UFC Fight Night 117 results: More like 'Ovince Saint Flue': Yushin Okami put out cold in first

Just call him “Ovince Saint Flue” at this point.

Ovince Saint Preux (21-10 MMA, 9-5) finished Yushin Okami (34-11 MMA, 13-6 UFC) with a Von Flue choke quickly in the first round of the UFC-Japan headliner. It was Saint Preux’s third Von Flue choke in the UFC and second straight – and there have been only five of those finishes in UFC history.

The light heavyweight bout was the main event of today’s UFC Fight Night 117 event at Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan, near Tokyo. It aired on FXX following prelims on the same channel.

Okami shot for a takedown in the first few seconds, but Saint Preux stuffed it and got on top in half-guard. The fight was basically over as soon as Okami shot for that takedown.

Saint Preux wrapped Okami’s neck up and tried to step over to full mount. He couldnt’ get there and settled back into half-guard to try to work ground-and-pound from up top. Saint Preux went to work for his Von Flue choke – and he got it. Okami never had an opportunity to tap. He was out cold.

Saint Preux won for the second straight time after a three-fight skid. Okami, back in the UFC after four years away, had a four-fight winning streak snapped.

Okami took the fight on just a week’s notice after Mauricio Rua pulled out with an injury. He fought after a stint in WSOF, and he fought up two weight classes from what had been his normal welterweight home.

Saint Preux said he’ll keep working to get back to a light heavyweight title shot, which he had in 2016 for the interim belt against Jon Jones.

“I pretty much knew the choke was there when he put his hand around my head and I basically trapped his glove,” Saint Preux said. “After that, it was just waiting for him to pass out.

“Pretty much, I have to keep on doing what I’m doing tonight and get ready for another fight (if I want another title shot).”

Up-to-the-minute UFC Fight Night 117 results include:

• Ovince Saint Preux def. Yushin Okami via technical submission (Von Flue choke) – Round 1, 1:50
• Jessica Andrade def. Claudia Gadelha via unanimous decision (30-25, 30-26, 30-27)
• “Maestro” Dong Hyun Kim def. Takanori Gomi via TKO (punches) – Round 1, 1:30
• Gokhan Saki def. Henrique da Silva via knockout (punch) – Round 1, 4:45
• Teruto Ishihara def. Rolando Dy via unanimous decision (28-27, 28-27, 29-27)
• Jussier Formiga def. Ulka Sasaki via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 1, 4:30
• Keita Nakamura def. Alex Morono via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
• Syrui Kondo def. Chan-Mi Jeon via split decision (28-29, 30-27, 30-27)
• Shinsho Anzai def. Luke Jumeau via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
• Daichi Abe def. Hyun Gyu Lim via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

For complete coverage of UFC Fight Night 117, check out the UFC Events section of the site.

(MMAjunkie’s Ken Hathaway contributed to this report on site in Japan.)