Ovince Saint Preux Gets New Opponent for UFC Fight Night 104

Ovince Saint Preux will no longer fight Jan Blachowicz at UFC Fight Night 104.

Saint Preux will instead welcome UFC newbie Volkan Oezdemir to the promotion, according to a word from UFC officials on Friday.

‘O.S.P’ makes his first return since a knockout loss to Jimi Manuwa at October’s UFC 204. Saint Preux’s second straight loss followed his ‘L’ to banned, former champ Jon Jones. Oezdemir is a promising 12-1 as a professional fighter, with his only blemish coming via Kelly Anundson at Bellator 115 in 2014, but has only fought three times since that particular year.

There have been two other changes announced, and they relate to Welshman John Phillips has been removed from his UFC debut against Marcos Rogerio de Lima at UFC on FOX 23. Jeremy Kimball will instead make his debut against the Brazilian.

Garreth McLellan, as previously covered, will also be replacing a fighter. The South African stands in for Alex Nicholson to fight another new fighter in Paulo Henrique Costa at UFC Fight Night 106 in March.