Another week and another UFC Fight Night card. Making their return to the United States with UFC Vegas 69, we will see Ovince Saint Preux vs Philipe Lins in a light heavyweight bout in the prelims.
Originally meant to be Cory Sandhagen and Marlon Vera in the headliner, we will now see Jessica Andrade vs Erin Blanchfield in the main event instead. On the night, we will witness some young fighters and some experienced veterans take to the Octagon. As such, Ovince Saint Preux and Philipe Lins will fall into the latter category of fights.
Edging out a split decision against Mauricio Rua last time around, OSP is still going strong. Although he may not possess the same athleticism or prowess as in his prime days, he is still a formidable opponent. Having fought against some of the biggest names in his division including the current and former champs, Saint Preux is a proper veteran of the game.
Facing Saint Preux, we have the Brazilian, Philipe Lins. A former PFL champ, Lins has struggled to find similar success in his time in the UFC. After losing his first two fights to Andrei Arlovski and Tanner Boser respectively, Lins was able to collect a decision victory against Marcin Prachnio in his last outing.
UFC Vegas 69: Ovince Saint Preux vs Philipe Lins, Stats
Stats | Ovince Saint Preux | Philipe Lins |
---|---|---|
Wins | 26 | 15 |
Losses | 16 | 5 |
Height | 1.91 m | 1.88 m |
Division | Light Heavyweight | Light Heavyweight |
Reach | 2.03m | 1.98 cm |
Age | 39 | 37 |
Saint Preux vs Lins: Fight Breakdown
Previously, Saint Preux and Lins have been scheduled to fight each other on two separate occasions. However, the fight fell away both times, leading to it being rescheduled for the third time. Now, both fighters have seemingly course-corrected their losing streak and are coming into the fight with a win under their belts.
As for OSP, predicting his fights, it is a bit of a coin flip. Sometimes, he comes out like a raging bull, demonstrating his strength and power, and at other times he falls a bit flat. Consistency is a big issue for Saint Preux but should he be able to cook up a solid game plan and execute it, he can win this fight.
🚨 CONFIRMADO 🚨
O Octógono vai ficar pequeno para o confronto entre 🇭🇹 @003_OSP e 🇧🇷 @PhillipeLins no #UFCVegas69!
[ 📺 💻 📱 @UFCFightPassBR ➡️ https://t.co/0ptkm6TqVa ] pic.twitter.com/dsjgDZcNdA
— UFC Brasil (@UFCBrasil) January 26, 2023
On the other hand, “Monstro” Lins also has a similar wrestle-boxing style to OSP. With both fighters good on the ground, that is where you can expect this one to go as well. However, with age, Saint Preux has begun gassing out relatively earlier, with his upper body strength getting used up a lot whilst grappling. Lins, on the other hand, has a solid gas tank and will be favored, the longer the fight goes on.
As such, OSP will have to make his move relatively quickly and try to catch out the Brazilian with a quick flurry or a sharp counter on Lins, who is not the best striker. Although he is the underdog, for obvious reasons, we’re backing the Haitian for a win.