Ovince Saint Preux is a rare kind of athletic talent. He switched from college soccer at the University of Tennessee to throwing and scoring and hitting opponents in the ring. He is an American professional mixed martial artist competing in the UFC light heavyweight division. Since turning pro in 2008, he has fought for Strikeforce, the Xtreme Fighting Championships (XFC), and Shark Fights, and ranks seventh in the official UFC light heavyweight rankings. He is famous for his use of the rare Von Flue Choke Submission, with which he won several fights.
Who Is Ovince Saint Preux? Bio
The fighter was born on April 8, 1983, in Immokalee, Florida, to Haitian immigrant parents. Born with uncanny athletic talent, he developed an interest in sports from an early age and focused on developing his skills. During his high school days at Immokalee High School, he wrestled and set a record of 26-1 as a wrestler and finished second in his weight class in the state of 1A, although wrestling was not his mainstay. He also participated in the 110-meter hurdles, the 300-meter hurdles, the discus throw, and the 4×400 relay.
But his skills were not only shown in the ring and in athletics. While he excelled in these sports, it was football that had his heart. Saint Preux played in the defensive end/linebacker for the football team. As a senior, he took 75 tackles, including a school-record of 18 sacks, and in return was named both All-State and Defensive Player of the Year by the Naples Daily News.
After high school, Saint Preux was a tremendous prospect. He was recruited by the University of Tennessee, where he played for the Tennessee Volunteers from 2001 to 2004. In Tennessee, Saint Preux was a teammate of Jason Witten, John Henderson, and Travis Henry and a member of the Omega Psi Phi Brotherhood. In his first year of college, he was retired and played mainly as a defensive reserve and linebacker, playing only 17 games during his college career. In 2004 he graduated with a degree in sociology and then began his training in kickboxing and grappling.
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Although he would not be considered a star in his college career, he was still a serious prospect. However, after several unsuccessful attempts to make it into the league, he changed his possible career choice to mixed martial arts. With his wrestling background, he accepted the suggestion of his coach and began to fight professionally. In 2008 he became a professional after setting an unbeaten amateur MMA record of 5-0.
Ovince Saint Preux may not be in the NFL today, but the Haitian American is still a professional elite athlete. Only in a completely different sport – MMA. Although there are many factors to which he attributes his success in the ring, such as his membership in the Omega Psi Phi Brotherhood, to which he owes his self-confidence, football seems to stand out among them.
His athleticism, just like in football, gave him strong confidence in MMA. He has fought for Strikeforce, the XFC, and Shark Fights. Just as the NFL game is the dream of most soccer players after college, the fights in the UFC are the real thing for professionals. Ovince Saint Preux debuted in the sphere in 2013, and with a spark of talent and confidence, he has managed to dominate the UFC’s light heavyweight division.
His last fight was against Tyson Pedro at UFC Fight Night 132 on June 23, 2018, which he won by submission in the first round. On October 6, 2018, he will face Dominick Reyes in UFC 229. He trains at the Knoxville Martial Arts Academy in Knoxville, Tennessee. His preferred grappling technique is the guillotine, while the high kick and Superman punch remain his preferred punching techniques.
Since his debut, he has won 11 times (most in the category) in this competition and has an MMA record of 23-11-0 (win-loss draw). Ovince is notorious for winning several fights with the rare Von Flue Choke template – three, two in a row (the only fighter in UFC history to finish three times). Saint Preux has won the Performance of the Night award five times and the Fight of the Night once. In the official UFC Light Heavyweight Ranking of July 26, 2018, he is ranked 7th and hopes to keep the World Championship title before his name in the future.
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Family
As mentioned above, Ovince Saint Preux was born to Haitian immigrants in a closely-knit Haitian-American community. He is one of seven children of Markinsie St. Preux, who worked as a construction worker and farmer, and of Mercilia, who worked as a maid. His parents moved to Immokalee when he was young to provide a better life for their children. Although they were uneducated, they committed themselves to educate their children in college. In the long run, their commitment has paid off as they have more than five graduates in their pack, with Ovince first.
Despite all the sacrifices his parents made to make him what he is today, Ovince takes every opportunity to give them something back and to care for them.
Height, Weight, Body Stats
His years of training as an athlete paid off, as it not only provided him with a platform for fame but also gave him a torn physique. He has a height of 6′ 2″ (1.90 m) and a corresponding body weight of 93 kg (205 lb). To its further body measurements belong:
Reach: 80 inches
Leg Reach: 45 inches.