Canadian lightweight and 2022 PFL champ Olivier Aubin-Mercier was looking to secure back-to-back titles as he took on Clay Collard at the 2023 PFL Championship in Washington, D.C. on Friday.
OAM, affectionately known as “The Canadian Gangster,” had not lost a fight since exiting the UFC— giving him nine straight wins coming into the night.
Collard attacked first, and leaned heavy on leg kicks early in the round, while OAM connected upstairs first, getting his own hands going. An active first minute saw several exchanges, low kicks, and a clash of shins. Collard landed a right, with OAM connecting with a leg kick. Aubin-Mercier then shot for a takedown and threatened to take the back, but Collard was up in a heartbeat, only to be dragged back to his knees.
The next time the Canadian got the fight down, he got a body triangle in place, though Collard rolled to his knees and move back to his feet, carrying Olivier Aubin-Mercier’s weight. Collard wound up back on his knees, however, and nearly reversed position, only for OAM to move with him. Towards the final minute, it was Collard hunting for a heel hook, but Aubin-Mercier survived, then took the back once again.
Round two started with a Collard slip, but he was right back up. Aubin-Mercier connected with a head kick, but Collard ate it, and fired his right hand a moment later. He dipped to the body as well, mixing up his shots, and stuffed an OAM takedown. Aubin-Mercier appeared to have some issues with his lead leg, but a couple of takedown attempts later, he landed a double-leg, with Collard hanging on, trying to keep the Canadian in half-guard. No such luck, as OAM passed to mount, took the back, and got the body triangle in place.
Collard, as he did in the opening round, pressed his head into the cage for support, preventing Aubin-Mercier from flattening him out. Instead, OAM pulled him back over, holding onto back control from bottom, body lock still in place. Clay fought off the choke, but couldn’t get Aubin-Mercier off of him.
Round three saw Collard come out and attack the body early, bullying Aubin-Mercier. But the defending champ reversed, chasing takedowns. They traded in close, and OAM shot in again, getting his hands on Collard and landing a trip. Just over four minutes were still on the clock, and Aubin-Mercier was already in mount.
Clay Collard then attacked a leg, using it to scramble up. But Aubin-Mercier quickly took Collard down yet again. OAM looked to land a few elbows, but Collard began working his way out. That progress was halted when OAM hooked a leg, but Collard finally managed to work back to his feet with just over 90 seconds remaining in the third. Collard then used a few foot stomps, using head position to keep Aubin-Mercier on the fence. The pair traded knees, OAM reversed, but Collard began attacking the body, forcing Aubin-Mercier off him. Collard finished the round strong, landing a kick to the body then firing a combo.
OAM opened the championship rounds with a low kick. Collard then pressed forward, working the body some more. More low kicks landed on the part of Aubin-Mercier, but it was Collard connecting with more significant strikes. OAM shot for a single, which Collard stuffed; he then came off the fence firing. Aubin-Mercier’s takedown attempts were getting more labored, with his lead leg compromised. The pair worked along the fence, Clay ripping the body more; OAM then kicked Collard’s legs out from under him. A moment later, Aubin-Mercier was in on another takedown attempt, but where he had found instant success in the first three rounds, Collard again fought off the attempt in round four.
The ref then warned Collard for grabbing the fence, threatening to deduct a point should it happen again. Instead, with OAM unable to advance or land the takedown, they wound up separated, and restarted at center just ahead of the buzzer.
Round five saw Olivier Aubin-Mercier take the back in the opening minute, with the Canadian threatening a Suloev stretch. If nothing else, that preventing Collard from powering back to his feet. Aubin-Mercier worked in some ground n’ pound, then pulled Collard back and got under the chin! Collard was not in a good spot, but was able to gut it out, finally breaking the grip of Aubin-Mercier. But over three minutes had ticked off the clock, all of which had OAM in control, doing damage, and hunting submissions. With under a minute, Aubin-Mercier was still on the back, and he had almost certainly won the round. It would come down to how the judges saw the earlier parts of the fight, especially rounds two through four. As it turned out, all three judges saw it for the now two-time PFL lightweight champion, Olivier Aubin-Mercier!
Following the fight, OAM confirmed he would be taking some time off, saying 2024 would see him with some “sand between my toes” — but notably, he did not announce his retirement.
