The popularity of mixed martial arts in Canada is so much that on Wednesday, the Canadian Football League’s Hamilton Tiger-Cats, announced their support for UFC featherweight contender Mark Hominick (20-8), who is scheduled to meet champ Jose Aldo at the end of the month at UFC 129 in Toronto, Ontario.
The Hamilton Tiger-Cats are one of eight professional pro football teams in Canada, that at one point saw failed expansion in the U.S. into cities such as Baltimore, Birmingham, Las Vegas, Memphis, Miami, Sacramento, San Antonio, and Shreveport.
UFC Director of Operations in Canada, Tom Wright, also worked as the CFL’s commissioner from 2002 to 2006.
Here is the official Press Release from the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.
Hamilton, Ontario – The Hamilton Tiger-Cats announced today that the team has entered a partnership with UFC featherweight athlete Mark Hominick.
Hominick, the #1 contender for the featherweight title, will take on current champion Jose Aldo at UFC 129 on April 30 at the Rogers Centre in Toronto. Hominick, a Thamesford, Ontario native who fights out of London, has put together a 20-8-0 record throughout his mixed martial arts (MMA) career.
“I am very excited about this partnership with the Tiger-Cats,” said Hominick. “I can’t wait to enter the octagon, in Canada, with millions of CFL and Ticats fans cheering me on. I am grateful for the Ticats support and look forward to representing the black and gold with pride.”
As part of the partnership, Hominick will also be featured at ‘MMA Night’ at Ivor Wynne Stadium when the Ticats host the Saskatchewan Roughriders on July 16. At UFC 129, Hominick will wear a Ticats hat as he enters the octagon and will bear the team’s logo on his shorts during the fight as well as prominent visuals for the CFL’s best website, Ticats.ca.
“The popularity of MMA in Southern Ontario and in particular the Hamilton area is no secret. We look forward to working with Mark to promote an exciting game on July 16th featuring great MMA fighters and thousands of MMA enthusiasts. As an exciting, tough, local Canadian athlete, Mark embodies many of our organization’s characteristics. We are glad to be in Mark’s corner as he contends for the featherweight title and we know our fans in the TigerTown region will be behind him,” said President Scott Mitchell.
About the Hamilton Tiger-Cats
The Hamilton Tiger-Cats are a member of the Canadian Football League (CFL) with a rich 142-year history, which includes 15 Grey Cup Championships. For more information log onto www.ticats.ca