Jimi Manuwa Injured, Ovince St. Preux Now Faces Mauricio Rua At UFC Fight Night 56
By Rick LaFitte
@RickLaFitte
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There’s been an injury-related change to what had shaped up as a potentially explosive main event at UFC Fight Night 56 in Brazil. Dangerous knockout artist Jimi Manuwa is out of a scheduled Nov. 8 clash against Mauricio Rua because of a broken foot. A major opportunity now knocks for Ovince St.Preux as he draws the headlining assignment against “Shogun.” St. Preux had been slated to face Francimar Barroso in the co-main event before getting elevated to top billing. Both competitors will be looking to rebound from losses.
“OSP” had a disappointing performance at Fight Night 47 in August when he was victimized by the wrestling skills of Ryan Bader. He had a very tough time getting into any offensive rhythm and as a result dropped a unanimous decision verdict after five uninspiring rounds. It snapped St. Preux’s five-fight win streak and marked his first setback in five Octagon appearances. He’s currently holding down the No. 10 ranking, and a victory over the former UFC light heavyweight champion would certainly raise his stock in a major way.
Rua maintains a No. 9 ranking despite having dropped three of his last four bouts. His only successful effort in that span was a devastating first-round knockout of James Te Huna. Rua was most recently knocked out by Dan Henderson in their Fight Night 38 rematch, and suffered a badly broken nose in the process. While the Brazilian icon’s best days are clearly behind him, he still possesses formidable punching power.
While it lacks the violence level of what a Manuwa vs. Rua battle would have delivered, “OSP” vs. “Shogun” is a reasonable alternative option. It’s a chance for the highly athletic St. Preux to try and take his career to the next level while providing an opportunity for Rua to redeem himself on his home turf.
Rick LaFitte is an MMA Writer for Rant Sports.
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