Tag: Ovince Saint Preux

UFC Fight Night 190 results: Tanner Boser KOs Ovince Saint Preux – but did the fence help?

Tanner Boser got back on track with a knockout of Ovince Saint Preux at UFC Fight Night 190, but there were questions around the finish.

Despite no training camp, [autotag]Tanner Boser[/autotag] largely had his way with [autotag]Ovince Saint Preux[/autotag] on Saturday in the UFC Fight Night 190 co-main event. But his win came with some controversy.

After losing a fight to Ilir Latifi on June 5, Boser (20-8-1 MMA, 4-3 UFC) made the quick turnaround to fight Saint Preux (25-16 MMA, 13-11 UFC), who moved up to heavyweight when his original opponent was forced to withdraw. Boser said pre-fight he had no opportunity to train between travel and quarantine time, but it didn’t show much in his performance.

Boser picked Saint Preux apart with punches and a nice range of kick attacks, but the finish came in the second round when, after being planted on his back, he appeared to use the fence to stand up before connecting clean on Saint Preux for the knockout at the 2:31 mark.

The heavyweight bout was the UFC Fight Night 190 co-main event at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. It streamed on ESPN+.

Boser came out peppering the lead leg of Saint Preux with some hard kicks. Boser’s hand speed also proved problematic, but Saint Preux managed to avoid taking serious damage in the opening minutes as he stayed on the outside. Saint Preux’s output was close to non-existent, and he was a fairy easy target for Boser to kick and punch through the opening five minutes.

Saint Preux’s corner pleaded with him after the first round to turn up the output and be more aggressive, but he didn’t oblige early on. Boser punished the body with more hard kicks, then Saint Preux finally had a momentum of success when he secured a key takedown. He tried to do some work from on top, but Boser scooted toward the fence, putting his knuckle in the cage to ultimately provide the leverage to get back to his feet.

Once he was up, Boser landed a clean shot on Saint Preux that hurt him badly and sent him crashing face-first to the canvas. Boser landed a few more shots, and referee Jason Herzog waved it off.

“I had to right the ship,” Boser told Daniel Cormier after his win. “I lost a very close decision three weeks ago. … I had to save the summer.”

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Up-to-the-minute UFC on ESPN 25 results include:

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Ovince Saint Preux moves to heavyweight, fights Tanner Boser at UFC Fight Night 190

Maxim Grishin is out due to visa issues and “OSP” has a new opponent.

[autotag]Ovince Saint Preux[/autotag] will be competing at UFC Fight Night 190 against a new opponent in a different weight class.

Rather than fighting Maxim Grishin at light heavyweight on the June 26 main card, Saint Preux (25-15 MMA, 15-11 UFC) has agreed to move to heavyweight and fight short-notice replacement [autotag]Tanner Boser[/autotag]. The event takes place at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.

Verbal agreements are in place and bout contracts have been issued following Grishin’s withdrawal due to visa issues. Two people with knowledge of the matchup confirmed the verbally-agreed-to booking to MMA Junkie but asked to remain anonymous as the promotion has yet to make an official announcement.

Saint Preux (25-11 MMA, 15-11 UFC) competed one time previously at heavyweight in 2020 when he lost a split decision to Ben Rothwell. Since then, Saint Preux has gone 1-1 with both fights coming at light heavyweight.

Boser (19-8-1 MMA, 3-3 UFC), meanwhile, competed as recently as June 5 when he lost a close split decision to Ilir Latifi. The defeat was his second in as many fights, though he’s gone 2-2 over his most recent four.

With the addition, the UFC Fight Night 190 card includes:

  • Ciryl Gane vs. Alexander Volkov
  • Tanner Boser vs. Ovince Saint Preux
  • Michel Prazeres vs. Shavkat Rakhmonov
  • Justin Jaynes vs. Charles Rosa
  • Raoni Barcelos vs. Timur Valiev
  • Marcin Prachnio vs. Ike Villanueva
  • Jai Herbert vs. Renato Moicano
  • Warlley Alves vs. TBA
  • Damir Hadzovic vs. Yancy Medeiros
  • Julia Avila vs. Julija Stoliarenko
  • Danilo Marques vs. Kennedy Nzechukwu
  • Nicolas Dalby vs. Tim Means

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Ovince Saint Preux returns vs. Maxim Grishin at June 26 UFC event

The UFC has booked OSP’s next fight.

[autotag]Ovince Saint Preux[/autotag] is back.

