It's been a year since Olivier (The Canadian Gangster) Aubin-Mercier won the PFL lightweight title and the US$1 million that goes with it.
On Friday, the 34-year-old from Montreal looks to do it all again in what could be his final MMA fight.
Aubin-Mercier takes on American (Cassius) Clay Collard in one of six PFL finals at The Anthem auditorium in Washington, D.C.
Unlike other MMA promotions, the Professional Fighters League features a regular season and playoffs, culminating in championship bouts with a title and seven-figure payday on the line. Aubin-Mercier knocked out Scotland's Stevie (Braveheart) Ray with one punch in the second round Nov. 25, 2022, to claim both prizes at the Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden.
Both Aubin-Mercier and Collard went 3-0-0 in PFL action this year.
Aubin-Mercier (20-5-0) opened his campaign in April with a decision over former UFC fighter (Hurricane) Shane Burgos before stopping fellow Canadian Anthony (The Genius) Romero in the third round in June and Brazilian Bruno (Robusto) Miranda in the second round in August.
A second PFL title, he said, would be "the perfect ending to a career."
Collard (24-10-0 with one no contest) won decisions over Burgos and Japan's Yamato Nishikawa sandwiched around a second-round stoppage of Ray. The win over Burgos saw Collard throw more than 430 strikes, connecting on close to 200.
"I'm trying to get that strap (championship belt). I want that gold (that) money can't buy, you know what I'm saying?" said the 30-year-old from Utah. "The money's nice too."
Aubin-Mercier is intrigued by the challenge of facing Collard, whom he calls "a great personality."
"An interesting matchup, I like it. I really like it," he said. "I was hoping he was going to be in the final. He had a hard path to get there and I'm happy for him."
Aubin-Mercier toyed with the idea of taking a longer break from fighting after winning the 2022 title but eventually returned to the gym.
He says whatever happens Friday, he plans to take a "big break." How long remains to be seen.
"I don't think you're going to see me next year," he said. "I mean if PFL wants to come to Montreal and they want to give me some good money and have some friends of mine on the card, yeah for sure I'm going to fight one last time. But other than that I have no interest in doing the next season, I have no interest in doing another fight.
"I'm tired. I want to spent time with my family. That's what I plan to do."
Collard, a father of four, has endured hard times. One of five brothers, he lost brother Chad to a car accident in 2021 and Cory to a drowning accident in July 2022.
"I've already been through hell. So whatever he throws at me is light work," Collard said ahead of the Burgos fight.
Aubin-Mercier has won nine straight in the PFL since leaving the UFC in 2019 on the back of consecutive losses to American Alexander (The Great Ape) Hernandez, Brazil's Gilbert (Durinho) Burns and Russia's Arman Tsarukya.
Largely due to the COVID-19 pandemic, he had a break of 23 months between his last fight in the UFC (July 2019) and his debut in the PFL (June 2021).
He won both of his PFL fights in 2021 but missed the start of the season through injury so did not figure in the playoffs. He won all four outings last year in claiming the 155-pound crown.
The Canadian credits his current winning run to "hard work" but also using his head.
"You have to train smart … I talked to a lot of fighters in the PFL and they all said the same thing. You cannot spar like you used to," he said, citing the PFL's busy schedule.
Aubin-Mercier, who used to spar two or three times a week in the UFC, no longer spars between fights.
Aubin-Mercier was a cast member of "The Ultimate Fighter Nations: Canada vs. Australia'' reality TV show, losing a split decision to fellow Canadian Chad (The Disciple) Laprise in the finale in April 2014. He won seven of his next eight UFC fights before losing three straight and making the switch to the PFL.
Aubin-Mercier did some travelling after his 2022 championship win, visiting France and Mexico.
He also splurged on a deluxe bidet, an "expensive Pokemon card'' reportedly for some $12,000, and a home theatre speaker, only to kick himself after realizing it was from a company that sponsors the PFL.
A connoisseur of good food and wine, he also ate well. As a result, the 155-pound champion hit 190 pounds.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 23, 2023.
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Neil Davidson, The Canadian Press
