Hammer Time

Norm with Chris Horodecki by TheHook

Swift return for Hominick?

This is an excerpt from my recent interview with Mark on am980.ca. Norm with Mark Hominick by TheHook

Lots of fight

We're dodging baseball teams and ducking bananas while making way for the Machine and a Prince.

Tonight's radio show at am980.ca has a serious focus on the fight game. Canada's top featherweight mixed martial artist, Mark Hominick will check in to discuss his upcoming scrap with Korean Zombie. Mark and the Adrenaline crew appear back on track now. The death of Shawn Tompkins hit'em hard. Fellow UFC 140'er, Claude Patrick will make his debut on the program. Like Mark, he too fought at Toronto's first UFC show, going on to beat Daniel Roberts in unanimous fashion that Saturday night in April. "The Prince" is the number two ranked Welterweight in Canada.

Dr. Faisal Rehman will be by after 9PM to talk black-ties and black eyes. He's heading up tomorrow's big Gala'esque kickboxing event in London, "The Showdown in the Downtown". London champion, Brad Fowler is co-headlining the card. He's up against Mike "Mad Dog" Morello in what he says will be his retirement fight (More on that, tonight CTV London at 6:50). PS: I'm the MC for the Showdown event, tux and all.

After 9:30PM, we'll connect with Mike Augello of hockeybuzz.com for our weekly chat on the Maple Leafs. The season starts Thursday. They'll get the Wing this weekend. Do the Buds all of a sudden sport some depth? We'll discuss amongst ourselves. Hopefully you can listen in. The Hook starts at 8PM at am980.ca.

Mark of a Champion

Mark Hominick is fighting back.

The loss of his friend, coach and mentor, Shawn Tompkins cut deep. But Mark is quickly cutting a path towards of own form of healing. He's staying busy. When he's not training at Adrenaline, he's fronting UFC promotions. Most importantly, it's family that he's reinforced his bond with, both at home and the gym. Get to know Mark and you'll soon learn that he's about as family oriented as you can get, loving and believing in both blood and brothers. Love, belief, and honour have always been parts of what make Mark who he is. Now though, they are the pillars of strength for a life interrupted by tragedy. A life, and career, on the mend. 

I just spoke with the Machine. He's part of our conversation:

NJ: How have things been going?

MH: Everyone has been leaning on the support of everyone else. It's actually brought us closer. 

NJ: Did you consult with Chris and Sam about dropping out of their upcoming fights?  

MH: Those were personal decisions. It really doesn't matter what sport it is, but especially in combat sports, if your head is not in it, you're doing yourself some damage. It's something you have to want to do. If you're mind is not there it's definitely the right decision to wait on it.

NJ: Will we see them back in the octagon again?

MH: One million percent. The big thing that we've been stressing is that it's our duty and responsibility to continue on Shawn's legacy. The way we do that is to continue to compete. Now we've got to pick up the pieces and figure out how to do training camps, and where we're going to do them? First things first, we're staying together as a team. 

NJ: As the elder of the three do you feel more responsibility to lead the way now?

MH: It's a team effort, and we have to do what's best for the team. What I think isn't always what's best for the team. So we make decisions as a group. We recently had Shawn's dad and brother come into (Adrenaline) to run a team meeting, and that was very inspirational. It helped give us some direction, like okay, we have to do this together. I have no problem stepping up to plan everything or help bring in coaches, or even plan the practices, but it's a team and group effort that will carry us forward. 

NJ: Who is going to coach you guys now?

MH: We have a lot of resources that we've worked with and that we'll continue to work with. We have a great tie to Las Vegas where Shawn was working with TapouT Training Centre. We have Keebo Robinson, Clint Kingsbury the wrestling coach. We definitely have the resources to move forward.

NJ: What about UFC 140? Still headed that way?  

MH: For sure. That's a realistic fight for me. I'll be mentally focused. I'm going to walk in there with Sam and Chris in my corner. That shows a united front, where we've been and where we're going. I'm going to make a statement in that fight.

NJ: Considering everything that's happened, best get busy living... or fighting, eh?  

MH: That's part of carrying on Shawn's legacy and what he thought and believed. Shawn led by example and now collectively we have to lead together. 

Related:

The Machine talks 140, Korean Zombie
Stout pulls out of Siver fight
Chris backs off Cardinal

Stout out

Understandably, Sam Stout has withdrawn from his UFC 137 lightweight clash with German Dennis Siver. That fight is literally around the corner, and with no one in his corner, it's almost impossible for Sam to be ready to compete and win.

Mark still on it

Sam's Team Tompkins brother, Mark Hominick isn't officially on the UFC 140 card. No one is. But the sense has always been that Mark would be part of it. Maybe even as a headliner? Before Shawn died Mark said emphatically on a few occasions that he wanted into the Toronto event. And while his heart is no doubt on the mend following the death of his mentor and coach, according to Mark himself (who's making UFC appearances at the EX in Toronto) he's still as focused as possible on being at ACC Decemeber 10th. Who will coach him? That remains to be determined.