A multitime UFC headliner, Saint Preux (25-15 MMA, 15-11 UFC) is set to fight [autotag]Maxim Grishin[/autotag] at a June 26 event. The card doesn’t currently have a publicly-known location or venue.

Two people with knowledge of the matchup informed MMA Junkie of the booking Friday but asked to remain anonymous since the promotion has yet to make an official announcement.

No other fights have been revealed for the June 26 card.

Saint Preux, 37, has alternated wins and losses over his most recent four outings. Following a signature Von Flue choke successfully pulled off against Michal Oleksiejczuk, Saint Preux moved to heavyweight and lost a split decision to Ben Rothwell.

In September, Saint Preux returned to light heavyweight and knocked out Alonzo Menifield in violent fashion. In his most recent fight, Saint Preux was finished by rising 205-pound fighter Jamahal Hill with a second-round TKO.

Grishin (31-9-2 MMA, 1-2 UFC) partakes in a quick booking as he just competed this past Saturday at UFC Fight Night 186. Against Dustin Jacoby, Grishin lost a hard-fought unanimous decision. Prior to that loss, Grishin picked up his first UFC victory – a second-round TKO over Gadzhimurad Antigulov. Prior to his UFC debut in 2020, Grishin competed in PFL.

UFC on ESPN 19 medical suspensions: Jack Hermansson, Jamahal Hill facing six months

Five fighters face potential six-month layoffs following UFC on ESPN 19.

[autotag]Jack Hermansson[/autotag] heads a list of five fighters facing potential six-month suspensions after their respective bouts at UFC on ESPN 19, per commission records.

Hermansson (21-6 MMA, 8-4 UFC), who lost a unanimous decision to short-notice replacement [autotag]Marvin Vettori[/autotag] (16-4-1 MMA, 6-2-1 UFC), was given a 180-day term after suffering a fractured left orbital bone during the night’s main event.

Co-headliner [autotag]Jamahal Hill[/autotag] (9-0 MMA, 3-0 UFC), who picked up his biggest win to date with a second-round finish of [autotag]Ovince Saint Preux[/autotag] (25-15 MMA, 13-10 UFC), requires his left hand to be cleared by a doctor or he may also face a 180-day suspension.

MMA Junkie obtained the full list of medical suspensions from MixedMartialArts.com for UFC on ESPN 19, which took place this past Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.

Other fighters facing possible six-month medical suspensions include [autotag]John Allan[/autotag], [autotag]Damon Jackson[/autotag], and [autotag]Jake Collier[/autotag].

The full list of UFC on ESPN 19 medical suspensions includes:

  • Jack Hermansson: Suspended 180 days or until fractured left orbital is cleared by a doctor; also suspended 60 days with no contact for 45 days.
  • Marvin Vettori: Suspended 45 days or until cut to left eyelid is cleared by a doctor; also suspended 30 days with no contact for 21 days.
  • Ovince Saint Preux: Suspended 45 days with 30 days no contact.
  • Jamahal Hill: Needs clearance of left hand with x-ray, otherwise suspended 180 days.
  • [autotag]Gabriel Benitez[/autotag]: Suspended 14 days with 7 days no contact.
  • [autotag]Justin Jaynes[/autotag]: Suspended 30 days with 21 days no contact.
  • [autotag]Roman Dolidze[/autotag]: No suspension.
  • John Allan: Needs clearance of right knee with MRI and right ankle with x-ray, otherwise suspended 180 days. Suspended minimum 30 days with 21 days no contact.
  • [autotag]Matt Wiman[/autotag]: Suspended 45 days with 30 days no contact.
  • [autotag]Jordan Leavitt[/autotag]: No suspension.
  • [autotag]Louis Smolka[/autotag]: Suspended 30 days with no contact for 21 days due to cut on right eyebrow.
  • [autotag]Jose Quinonez[/autotag]: Suspended 30 days with 21 days no contact.
  • [autotag]Ilia Topuria[/autotag]: No suspension.
  • Damon Jackson: Suspended 180 days or until possible nasal fracture is cleared by a doctor; also suspended 60 days with no contact for 45 days.
  • [autotag]Gian Villante[/autotag]: Suspended 30 days with 21 days no contact due to contusions.
  • Jake Collier: Suspended 180 days or until possible non-displaced fracture of left lateral orbital wall is cleared by an ophthalmologist; also suspended 60 days with no contact for 45 days.

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UFC on ESPN 19 Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay: Ovince Saint Preux nets most money

UFC on ESPN 19 fighters took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay, a program that launched after the UFC’s deal with Reebok.

