As he nears the likely finish line to his long and productive career, Ovince St. Preux plans to tend to some unfinished business in the Ultimate Fighting Championship light heavyweight division.
“OSP” will face former champion Mauricio Rua for a second time—he knocked out “Shogun” in 34 seconds back in 2014—when their rematch bolsters the UFC 274 main card this Saturday at the Footprint Center in Phoenix. St. Preux, who turned 39 in April, enters the Octagon on the heels of back-to-back losses that raised red flags in a sport known for being unforgiving to aging competitors. He last appeared at UFC Fight Night 190, where he succumbed to punches from Canadian heavyweight Tanner Boser in the second round of their June 26 encounter.
As St. Preux makes final preparations ahead of his forthcoming battle with Rua, here are five things you might not know about him:
1. He grew out of fertile athletic soil.
St. Preux was born on April 8, 1983 in Immokalee, Florida, a “census-designated place” of roughly 20,000 people that sits 120 miles northwest of Miami. It has been a hotbed for football talent for years, having given rise not only to “OSP” but to Edgerrin James, a hall-of-fame running back who ranks 13th on the NFL’s all-time list in rushing yards (12,246), 16th in yards from scrimmage (15,610) and 21st in rushing touchdowns (80).
2. He made sure to have a Plan B.
The Floridian put a safety net in place prior to making the uncertain transition to mixed martial arts, as he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in sociology from the University of Tennessee.
3. The UFC record book bears his imprint.
St. Preux ranks in the Top 5 on the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s all-time list for light heavyweights in appearances (22), wins (13), finishes (11), knockouts (six), submissions (five) and fight night bonuses (eight). Those bonuses—seven for “Performance of the Night” and one for “Fight of the Night”—have resulted in $400,000 of additional income.
4. Loyalty remains one of his virtues.
While he has cross-trained at higher-profile camps like Alliance MMA, Black House and RVCA, St. Preux still operates out of the Knoxville Martial Arts Academy in Tennessee.
5. His skills have not gone untested.
St. Preux has fought six current of former UFC, Bellator MMA and Strikeforce champions: Rua, Jon Jones, Rafael Cavalcante, Glover Teixeira, Ryan Bader and Gegard Mousasi.
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