Olivier Aubin-Mercier won the Professional Fighters League (PFL) lightweight world championship for the second time in a row on Friday in Washington and with that in mind he intends to end his career.
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“I think this will be my last fight,” he said in the middle of the cage just minutes after his triumph.
He said he was tired after fighting eight fights in the last two years and mentioned that he needed a long break since he hadn’t really had one between his two seasons.
“I knew it was coming. It burned me out doing eight fights in two years. I want to see my little family, wander around the world a little and enjoy it,” he admitted during his press conference after his win.
On Sunday morning, with his head certainly more rested, he confirmed his intentions in an interview with Louis Jean on the 98.5 program.
He particularly mentioned that it was extremely difficult to return to his sport after a year off. He also insisted that he didn’t want to have “one fight too many.”
Nice route
Mixed martial arts fans, especially Americans who were supporters of his opponent Clay Collard, denigrated the Quebecer because, in their eyes, he did not fight but was content to pin Collard and keep him on the ground.
But that’s exactly what he had to do to win. If he had fought a standing fight in which his opponent could hit him however he wanted, he would have had little chance of victory.
Aubin-Mercier was definitely the best in rounds one, two and five and probably the second too. In the fourth round, he admitted he took a break because his legs were “dead.”
It certainly wasn’t a sexy fight, but his technical efficiency prevailed over Collard. And fans may forget that Georges Saint-Pierre was out of knockouts. He was influential at the end of his career, winning with his technical skills on the ground and in close combat.
Financial future
In three seasons in the PFL, Olivier Aubin-Mercier fought ten fights, all of which he won.
He also leaves with two checks for a million dollars, which is a great way to secure his future as he claims that he lives fairly simply and has no intention of spending extravagantly.
“This week I didn’t think about the million dollars at all because I wanted to end my career on a good note,” he said between sips of beer after his fight.
The PFL has to make him a particularly attractive and not necessarily financial offer so that his father agrees to return to the cage.
Beautiful heritage
Because of his perfect record alone, it is a great legacy that Aubin-Mercier will leave his sport on the Canadian scene. Above all, he wants to remind us that it wasn’t easy for him.
“I want to be remembered for my perseverance. Four years ago no one believed in me and it was difficult to convince the PFL to accept me.”
“I started fighting at the beginning of the card and this year I had three main fights, I had the biggest fight of the year, which shows they believed in me and I’m proud of that.”
Where in Canada does he see himself among the greatest in his sport?
“I think I’m one of the GSPs, Rory [MacDonald]Pat Côté and David Loiseau.”
The following
For now, Olivier Aubin-Mercier primarily wants to spend time with his family, who said they were bored in the American capital all week.
He can finally take the vacation he promised his 11-year-old daughter that she didn’t get last summer. “And she will get her La Ronde pass,” he said with his usual humor.
Even if he risks never being in a cage for a fight again, he will continue to go to the gym… and the grocery store.
“I plan to stay in shape and eat a lot.”
He makes no secret of his desire to work in the communications world, but doesn’t expect to see him in another fighter’s corner. He is not interested in the coaching profession at all.
“My goal is not to become a coach. I see what Firas [Zahabi] and Richard [Ho] do and I don’t want their life,” he joked after his win.