LAS VEGAS – Fighters from Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 19 event took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay totaling $120,000.

The program, a comprehensive plan that includes outfitting requirements, media obligations and other items under the fighter code of conduct, replaces the previous payments made under the UFC Athlete Outfitting Policy.

UFC on ESPN 19 took place at UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The card aired on ESPN2 and streamed on ESPN+.

The full UFC on ESPN 19 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts included:

* * * *

[autotag]Marvin Vettori[/autotag]: $5,000
def. [autotag]Jack Hermansson[/autotag]: $10,000

[autotag]Jamahal Hill[/autotag]: $3,500
def. [autotag]Ovince Saint Preux[/autotag]: $20,000

[autotag]Gabriel Benitez[/autotag]: $5,000
def. [autotag]Justin Jaynes[/autotag]: $3,500

[autotag]Roman Dolidze[/autotag]: $3,500
def. [autotag]John Allan[/autotag]: $3,500

[autotag]Louis Smolka[/autotag]: $10,000
def. [autotag]Jose Quinonez[/autotag]: $5,000

[autotag]Jordan Leavitt[/autotag]: $3,500
def. [autotag]Matt Wiman[/autotag]: $15,000

[autotag]Ilia Topuria[/autotag]: $3,500
def. [autotag]Damon Jackson[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Jake Collier[/autotag]: $5,000
def. [autotag]Gian Villante[/autotag]: $20,000

Under the UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance program’s payout tiers, which appropriate the money generated by Reebok’s multi-year sponsorship with the UFC, fighters are paid based on their total number of UFC bouts, as well as Zuffa-era WEC fights (January 2007 and later) and Zuffa-era Strikeforce bouts (April 2011 and later). Fighters with 1-3 bouts receive $3,500 per appearance; 4-5 bouts get $4,000; 6-10 bouts get $5,000; 11-15 bouts earn $10,000; 16-20 bouts pocket $15,000; and 21 bouts and more get $20,000. Additionally, champions earn $40,000 while title challengers get $30,000.

In addition to experience-based pay, UFC fighters will receive in perpetuity royalty payments amounting to 20-30 percent of any UFC merchandise sold that bears their likeness, according to officials.

Full 2020 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts:

Year-to-date total: $6,153,000
2019 total: $7,370,500
2018 total: $6,901,000
2017 total: $6,295,000
2016 total: $7,138,000
2015 total: $3,185,000
Program-to-date total: $37,207,500

UFC on ESPN 19’s Jamahal Hill liked Jon Jones’ compliment, but hints not to get too friendly

Jamahal Hill appreciated Jon Jones’ shout out following his big win, but slyly let him know not to get too friendly.

[autotag]Jamahal Hill[/autotag] liked Jon Jones’ shout out, but that won’t change anything.

The rising prospect received praise from the former UFC light heavyweight champion and arguably the greatest fighter in MMA history after Hill stopped [autotag]Ovince Saint Preux[/autotag] in the co-main event of UFC on ESPN 19. The event went down on Saturday night at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.

Hill (9-0 MMA, 2-0 UFC) defeated Saint Preux via TKO at the 3:37 mark of the second round.

Jones tweeted that he liked Hill’s style and said he “looked amazing,” among a few other comments. Hill definitely enjoyed getting a thumbs up from an all-time great but also warned Jones not to get too friendly.

“That’s appreciated,” Hill said speaking to reporters at the post-fight news conference. “I respect Jon regardless of anything anybody says about Jon. He’s great; he came in this game and dominated. He lit the way for a lot of people.

“It was that change of the guard from the well-rounded, be able to do everything, as opposed to just tough guys. So I appreciate that, but it don’t change the fact that one day – one day.”

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With the win over Saint Preux, Hill remains undefeated in his MMA career. The 29-year-old is making plenty of noise at light heavyweight since joining the roster late last year following an impressive victory at Dana White’s Contender Series. It’s been a wild ride for Hill, to say the least.

“It’s been a dream come true,” Hill said. “I’ve been wanting to be here for a long time. I’ve worked hard to get here. On the Contender Series, after I got the finish, I was like, ‘All right, just keep it going.’

“Then fighting in Raleigh, I know I didn’t quite get the finish, but I had actually broke my hand a few days before the fight, so I was fighting with my hand injured, not the full power in my hand. Otherwise, I would’ve probably got the job done with a finish there. But it’s just been a roller coaster with the things I’ve had to deal with outside of the cage to the success inside the cage. I just appreciate it all; that’s my story. You have to be grateful for my story however it is, and I’m just ready for what’s next.”