Adrenaline manager, Alex Gasson and I address the question and talk about some coaching possibilities. Listen here. Hour 1.

Hammer down

After what he calls "the craziness" of the past few weeks, Chris Horodecki has pulled out of that September 10th title fight with Brad Cardinal at Freedom in Sudbury. Expecting him to train and be focused so soon would've been ridiculous. The man who often referred to him as his "son" is gone. How could Chris' heart be into a mere MMA scrap when it's broken? Remember it's only been a month since one of his best friends suddenly died from a strange bacterial infection. Wow. All of this heavy stuff on his mind and shoulders. And now minus that father figure he had always depended on? It's almost too much to handle. From a career perspective, it's too bad about skipping Sudbury. Chris would've likely subbed Cardinal mid-bout claiming a belt and at least another victory en route to wherever he wanted to go next. Problem is, the Adrenaline guys don't really know where to go from here. The driver, navigator, motivator is gone. At some point they'll fully accept it and begin that grind forward. For now, it's still too soon to conduct business as usual.

Happier times

The question tonight: Not so much when will Adrenaline and Team Tompkins heal from Shawn's passing, but can they? Adrenaline front man, Alex Gasson joins me on the radio show to talk about it. Listen, 8PM at am980.ca.

Tompkins Tribute Show

We recently did an hour of radio dedicated to the life of MMA trainer extraordinaire, Shawn Tompkins. Marek Sutherland was in studio. We also spoke to a few of Shawn's friends, and listened to bits of a conversation I had with him this past April. It was just before Chris Horodecki's history making fight at Casinorama. Shawn was super pumped.

Leafs' young forward, Nazem Kadri also made appearance on the show, and he says he's ready to finally make a serious impression in "the show".

You can hear the podcast at this link: August 19th show

Possibly Thursday

"It's going to be a rough couple of days", says Chris Horodecki.

The news today through Sam Stout, reported by Morris Dalla Costa of the Free Press, is that Shawn Tompkins died of a heart attack. According to the OPP his death was not suspicious. But a heart attack at just 37 years of age? The world is a cruel place. Shawn's wife, Emilie has touched down safely in London travelling in from their home in Las Vegas. Imagine that flight. Comfortingly Emilie is finally here, at home, to be with her husband. She along with Shawn's parents and close friends are working on the details of a service. It's expected to be either Thursday or Friday in London.

Marek and Brent share their thoughts on Shawn.

Doors closed

Due to the sudden death of Shawn Tompkins, the guys who run Adrenaline Training Centre have decided to shut it's doors for the week. The front men, usually up and at'em, are down and out, away from the glare. They're so crushed, it's indescribable. You would simply have to know the feeling for yourself. God help you if you ever do. God Bless if you ever have. A few ATC members, still dazed, were on site this morning to put the place on lock down. After all, what's there to train for anyway, and now for who? They are questions not only slapping regular members in the face, but eventually too the gym's top mixed martial artists. As one soul is offered for rest, others will need to be sought. The process of continues. The comprehension. The acceptance. The hurt. They are arriving in merciless order. Sadly, healing, it's solace and relief, are way off in
the distance.

Our friends at RDS in Montreal helped us gather this:

More than a coach

The boys of Adrenaline Training Centre are gutted. I've reached out to several of them. Those who've reached back are touched and troubled, and too hurt to discuss much.

News of the death of the Shawn Tompkins hit the East London crew like a ton of bricks on Sunday. Some members of the organization heard this morning. Others just got word this evening. One was even on a golf course when his phone rang. Tonight, distraught, even lost for words, they've assembled like a band of brothers to grieve, support, rally, remember an individual who was so much more than a coach, but a mentor and a father figure.

Details of Shawn's passing are still few. What has been learned is that he was found this morning, unresponsive at a friend's house. He was pronounced dead shortly after. It's so confusing, because the last anyone saw of him, last night at a show in Hamilton, he appeared fine. Questions over how this tragedy came to be will no doubt be asked and answers fiercely sought, but for now, perhaps for a while, controlling heartbreak is the priority. Unfortunately that's easier said than done.

Mark, Sam, Chris and the Adrenaline guys are known for their fight. And here, in an instant, another one. But unlike their bouts of the past, this challenge is different, tougher, lonelier. A new fight to stay strong, keep a family united and a gym afloat is cruelly upon them. What's so sad and so real is that this time they won't be able turn to the man they had turned to so often for support in situations like these. For this fight; all they have is each other, for guidance and a shoulder. He would've been there. So they have to. For themselves, for the memory of "The Coach".

I will continue to share my thoughts on the late Shawn Tompkins throughout the week ahead.