The ever-growing sport of mixed martial arts has garnered the attention of people across the nation and around the world. What was once considered a barbaric sport featuring brutal tactics has become a widely accepted sport featuring the combinations of combat tactics and martial arts from all corners of the globe.
Alongside the vast expansion of sports, athletes from other walks of the athletic game have started to mingle their way into MMA. Strikeforce’s Ovince Saint Preux is one of those athletes looking to make the transition, who played linebacker in the famous University of Tennessee football program.
“The biggest thing for me was just learning all the different disciplines and at times it’s been kind of frustrating,” states Saint Preux. “I’ve played football my entire life and so I would get mad at first when I wouldn’t get something right away. But I just shrugged my shoulders and knew it would all come together over time and that eventually I’d be pretty good at it.”
While Saint Preux has made the transition from a Tennessee Volunteer to a mixed martial artist, he managed to gain his first victory in MMA with a bout in Tennessee. However, it was not just any other event, it was the first ever in the state.
The opportunity was a huge way to gain his first victory in the sport and a chance to perform in front of the Tennessee faithful, the same people who watched him bring down running backs as a Vol.
“A lot of people in Knoxville know my name and they had watched me play football but had never seen me fight,” explains Saint Preux. “I thought if I lost I would never hear the end of it. I’m proud to say I have the first knockout in the history of fighting in the state.”
Following his knockout over CT Turner, Saint Preux has run into some adversity that comes with the territory. Since the victory, he has gone 3-2, leaving him with merely an average record.
“I’ve fought some tough guys,” states Saint Preux. “Usually when you start out in this sport you don’t fight guys as tough as the ones I did. When I first started I really didn’t care who I fought. Looking back I probably should have won all of those fights I lost. But I’ve learned from each of those losses. I’m actually happy because I learned so much from it. My career is young and I’ll only come back stronger.”
When St. Preux next steps into the cage, he will once again be fighting in front of a Tennessee crowd, as he is set to debut with the promotion at Strikeforce: “Nashville” on April 17 against Chris Hawk.
Fighting in a state he has a history with certainly brings in the fans, but the 10’s of thousands of people at a Tennessee football game is far superior to the amount of people at a Strikeforce event. However, Saint Preux gets just as much of an adrenaline rush walking out to a cage instead of a football field.
“As far as MMA goes, there are going to be a lot of fans in Nashvile and it’s going to be loud,” states Saint Preux. “I’ll be able to feel it in my guy. I’m just going to feel it in my gut. I’m just going to have to take a deep breath and take it all in because not too many people get to experience what I get to experience.”
The adrenaline rush walking to the cage will certainly be felt by Saint Preux, but the young light heavyweight will be focused on the next stop in his MMA career. Standing in his way Sat. night will be another Strikeforce prospect in Chris Hawk.
But Saint Preux is prepared and is not ready to let anyone spoil his night in front of the Tennessee crowd.
“I heard he trains at a pretty good Jiu-Jitsu and judo school,” explains Saint Preux. “The other thing I found out about him is that he fought on WCL so he must be a pretty good stand-up guy. He’s a good athlete and he’s pretty strong. I’m going to have my hands full. Whether I win or lose I know it’s going to be good show because I’m all about putting on a good show.”