Olivier Aubin-Mercier (25-20-5) is the MMA star from Montreal who’s seeking to defend his 2022 Light-weight PFL Championship and decide up one other cool $1 million within the course of. It might be a fairytale ending to a stellar 20 yr plus profession that has examined him to each psychological and bodily limits.
And, in a dialog with M&F, Aubin-Mercier means that he intends for the 2023 PFL Championship showdown with Clay Collard (24-10-0) to be his last-ever combat. Now, deep into coaching and simply days away from that judgement day on Nov. 24, Aubin-Mercier displays on his profession and explains how his coaching has matured.
The 34-year-old tells M&F that he was 15 or 16 when he grew to become a black belt in judo. “I keep in mind there was an enormous factor as a result of I didn’t need to do the examination to get the black belt,” recollects Aubin-Mercier. “So, I used to be a brown belt for a extremely, actually very long time and so they informed me they by no means would give me the black belt as a result of I used to be too lazy to study the title’s of the methods. To recollect it, I used to be too lazy to do this, and so they informed me ‘it’s a must to do it,’ after which I received the (Canadian) Nationwide Championship as a brown belt, my (judo coach) didn’t prefer it, (however) they gave me my black belt,” laughs the a number of medal winner. “Once I give it some thought, I used to be slightly douchebag,” he jokes.
Whereas the self-professed “Canadian Gangster” is laid again and plenty of enjoyable to speak to, he definitely hasn’t been lazy as an MMA fighter. Aubin-Mercier made his debut in 2011 and in regional promotions throughout Quebec, completed his first 4 opponents off by submission. By 2014 he’d made the finals of “The Final Fighter Nations” sequence and whereas he was unsuccessful within the finale, he went on to rack up 11 wins within the UFC.
Sadly, 2018-2019 noticed Aubin-Mercier on the dropping finish of three fights earlier than departing from the UFC. “I believe a whole lot of issues was improper, you already know?” displays the fighter. “First, I believe I didn’t develop as I ought to have, since I went to UFC too quickly. However with COVID and all the things, it gave me a while to essentially enhance in order that’s the very first thing. The second factor, I believe mentally, I used to be not there. Particularly within the final three fights. I believe I used to be elsewhere, and never in an excellent place, you already know? And that modified. I fell again in love with coaching.”
Olivier Aubin-Mercier revived his MMA profession after falling again in love with coaching
Mercier says that when he seems to be again on his losses within the UFC, he can pinpoint the failings to tactical error. “They have been higher than me at that time and that’s it,” he says, completely at peace with studying from these experiences. Aubin-Mercier signed with the Skilled Fighters League in March 2020, and fell again in love with coaching, however he jokes that he didn’t have anybody to combat at that time due to the upcoming covid lockdowns.
He laughs that he may simply as nicely have been coaching to tackle one in every of his neighbors, however luckily for people who reside on his avenue, he confronted Marcin Held at PFL 4 in 2021 as an alternative, and received through unanimous resolution. In 2022, Aubin-Mercier knocked out Stevie Ray within the finals of the light-weight event to choose up the championship and a million-dollar-payday. As a child, he’d dreamed of investing cash into profitable Pokémon playing cards, and along with his newly earned money he was lastly in a position to make such purchases, though he then gifted them to his brother.
Whereas the Canadian Gangster had beforehand been a fan of circuit coaching and arduous sparring, he now takes a very totally different strategy to preparation on this second half of his profession. “This yr I did some damage prevention,” he explains, noting that nowadays he solely does gentle sparring and quite than lifting, works loads with resistance bands. After signing with the PFL, Aubin-Mercier separated along with his accomplice and so newly single, he was in a position to transfer nearer to the gymnasium. He credit that transfer as being extremely vital in his capability to make bodily and strategical progress along with his skills in MMA.
One other massive sport changer for Aubin-Mercier has been his utilization of the Desmotec machine. It is a machine that has been designed to enhance rehabilitation whereas growing efficiency. It supplies ranges of resistance that require the topic to push and pull, usually to timed packages. The thought is that by way of these actions, one can each tone and strengthen their physique whereas on the similar time increase the stabilizing muscle groups to assist forestall damage. “That’s my conditioning,” he says. “It’s nothing loopy, I finished operating too, as a result of the day(s) after operating I used to be not feeling nice with my knees.”
Olivier says he’ll depart all of it within the cage throughout the 2023 PFL Championship
“I get pleasure from being a part of the PFL, however I don’t get pleasure from this yr, you already know?” says the defending champ. “I’m getting drained. My motivation is just not there, however the self-discipline is there.” Nonetheless, the fighter is attempting to encourage himself within the quick time period, figuring out that his might be his closing bow, and that Clay Collard is a really worthy opponent. “I did all the things in my energy to be the perfect model of myself for this combat, like I did in each different combat earlier than … that’s why I’m going to take a break. In all probability, it’s going to be the final combat this yr.” Actually, Olivier Aubin-Mercier recommended that this is likely to be his final combat, interval. “Something can occur, and it’s in all probability going to be my final combat,” he shares. “I’m glad that’s going to be my final combat, figuring out that I’ve by no means been this good, however with that being mentioned, the cherry on high could be a win.”
So, what occurs as soon as Olivier Aubin-Mercier lastly does hang-up the gloves? For one factor, the previous media scholar hopes to proceed working with the Skilled Fighters League in a communications position. Then after all, there’s at all times that postponed battle along with his neighbors, and maybe a showdown along with his brother, ought to he ever need to retrieve these Pokémon playing cards.
The PFL World Championship closing takes place on Friday, Nov. 24 at 8PM ET. For extra info go to: https://pflmma.com/championship2023