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UFC on ESPN 19 results: Jamahal Hill overwhelms Ovince Saint Preux for TKO win

Rising star Jamahal Hill picked up his biggest career win at UFC on ESPN 19.

[autotag]Jamahal Hill[/autotag] keeps climbing the UFC light heavyweight ladder.

The rising prospect picked up arguably biggest win of his career Saturday night, stopping longtime contender [autotag]Ovince Saint Preux[/autotag] in the co-main event of UFC on ESPN 19. The official stoppage came at the 3:37 mark of round two.

Hill (9-0 MMA, 3-0 UFC) appeared to be in control from wire to wire. The 29-year-old appeared to connect on most of his shots in round one. Saint Preux (25-15 MMA, 13-10 UFC) had some good kicks to the body and legs, but Hill seemed to connect more often and causing most of the damage.

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In the second round, Saint Preux wasn’t able to get going and Hill appeared to have his range dialed in.

“Sweet Dreams” turned up his output and cracked Saint Preux with many shots. OSP looks hurt in the first flurry, but managed to survive. The second wave, which came seconds later, overwhelmed Saint Preux and stunned him.

Looking wobbly against the cage, Saint Preux did his best to fight back but he was taking too much damage and referee Jason Herzog had no option but to stop the fight. Saint Preux was standing but clearly hurt. He didn’t protest the stoppage.

With this result, Hill stays undefeated in his MMA career and is 2-0 since joining the UFC after earning a contract on Dana White Contender Series in fall of 2019.

Entering UFC on ESPN 19, Saint Preux was ranked 15th in the UFC’s official light heavyweight rankings. The Haitian fighter is 2-4 in his past six UFC bouts. He’s been unable to put together consecutive wins since 2017.

UFC on ESPN 19 went down at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The card aired on ESPN2 and ESPN+.

Up to the minute UFC on ESPN 19 results:

  • Jamahal Hill def. Ovince Saint Preux via TKO (punches) – Round 2, 3:37
  • Gabriel Benitez def. Justin Jaynes via TKO (knee, punches) – Round 1, 4:06
  • Roman Dolidze def. John Allan via split decision (28-29, 30-27, 29-28)
  • Jordan Leavitt def. Matt Wiman via knockout (slam) – Round 1, 0:22
  • Louis Smolka def. Jose Quinonez via TKO (punches) – Round 2, 2:15
  • Ilia Topuria def. Damon Jackson via knockout (punches) – Round 1, 2:38
  • Jake Collier def. Gian Villante via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

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Ovince Saint Preux unfazed by UFC on ESPN 19 underdog status: ‘They don’t know any better’

Ovince Saint Preux isn’t taking the oddsmakers’ selection personally.

[autotag]Ovince Saint Preux [/autotag]has been here before.

Entering UFC on ESPN 19, the longtime light heavyweight contender isn’t bothered he’s fighting another relative newcomer – and the odds for the fight don’t faze him.

Across major online sportsbooks, Saint Preux (25-14 MMA, 13-9 UFC) sits around +140 on average, according to BestFightOdds. The underdog status means nothing to Saint Preux, who said he doesn’t take it personally.

“No, it’s just they don’t know any better,” Saint Preux said Thursday during virtual media day. “A lot of times people look at (and) kind of relate it to boxing. They’ll be like, ‘This person is going to lose because this person is an undefeated boxer or whatnot.’ In mixed martial arts, it’s completely different.

“If you stay in this game long enough, you’re not going to be undefeated. It’s point blank. It’s really hard to be undefeated because, you know, that day is going to come when you catch an ‘L.’ Even in this 205-pound division right now, the talent level if you’re just coming in and you want to jump right on top and start fighting the top guys in the division, it’s not going to take long for you to get that first ‘L.'”

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Saint Preux made his promotional debut in April 2013 after a two-year stint in Strikeforce. His UFC on ESPN 19 opponent, Jamahal Hill (8-0 MMA, 2-0 UFC), made his first UFC walk in January 2020.

While he understands an up-and-comer’s willingness to fight the best right away, Saint Preux thinks experienced fighters (himself, in particular) are terrible matchups for fighters trying to quickly carve out their path.

“The 205 division, for an up-and-coming guy, I think would be one of the worst guys to actually go in (there) with,” Saint Preux said. “But it is what it is. Some guys feel like they have it. Some guys want to jump into the top (fights), but it’s different. This game is different. You’ve got guys who have been around for a while like (me). You’ve got experience-level behind it. It’s not only that, but it just experiences being in the cage with top-level guys and whatnot.

