Ovince Saint Preux still works with Tennessee Volunteers

LAS VEGAS – Earlier than he was a UFC mild heavyweight, Ovince Saint Preux was a Tennessee Volunteer – and his nonetheless is, in a way.

A linebacker and defensive finish for the College of Tennessee from 2001 to 2004, Saint Preux (26-17 MMA, 14-12 UFC) nonetheless maintains a relationship with the group 20 years later.

“I’m blessed in a means, simply because early on in my profession, any time I wanted assist, any time I had one thing incorrect with me, even early on once I began, I used to be capable of primarily go to College of Tennessee and use the trainers that I had and be like, ‘Hey, I’ve this incorrect with me. Are you able to assist me out?’” Saint Preux informed MMA Junkie and different reporters Wednesday. “They’d be like, ‘OK, sit right here. We’ll provide the rundown. Growth, growth, growth, growth. Subsequent, I would like you right here twice or three days every week so you will get therapy.’”

However Saint Preux isn’t the one one to learn from his alumnus standing. The Volunteers teaching workers have him converse to the group now and again, one thing Saint Preux has loved – and so have the gamers.

“The linebacker coach isn’t at UT any extra, however when he was there, he was Haitian. He recruited me out of highschool. So him and I, we had been speaking. He’s like, ‘I would like you to come back speak to our linebackers.’ I’m like, ‘OK, I can come speak to your linebackers.’ It went from speaking to the linebackers after which two days earlier than I got here to speak, he’s like, ‘Hey, Coach (John) Heupel wants you to come back speak to the group.’ I’m like, ‘What?’ So I needed to speak to the entire group. It’s humorous as a result of once I walked in there, everyone was form of speaking. They placed on a spotlight video and everyone bought quiet, which is cool I bought their consideration.

“Then, I used to be just about answering questions for the following hour-and-a-half. Heupel needed to cease them from asking questions as a result of he was like, ‘We now have to cease as a result of we by no means had this a lot questions requested earlier than.’ I used to be like, ‘All proper, that’s fairly cool.’ However each time I’m going again to the complicated, it’s just about all love. Everyone sees it as just about all love.”

Saint Preux, 40, is Saturday set to interrupt the file for many mild heavyweight appearances in promotion historical past (25) when he faces Kennedy Nzechukwu (12-4 MMA, 6-4 UFC) at UFC Battle Night time 239 on the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.

Even in any case these years (and all these video games) OSP feels good – and that’s massive partly to his alma mater.

“I used to be nonetheless ready to make use of their weight room, chilly plunge, trainers, everyone,” Saint Preux stated. “To me, everyone’s been open arms. Even speaking to Coach Heupel, he’s like, ‘Something we will do for you, simply tell us.’ Imagine me, I’m in there quite a bit.”

For extra on the cardboard, go to MMA Junkie’s occasion hub for UFC Battle Night time 239.