Hominick Guaranteed Title Shot with Win Against Roop

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While the announcement of heavyweights Brock Lesnar and Junior dos Santos as the coaches of “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 13 became the main focus of Tuesday’s UFC media conference call, UFC President Dana White made an important declaration pertaining to another weight class far down the scale.

When Mark Hominick and George Roop square off at Fort Hood near Killeen, Texas, for UFC “Fight for the Troops 2” on Jan. 22, the next UFC featherweight title challenger could be decided.

Asked whether Hominick would be considered for a bout with UFC’s featherweight kingpin, Jose Aldo, should he defeat Roop, White confirmed the notion immediately.

“If Mark Hominick wins this fight, he gets a shot at the title with Aldo, and that will be in Toronto,” White said, referring to UFC 129, which takes place in Toronto on April 30.

And if Hominick loses?

“I don’t know. Back to the drawing board,” said White.

Hominick, who knocked off three opponents in as many WEC bouts in 2010, originally had his name bandied about as a possible challenger for Aldo late last year. Instead, the UFC opted to pair the Brazilian with streaking phenom Josh Grispi for UFC 125, but that bout fell through when Aldo withdrew due to a neck injury.

Shortly after the conference call ended, the 28-year-old Canadian took to Twitter and made it clear that he had no intentions of looking past Roop.

“I know [Dana White] announced the news about Aldo in Toronto,” Hominick wrote. “I am focused on next week and that is where I am leaving the issue.”

No stranger to upsets, Roop entered his September WEC bout with fan favorite Chan Sung Jung as a decided underdog before crushing the “Korean Zombie” with a second-round head kick. Now, the Shawn Tompkins-trained fighter has designs on spoiling the UFC’s best-laid plans.

“I plan on making it so Hominick doesn’t fight Aldo... in Canada,” Roop wrote on his Twitter account.