“These guys coming up, yes, I mean, anything can happen within a fight. But the circumstances between that fight with what I’ve got going on, and I’ve been through fighting-wise and whatnot, is going to make it a lot more difficult for him.”

UFC on ESPN 19 takes place Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The card airs on ESPN2 and streams on ESPN+.

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Ovince Saint Preux vs. Jamahal Hill added to UFC event on Dec. 5

A light heavyweight fight has been added to the UFC’s Dec. 5 card.

A light heavyweight fight has been added to the UFC’s first event in December 2020.

Longtime 205-pound staple [autotag]Ovince Saint Preux[/autotag] returns to action Dec. 5 against Dana White’s Contender Series alumnus [autotag]Jamahal Hill[/autotag]. The event is expected to take place at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.

Multiple sources recently informed MMA Junkie of the fight but asked to remain anonymous as the promotion has yet to make an official announcement. Cageside Press was the first to report the news.

Saint Preux (25-14 MMA, 15-10 UFC) picked up a $50,000 “Performance of the Night” bonus in his most recent fight after knocking out Alonzo Menifield. The victory was Saint Preux’s return to both the win column and the light heavyweight division after a heavyweight split decision loss to Ben Rothwell in May.

Hill (8-0 MMA, 2-0 UFC) has won both of his UFC appearances to date after punching his ticket into the UFC on DWCS, Season 3 in 2019. After defeating Darko Stosic in his debut, Hill finished Klidson Abreu with strikes in 1:51 in May.

Update: Shortly after the news of the booking surfaced, Saint Preux announced on Twitter he’s signed a new contract with the UFC in addition to his bout agreement.

With the addition, the Dec. 5 lineup includes:

  • Jack Hermansson vs. Darren Till
  • Merab Dvalishvili vs. Cody Stamann
  • Bethe Correia vs. Yanan Wu
  • Jake Collier vs. Gian Villante
  • Maryna Moroz vs. Taila Santos
  • Cody Durden vs. Jimmy Flick
  • John Allan vs. Roman Dolidze
  • Jamahal Hill vs. Ovince Saint Preux

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After big knockout win, Ovince Saint Preux reflects on nerve-racking lead-up to UFC on ESPN+ 34

Ovince Saint Preux reflects on the wild past few weeks after testing positive for COVID-19.

LAS VEGAS – Before, during, and after he was infected with the disease, [autotag]Ovince Saint Preux[/autotag] wasn’t afraid of COVID-19 itself. It was the ramifications of the illness that he feared most.

After his massive, bonus-earning second-round knockout over Alonzo Menifield (9-2 MMA, 2-2 UFC) at UFC on ESPN+ 34, Saint Preux (25-14 MMA, 13-9 UFC) explained the most mentally challenging parts of dealing with the disease caused by coronavirus.

After Saint Preux tested positive ahead of a previously scheduled matchup against Menifield on Aug. 22, the fight was canceled. The bout was rebooked for Saturday, which made OSP nervous he’d encounter the same issue all over again ahead of UFC on ESPN+ 34.

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“I’m telling you,” Saint Preux said at the post-fight news conference. “The whole panic thing is (crazy). When I did the at-home COVID test, I was like, ‘OK, cool. I didn’t hear nothing. It’s a negative result.’ I got here Tuesday. I didn’t hear nothing. Negative result. During weigh-ins, same thing: negative result. When I was cleared and was good, I was like, ‘Thank you.’

“Now, I’m trying to look at my trainers and be like, ‘OK, look.’ I had negatives. Pretty much, I know my trainers had negatives. I was like, ‘The last thing I need is for me to be walking out there by myself if all my trainers test positive or something.’ But everything worked out. Everything worked out perfectly.”

Everything worked out well for Saint Preux indeed. The finish was vicious – an easy addition to Saint Preux’s lengthy highlight reel. Midway through the fight, Menifield rushed in on an attack and Saint Preux made him pay.

“Alonzo is a power puncher,” Saint Preux said. “He overcommitted. When he overcommitted, he left himself open and his chin was staring right at me. I just landed perfectly. It was kind of the same thing that happened when I fought ‘Shogun’ (Rua).”

UFC on ESPN+ 34 took place Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The event streamed on ESPN+.

Check out Ovince Saint Preux’s full UFC on ESPN+ 34 post-fight news conference in the video above.

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