Olivier Aubin-Mercier (25-20-5) is the MMA star from Montreal who’s seeking to defend his 2022 Light-weight PFL Championship and choose up one other cool $1 million within the course of. It will be a fairytale ending to a stellar 20 12 months 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 struggle. 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,” remembers Aubin-Mercier. “So, I used to be a brown belt for a very, actually very long time and so they instructed me they by no means would give me the black belt as a result of I used to be too lazy to be taught the title’s of the strategies. To recollect it, I used to be too lazy to do this, and so they instructed me ‘you must 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. “After I give it some thought, I used to be a little bit douchebag,” he jokes.

Whereas the self-professed “Canadian Gangster” is laid again and many 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” collection 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 shedding finish of three fights earlier than departing from the UFC. “I feel quite a lot of issues was mistaken, you understand?” displays the fighter. “First, I feel I didn’t develop as I ought to have, since I went to UFC too quickly. However with COVID and every thing, it gave me a while to actually enhance in order that’s the very first thing. The second factor, I feel mentally, I used to be not there. Particularly within the final three fights. I feel I used to be elsewhere, and never in an excellent place, you understand? 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 appears again on his losses within the UFC, he can pinpoint the failings to tactical error. “They had 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 struggle at that time due to the approaching covid lockdowns.

He laughs that he may simply as nicely have been coaching to tackle one in all his neighbors, however fortuitously for those who dwell on his road, he confronted Marcin Held at PFL 4 in 2021 as a substitute, and received through unanimous choice. In 2022, Aubin-Mercier knocked out Stevie Ray within the finals of the light-weight event to select 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 totally totally different method to preparation on this second half of his profession. “This 12 months I did some harm prevention,” he explains, noting that as of late he solely does mild sparring and relatively than lifting, works rather a lot with resistance bands. After signing with the PFL, Aubin-Mercier separated along with his companion 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 talents in MMA.

One other huge sport changer for Aubin-Mercier has been his utilization of the Desmotec machine. This can be 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 applications. The concept is that by means of these actions, one can each tone and strengthen their physique whereas on the similar time build up the stabilizing muscular tissues to assist forestall harm. “That’s my conditioning,” he says. “It’s nothing loopy, I finished working too, as a result of the day(s) after working I used to be not feeling nice with my knees.”

Olivier says he’ll depart all of it within the cage in the course of the 2023 PFL Championship

“I take pleasure in being a part of the PFL, however I don’t take pleasure in this 12 months, you understand?” says the defending champ. “I’m getting drained. My motivation just isn’t there, however the self-discipline is there.” Nonetheless, the fighter is attempting to inspire himself within the brief time period, figuring out that his may very well be his last bow, and that Clay Collard is a really worthy opponent. “I did every thing in my energy to be the most effective model of myself for this struggle, like I did in each different struggle earlier than … that’s why I’m going to take a break. Most likely, it’s going to be the final struggle this 12 months.” The truth is, Olivier Aubin-Mercier instructed that this is perhaps his final struggle, interval. “Something can occur, and it’s in all probability going to be my final struggle,” he shares. “I’m joyful that’s going to be my final struggle, 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 function. Then after all, there’s all the time 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 last takes place on Friday, Nov. 24 at 8PM ET. For extra info go to: https://pflmma.com/championship2023