5 Defining Moments: Olivier Aubin-Mercier (2024)

OlivierAubin-Mercier did what most fighters could not: He walked awayat the top of his game and on his own terms.

The two-time Professional Fighters League lightweight champion announced hisretirement from mixed martial arts in November, doing so with apair of million-dollar pursues in tow. Aubin-Mercier made his debutwith a 58-second submission of Guy Poulin ata Ringside MMA event on Oct. 21, 2011 and compiled a 21-5 record asa pro. All five of his losses resulted in decisions and took placeacross his 12 appearances in the Ultimate Fighting Championship between April 2014 and July2019. Aubin-Mercier signed with the PFL after parting ways with theUFC and proceeded to rattle off 10 consecutive victories beforecalling it a career.

With Aubin-Mercier’s exploits now in the rearview mirror, a look atfive of the many moments that have come to define him:

1. Short of Expectations

Adrenaline Training Center export ChadLaprise called up on sharp punching combinations, stout legkicks, nifty footwork and excellent defensive grappling in “TheUltimate Fighter Nations” welterweight final, where he was awardeda split decision over Aubin-Mercier on April 16, 2014 at the PepsiColiseum in Quebec City, Quebec. Judges Sal D’Amato and DavidTherien struck 30-27 and 29-28 scorecards for Laprise, while ErickPhilippeaux saw it 29-28 for Aubin-Mercier. Laprise always seemedto be a step ahead of the judo black belt. Aubin-Mercier securedtakedowns in the second and third rounds, only to have to hisdetermined counterpart return to his feet. Laprise—who targeted thelegs, body and head throughout the 15-minute scrap—rang thejudoka’s bell with a multi-punch combination in the third round andclosed with a flourish, swarming Aubin-Mercier with punches in thewaning seconds.

2. Another Dimension

Aubin-Mercier proved he was far more than a one-dimensionalgrappler when he dispatched Evan Dunhamwith a pair of knee strikes to the body and follow-up punches inthe first round of their UFC 223 lightweight prelim on April 7,2018 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. A short-noticereplacement for MairbekTaisumov, Aubin-Mercier brought it to a close 53 seconds intoRound 1. Dunham stung the Tristar Gym representative with a straight left during theirinitial exchange but saw his situation deteriorate from there.Aubin-Mercier drew him into the clinch and blasted him with a kneeto the body. The stricken Dunham retreated to the cage, where hewas met with punches and another brutal knee to the solar plexusbefore a sustained burst of punches finished it. It was Dunham’sfirst stoppage loss in almost four years.

3. Next-Generation Reality

Stock in Russian prospect ArmanTsarukyan continued its upward trajectory when he took aunanimous decision from Aubin-Mercier in a UFC 240 lightweightshowcase on July 27, 2019 at Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alberta. Allthree judges scored it 29-28. An accomplished judoka who also holdsthe rank of brown belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, Aubin-Mercier wasundoubtedly caught off-guard by his counterpart’s tactics.Tsarukyan closed the distance repeatedly, trapped the Tristar Gymrep in the clinch and went to work with short punches and knees tothe legs. Aubin-Mercier wobbled the Russian with a well-timed kneein the second round but failed to follow it with anything ofsubstance and wound up spinning his wheels once again. Tsarukyanput to bed any hopes of a comeback in Round 3, where he countered atakedown into top position and applied his ground-and-pound,alternating between elbows and standing-to-ground punches. Itmarked Aubin-Mercier’s final appearance in the UFC.

4. Million-Dollar Man

Aubin-Mercier on Nov. 25, 2022 wiped out former Cage Warriors Fighting Championship titleholder Steven Raywith a sweeping right hook in the second round of their lightweightfinal as part of the 2022 PFL Championships inside the Hulu Theaterat Madison Square Garden in New York. Ray met his demise 4:40 intoRound 2, suffering his first knockout loss in more than threeyears. Aubin-Mercier—who pocketed a life-changing $1 million prizein victory—seized the reins with a fast start, as he stepped intothudding left hands and a series of damaging kicks to the lowerleg. Ray appeared to turn the tide in the second round, where hesurprised the Canadian judoka with a takedown, transitioned to theback and anchored himself with a body triangle. Aubin-Mercier wascool under duress and eventually escaped to an upright position. Hethen circled on the outside and snuck a right hook over Ray’sdefenses, the impact of the concussive blow dropping the Scotsmanwhere he stood. No follow-up shots were necessary.

5. Money Train

“The Canadian Gangster” on Nov. 24, 2023 secured his secondseven-figure payday in as many years when he took a five-roundunanimous decision from ClayCollard, as their lightweight final headlined the 2023 PFLChampionships at The Anthem in Washington, D.C. All three cagesidejudges scored it the same: 49-46 for Aubin-Mercier. He securedtakedowns in the first, second, third and fifth rounds and pairedthem with positional control, ground-and-pound and a few submissionattempts. Aubin-Mercier held his own in the standup exchanges, ashe answered his counterpart’s combination punching with kicks toall levels and managed to keep fatigue at bay. The 34-year-oldFiras Zahabi protégé announced his retirement in the days followingthe event, marking the end of a successful 12-year run in thesport.

5 Defining Moments: Olivier Aubin-Mercier (2024)

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