi Submission (Rear-Naked Choke) WEC 32: Condit vs. Prater 02008-02-13 February 13, 2008 1 2:55 United States Albuquerque, New Mexico
Win 15-7 United States Danny Martinez Decision (Unanimous) TKO 31 – Young Guns 02007-12-14 December 14, 2007 3 5:00 Canada Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Win 14-7 Canada Ben Greer TKO (Punches) TKO 30 – Apocalypse 02007-09-28 September 28, 2007 1 1:14 Canada Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Loss 13-7 Brazil Rani Yahya Submission (Rear Naked Choke) WEC 28: WrekCage 02007-06-03 June 3, 2007 1 1:19 United States Las Vegas, Nevada
Loss 13-6 Japan Hatsu Hioki Decision (Majority) TKO 28 – Inevitable 02007-02-09 February 9, 2007 5 5:00 Canada Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Win 13-5 United States Doug Edwards Submission (Rear Naked Choke) ROF 27 – Collision Course 02006-12-09 December 9, 2006 2 4:08 United States Denver, Colorado, United States
Win 12-5 Canada Samuel Guillet Decision (Unanimous) TKO 27 – Reincarnation 02006-09-29 September 29, 2006 3 5:00 Canada Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Win 11-5 Brazil Jorge Gurgel Decision (Unanimous) UFC Ultimate Fight Night 5 02006-06-28 June 28, 2006 3 5:00 United States Las Vegas, Nevada, United States
Loss 10-5 Japan Hatsu Hioki Technical Submission (Triangle Choke) TKO 25 – Confrontation 02006-05-05 May 5, 2006 2 5:00 Canada Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Win 10-4 The Bahamas Yves Edwards Submission (Triangle Armbar) UFC 58: USA vs. Canada 02006-03-04 March 4, 2006 2 1:52 United States Las Vegas, Nevada, United States
Win 9-4 Japan Naoji Fujimoto Technical Submission (Rear Naked Choke) TKO 24 – Eruption 02006-01-28 January 28, 2006 3 2:23 Canada Laval, Quebec, Canada
Win 8-4 Canada Ryan Diaz TKO TKO 22 – Lionheart 02005-09-30 September 30, 2005 3 4:25 CanadaMontreal, Quebec, Canada
Win 7-4 Canada Stephane Vigneault KO (Punches) TKO 20 – Champion vs Champion 02005-04-02 April 2, 2005 1 4:35 Canada Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Win 6-4 Canada Shane Rice TKO (Leg Kicks and Punch) TKO 19 – Rage 02005-01-29 January 29, 2005 1 4:16 Canada Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Loss 5-4 Canada Shane Rice Submission (Rear Naked Choke) TKO 17 – Revenge 02004-09-25 September 25, 2004 1 1:46 Canada Victoriaville, Quebec, Canada
Win 5-3 Canada David Guigui TKO (Punches) TKO 15 – Unstoppable 02004-02-28 February 28, 2004 2 4:26 CanadaMontreal, Quebec, Canada
Win 4-3 Canada Ryan Diaz TKO (Punches) TKO 13 – Ultimate Rush 02003-09-06 September 6, 2003 2 0:42 Canada Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Loss 3-3 United States Tommy Lee KO (Slam) EC 51 – Extreme Challenge 51 02003-08-02 August 2, 2003 1 0:18 United States St. Charles, Illinois, United States
Loss 3-2 United States Mike Thomas Brown Submission (Heel Hook) TFC 8 – Hell Raiser 02003-06-06 June 6, 2003 3 N/A United States Toledo, Ohio, United States
Loss 3-1 United States Stephen Palling TKO (Cut) SB 29 – SuperBrawl 29 02003-05-09 May 9, 2003 1 0:16 United States Honolulu, Hawaii, United States
Win 3-0 Canada Stephane Laliberte Submission (Armbar) UCC 12 – Adrenaline 02003-01-25 January 25, 2003 1 4:43 Canada Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Win 2-0 Canada Steve Claveau Submission (Punches) UCC 11 – The Next Level 02002-10-11 October 11, 2002 2 3:24 Canada Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Win 1-0 Canada Richard Nancoo
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i hope hominick wins
but if he loses, i hope aldo stays on the card at 129.
maybe he could fight poirier. who cares? just make him fight someone.
I hope he wins so he fights Aldo, its a good fight but I think Aldo will wreck him, Aldo has a sick bjj game, just cause he likes to knock guys out doesnt mean he isnt sick with his bjj, he is.
And standing Hominick wont be able to last when Aldo is kicking the shit out of his legs.
If Hominick loses the question will be can the Mendes/Omigawa winner be ready for April 30th.
WOuld be j ust under 3 months from their 126 fight so its possible, but I hope Hominick wins, he will give Aldo a challenge but Aldo will win that fight.
And teh UFC is grooming top contenders, Mendes is one of them, now Dustin is one of them, Nunes is another.
They are the three fighters the UFC will groom into contenders.
Then go sign Bibiano, Hioki, and they would be fine. LW like Tyson should drop to FW as well.
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