Ovince St. Preux Record: 27-18-0

Rise in the light heavyweight division

OSP turned heads in the UFC with a wave of finishes, knocking out Cody Donovan in 2013 and submitting Nikita Krylov and Ryan Jimmo in 2014. His signature win came that November when he flattened former champion Maurício Rua with a first-round knockout, followed by a quick stoppage of Patrick Cummins in 2015. A submission loss to Glover Teixeira later that year tempered his momentum heading into the biggest fight of his life.

Title shot and veteran chapter

In April 2016, OSP challenged for the interim light heavyweight title against pound-for-pound great Jon Jones, losing a five-round decision but going the distance with one of the sport's all-time best. He rebounded with his trademark Von Flue choke, submitting Yushin Okami in 2017 and head-kick knocking out Corey Anderson the same year. Across his veteran run he traded wins and losses with the likes of Dominick Reyes and Jamahal Hill, even beating Rua a second time in 2022.

Fighting style

OSP is an unorthodox finisher who pairs explosive, football-bred athleticism with heavy hands and a deep, opportunistic submission game. His 27-18 record carries a strong 74% finish rate – 12 knockouts and eight submissions – and he became famous for repeatedly landing the rare Von Flue choke, a finish so associated with him that fans nicknamed it after him. His weaknesses are consistency and grappling exchanges against elite wrestlers and submission artists, reflected in losses by submission and a number of close decisions over a long, action-packed career.

Career highlights

• Interim title challenger — fought Jon Jones five rounds for the interim UFC Light Heavyweight Championship in 2016.
• Knockout of Maurício Rua — stopped the former UFC light heavyweight champion in the first round in 2014, the signature win of his career.
• The "Von Preux" choke — landed the rare Von Flue choke multiple times in the UFC, becoming the fighter most identified with the technique.