Despite having trained together many times over the past few years, featherweights Mark Hominick (19-8) and George Roop (11-6-1) will step into the octagon to do battle this coming Saturday as part of the UFC: Fight for the Troops 2 event in Texas.
The importance of a win for Hominck is huge, as a victory for the Canadian could earn him a title shot against Jose Aldo as part of the UFC’s first Toronto event in April with UFC 129.
Hominick has won four straight, three in the WEC and one victory with the former Affliction mma promotion, and will appear in the octagon for the third time in his 27 fight career. He made his debut back in March of 2006 at UFC 58, losing by submission to Yves Edwards.
The Canadian spoke to Heavy.com recently about having trained with Roop in the past and how both men feel it’s “nothing personal” but Hominick plans on going home with the win.
“I’m fighting George Roop on January 22nd. Right now, I’m just looking at things like I’m a new UFC fighter, and [I need] to have a pretty good stamp on my fight to prove why I am [the #1 contender.]”
“There’s a big difference between a training partner and a close friend. It’s not that I don’t like George, but there is a big difference my relationship with guys like Sam Stout and Chris Horodecki and my relationship with George Roop. I’ve known him for the last four or five years, and business is business; we’re both coming off big wins, so let’s do it.
“We talked through email when the fight was announced and said nothing personal; let’s just get it done and move on afterward. We’re friends now and we’ll be friends after, but come January 22nd, I’m going to take him out.”