41-year-old Ovince Saint Preux never thought that he would one day be competing in the UFC. He began his career as a UT football player and played for Vols from 2001-04. From a very young age, Saint Preux trained himself for a contact sport, which later helped him in his MMA career. The light-heavyweight fighter has had a bit of a mixed run in the promotion, but his longevity is second to none.

However, he has impressed one and all with his unique fighting style, and seven performances of the night bonuses shed light on his skill level. So let us take a closer look as to where and whom the 41-year-old trains with to improve himself as a fighter.

Who is Ovince Saint Preux’s coach? 

Since making his professional debut in 2008, OSP has faced off against some of the biggest names in the MMA sphere. Who can forget his dream fight with Jon Jones at UFC 197? Saint Preux fought ‘Bones’ with a broken hand for more than three rounds. Despite losing the fight, he gathered a lot of recognition for his courage and tenacity. OSP, for a long time, has been training under Joey Zonar and head coach Eric Turner and trains in Knoxville Martial Arts Academy. 

Saint Preux came over from Strikeforce after the promotion’s merger with the UFC and began his career with a bang. He won his first four fights and impressed one and all with his skill set. However, Ryan Bader handed him his first loss after he outwrestled him for five rounds in a main event in Maine. Learning from his past mistakes, he got back on track and won his fights against Mauricio “Shogun” Rua and Patrick Cummins. Saint Preux has always been a true student of the sport and always finds ways to improve himself, working constantly with his coaches.

The 41-year-old currently holds a record of 27-17-0 in his career, with outstanding performances against some legends of the sport. Saint Preux’s game predominantly revolves around his striking, which can be lethal at times. Standing at 6 feet 3 inches, the former football player uses his reach to keep his opponents at bay and uses his footwork to cut the angles. The only time he is seen in trouble is when his opponents take the fight to the ground. However, over the years, he has improved his ground game, which has helped him in his fights. He has also become an expert in the Von Flue choke, securing four wins from this unique submission. But who exactly does he train with? Let us find out.

All we know about Ovince Saint Preux’s gym and teammates

The former University of Tennessee football linebacker is not the only fighter from his gym who made it to the UFC. Scott Holtzman, who trains out of the Shields Systems MMA, also competes in the promotion. Adding to that, Saint Preux’s former training partner and longtime Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu coach Rafaello Oliveira also has massive UFC experience. It seems that the 41-year-old has quality training partners who will help them prepare for the upcoming fight.

OSP is all set to take on Ryan Spann at UFC 307 after their previous fight at UFC Vegas 97 was canceled. OSP pulled out of the fight at the last moment because of an illness. He will now have the opportunity to keep his winning momentum going when he takes on Spann next. A highly talented fighter, OSP has been waiting for a long time to realize his full potential in the division. While he does believe that he still has some years left in him, Saint Preux will have to back his words with victories inside the Octagon.

Can OSP win his next fight against Ryan Spann in the upcoming UFC 307 event? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.