Tucsonan Roop hoping win means shot at title

It sounds like something out of a bad horror movie. But when Tucson native Roop knocked out Chan Sung Jung - "The Korean Zombie" - with a kick to the head in September, he had more than action-hero visions running through his head.

Roop rang Jung's bell, then heard a bell of his own: Ka-ching!

"To be honest, my first thought was like, 'I'm gonna get paid!'" recalled Roop, 29. "I was just as surprised as The Korean Zombie was. I planned on throwing that kick, that combination, a lot of times. It definitely was a great feeling. Everybody, I think, would love to end a fight that way."

Roop was paid a $10,000 bonus for Knockout of the Night at WEC 51 in Broomfield, Colo., his last fight for World Extreme Cagefighting before the promotion merged with the Ultimate Fighting Championship, the world's largest mixed martial arts organization. National TV, a stunning knockout to get your bosses' attention, a big bonus check - not bad for a guy who really got serious about a fight career only after earning a spot on the UFC's reality competition, "The Ultimate Fighter," in 2008.

With the upset of Jung, who had become an overnight celebrity in the MMA world five months earlier thanks to his Fight of the Year slugfest against Leonard Garcia, Roop (11-7-1) had his first win in nearly a year and a big surge of confidence.

After losing a unanimous decision to Eddie Wineland last January, Roop lost a split draw to Garcia in March - a fight he believes he won. The highlight-reel knockout of Jung gave him a boost when he needed it the most - a year without a win in WEC or UFC usually earns fighters a pink slip.

"I totally think I'm running high on confidence right now after my last two bouts," Roop said. "But I feel like I'm just getting better. I haven't been training mixed martial arts for 10 years like these other guys have. I've been doing it for like a year before I was on 'The Ultimate Fighter.' I think my biggest advantage is … I'm improving every single day in the gym. I'm learning stuff every day - I'm like a sponge. I'm just picking stuff up and adding more tools to my toolbox.

"Every time you see me step in the cage for a fight, you're going to see a more improved George Roop. I think I've shown that over my last few fights."

Roop's last win was encouragement when he needed it the most. In October 2009, his 7-year-old son Julian died after lifelong complications with seizures and brain damage. He fought a month later, and a win in a Rage in the Cage show here earned him a shot with the WEC, then the UFC's sibling promotion for lighter-weight fighters.

When another baby was on the way for him and his fiancée, they made the decision to move back to Tucson.

"I've got all my friends here, all my old training partners, a lot of my old coaches," Roop said. "We thought it was the best move to be around family."

Roop said new son Payden, along with his twins, helped him move forward.

"I'm just opening a new chapter in my life," Roop said. "I dealt with that and put it past me. Payden - he's awesome to have. I have him all day. I'm kind of like the nanny. I love having him, and he's a big motivational tool for me. A big inspiration."

Against Canadian Mark Hominick (19-8) tonight at the UFC's Fight for the Troops show at Fort Hood, Texas, the featherweight will likely need to be his best yet. Hominick is the top contender for Brazilian champion Jose Aldo and will get the next crack at him with a win over Roop.

But Roop said he's interested in playing spoiler and putting his own name into the title conversation at 145 pounds.

"The Korean Zombie was a big win for me, and this will put me right there in title contention if I get this win - with me getting possibly a shot next if I do it in impressive fashion," Roop said.

Hominick comes in the winner of four straight, and his style is more refined than those of Garcia and Jung, who are chiefly brawlers.

That gives Roop a different strategy, and he's not thinking about a third straight bonus check.

"I feel like I match up really well against brawlers, and I know that Mark Hominick is a completely different kind of striker," Roop said. "He's a precision striker. He's very, very quick. It's going to be a whole different kind of fight, and I have a different game plan coming into this fight, as well.

"This fight definitely has the makings for bonus material. But my bonus is going to be to win the fight."

UFC Fight for the Troops 2

• When: Tonight at 7

• Where: Fort Hood, Texas

• TV: Spike

• Main card: Evan Dunham vs. Melvin Guillard; Matt Mitrione vs. Tim Hague; Mark Hominick vs. George Roop; Pat Barry vs. Joey Beltran; Cole Miller vs. Matt Wiman.