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Ovince Saint Preux may not have emerged victorious in his bout with Jon Jones at UFC 197, but the Tennessee representative knows positive gains were made regardless.

After light heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier was forced out of his scheduled rematch with the pound-for-pound great in the lead up to the event, the UFC set about scrambling to find a last minute replacement. And when the bout in question comes against a fighter with Jones’ resume, the task of locking down an opponent wasn’t going to be easy.

Nevertheless, a chance to fight the most dominant champion in light heavyweight history was the opportunity of a lifetime from Saint Preux’s perspective.

“In this game you never know what is going to happen,” Saint Preux said. “You have to make the most of every chance you get and that was a fight I wasn’t going to pass up.”

Although “OSP” entered the tilt as a heavy underdog, Saint Preux silenced his critics by taking the former light heavyweight king to the final bell. Saint Preux’s performance became even more impressive considering the circumstances of the situation he entered.

“I took the fight on three week’s notice and really only had two weeks to train, then I broke my arm in the second round and still went the distance with the guy everyone considers the pound-for-pound best,” Saint Preux said. “I would’ve loved to get the win, but there are positives I can take from this experience.”

Throughout the 25-minute tilt Saint Preux’s grit and durability were front and center, and the Knoxville-based fighter knows his performance at UFC 197 elevated his profile in the eyes of fight fans and the UFC brass alike. And while Saint Preux left Las Vegas with a notch in the loss column, the outpour of positivity he's received in the aftermath of the fight is something he considers a victory.

“I know my stock went up because of that fight,” Saint Preux said. “I know that because Dana White told me and when Dana says something like that I’ll take it. I went out there and gave it my best. I never really felt he was a threat while we were in there, and me finishing the fight in the fashion I did, I believe the opportunities are endless right now.”

While Saint Preux will tend to his injury, the former University of Tennessee football player isn’t going to let his broken arm keep him out of the gym. Going the distance with Jones has given him the confidence he can run with the best in the light heavyweight fold, and he’s eager to return to the Octagon in quick fashion.

“After being in there with Jones I feel I’m ready for anyone they want to give me in my division,” Saint Preux said. “If I get a full camp I believe I can compete with anyone in my weight class. I took a week off to heal up and recover, but I’m going to be right back in the gym next week. I’m going to keep working and I’ll be ready for the next one.”