Canadian Olivier Aubin-Mercier moves inside for US$1M payday win MMA

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NEW YORK – (The Canadian Gangster) Olivier Aubin-Mercier won a unanimous decision over Alex Martinez of Paraguay on Friday to advance to the Professional Fighters League lightweight final.

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The 33-year-old from Saint-Bruno-de-Montarville, Que., will face Scotsman Stevie (Braveheart) Ray for the 155-pound title and a $1 million salary.

Aubin-Mercier (16-5-0) knocked Martinez down seconds in the second and third rounds, controlling him to the ground once they got there.

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The judges scored the fight 30-27, 30-26, 30-26 for Aubin-Mercier.

Fourth-seeded Ray (25-10-0) advanced with an upset unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) over former UFC champion Anthony (Showtime) Pettis in the another lightweight semifinal at Madison Square Garden’s Hulu Theater. Pettis (25-14-0) was the division’s first seed.

The Hulu theater can accommodate between 2,000 and 5,600 people compared to 20,000 for the garden.

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Unlike other MMA promotions, the Professional Fighters League offers a regular season, playoffs, and championship. The four fighters from each division who earn the most points in the regular season advance to the playoffs with the two semifinal winners meeting for the title and a $1 million salary.

Aubin-Mercier, the second seed, weighed in at 155 pounds Thursday, while Martinez, the third seed, weighed in at 156 pounds.

The two fighters had trained together in the past in Montreal and consider each other friends. Martinez, who now fights out of Grande Prairie, Alta., marched to the cage Friday with a combination of Canadian and Paraguayan flags.

Aubin-Mercier took the center of the cage early on as Martinez looked to connect with kicks from the outside. When Aubin-Mercier started, Martinez (10-3-0 with an undisputed) was satisfied with counter-blows and kicks. Martinez was the aggressor at the end of the round.

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Aubin-Mercier cracked Martinez with a left to the chin early in the second. Martinez went down with Aubin-Mercier following him and landing in his guard. Martinez tried to lock an armbar from below but Aubin-Mercier resisted then took his back.

Martinez, caught in a body triangle, tried to fight off the choke, but Aubin-Mercier had plenty of time in the round to improve his position. Somehow, Martinez survived the round.

Aubin-Mercier crushed Martinez’s jaw with a left about 15 seconds into the third, dropping him again. Back in ground control, Aubin-Mercier picked up his back while applying a body lock and looking for the choke.

Aubin-Mercier has won both of his regular season fights this year, earning a unanimous decision over Brazilian Natan (Russo) Schulte at PFL 1 on April 20 and a split decision over Brazilian Raush Manfio at PFL 4 on June 17. Manfio was the 2021 champion.

Martinez qualified for the playoffs with a unanimous decision over Ray at PFL 1 and a split decision over (Cassius) Clay Collard at PFL 4.

Aubin-Mercier, who trains at both H2O MMA and Tristar in Montreal, has won all five of his PFL fights since leaving the UFC where he was 7-5-0.

Canadian welterweight Rory (Red King) MacDonald is also competing in the PFL playoffs. He is due to meet Russia’s (Prince) Magomed Umalatov in the 170-pound semi-final on August 13 in Cardiff, Wales.