Originally Posted by
SPX
Well do you have to be a contender in order to have a legitimate place in the UFC (or pro MMA as a whole)? Was Lytle ever really a contender? Is someone like Rich Franklin a contender today? No. But they still fill a place and have a purpose in the UFC.
As to your question, you already mentioned Diaz. I'll also mention Hardy. He lost 4 in a row . . . and now has two wins against mid-level-but-still-skilled competition. Or how about Bonnar? He lost three in a row--including a loss to Mark Coleman!--and then went on a three fight win streak. Wanderlei also went on a three fight losing streak before coming back to show he can still win a few, lose a few.
I'm not sure Hominick would come back and fight for the belt again, but like with Hardy, I think it's a matter of finding out where you fit in the division and then serving your purpose. There are still guys, right now, fighting in the UFC, that he can beat. So that tells me that he belongs in the UFC.