Ovince St. Preux didn’t waste any time getting down to business Saturday night at UFC 171.
The Knoxville native needed just one minute and 29 seconds to choke out an overmatched Nikita Krylov at American Airlines Arena.
It was the fourth straight victory and 12th in his past 13 for the former Strikeforce light heavyweight.
The fighter known as OSP got the Urkranian Krylov to the mat in the opening seconds, then shifted into side control. Krylov (16-4) went for a guillotine from the bottom, but St. Preux deftly maneuvered into a Von Flue choke, putting Krylov out cold before referee Dan Miragliotta could even respond.
“I’m calling that performance of the night,” said St. Preux (15-5), who scored his fourth career submission. “Anytime someone gets the guillotine on me and they don’t let go, I’m going for the Von Flue.”
“All I had to do was just get my hips low,” St. Preux continued. “Once I had the hands locked down I knew I was going to get it.”