NEW YORK (Nov. 30, 2010) – Fresh off his fifth straight victory less than two weeks ago, former University of Tennessee standout linebacker turned rising Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) star Ovince St. Preux (8-4) will re-enter the cage to face hard-hitting Benji “Razor” Radach (21-5) this Saturday, Dec. 4, at Scottrade Center in St. Louis, live on SHOWTIME® (10 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast).
The 6-foot-3, 27-year-old St. Preux notched a unanimous three-round decision over Antwain “The Juggernaut’’ Britt during a STRIKEFORCE Challengers event at Jackson Convention Complex in Jackson, Miss. on Nov. 19.
Before going the distance with Britt, St. Preux, who fights out of Knoxville, Tenn., had won all four of his fights this year in the first round in a total elapsed time of 7:10. He called it a night after demolishing tough UFC veteran, Jason “Dooms’’ Day, with a single punch in just eight seconds on July 24.
This will be unquestionably the toughest assignment for St. Preux, who won his STRIKEFORCE debut with a 0:47, first-round TKO (punches) over Chris Hawk last April 17.
St. Preux played for the Vols from 2001-2004. He made history on Feb. 20, 2009, by not only competing in Tennessee’s first sanctioned MMA event, but also by recording the first knockout there.
The heavy-handed Radach, a UFC and IFL veteran, will be making his first start since losing by dramatic third-round knockout (punches) to Scott “Hands Of Steel’’ Smith on April 11, 2009. The epic, see-saw battle with Smith was one of the most memorable fights of the year.
In his outing before last, the rugged Radach registered an exciting second-round TKO (punches) over Murilo “Ninja” Rua live on The CBS Television Network. Radach has scored knockouts in 17 of his 19 career triumphs.
Outside the cage, Radach is remembered for foiling a 2006 armed-robbery attempt in Vancouver, Wash., by physically disarming a gunman who was trying to hold up the restaurant that Radach was patronizing.
In the main event of the star-studded STRIKEFORCE fight card, legendary MMA superstar Dan Henderson (25-8) of Temecula, Calif., will clash with former STRIKEFORCE light heavyweight world champion Renato “Babalu” Sobral (36-8) of Cerritos, Calif., via Brazil, in a rematch between world-class 205-pounders.
Other televised fights: Paul “Semtex’’ Daley (25-9-2) of Nottingham, England, confronts Scott “Hands Of Steel” Smith (17-7, 1 NC), of Elk Grove, Calif., in a matchup of power-punching welterweights (170 pounds), former world champion and exciting local favorite “Ruthless” Robbie Lawler (17-6, 1 NC), of Granite City, Ill., goes up against 2000 Olympic Games silver medalist Matt “The Law” Lindland (22-7) of Oregon City, Ore., in a middleweight (185 pounds) bout and former heavyweight world champion Antonio “Big Foot’’ Silva (14-2) of Coconut Creek, Fla., by way of Brazil takes on streaking star Mike “Mak’’ Kyle (18-7), of San Jose, Calif.
Tickets are on sale at Scottrade Center, online at Ticketmaster.com and Strikeforce.com or by phone (800) 745-3000. Doors at Scottrade Center will open for the event at 6 p.m. CT. The first preliminary bout will begin at 6:30 p.m. and the first televised main card fight will begin at 9 p.m.