By Canadian Press

Canadian lightweight Olivier Aubin-Mercier opens 2023 PFL season with decision win

Apr 14, 2023 | 8:20 PM

LAS VEGAS — Olivier (The Canadian Gangster) Aubin-Mercier won a unanimous decision over American lightweight (Hurricane) Shane Burgos on Friday night at PFL 3.

All three judges scored the bout 30-27 for Aubin-Mercier (18-5-0) at The Theater at Virgin Hotels.

It marked the first outing for the 34-year-old from Montreal since he capped off the 2022 Professional Fighters League season by winning the lightweight title in November.

Aubin-Mercier has won all seven of his PFL bouts since leaving the UFC in 2019.

Unlike other MMA promotions, the PFL features a regular season and playoffs, culminating in championship bouts with a title and US$1 million on the line. Aubin-Mercier knocked out Scotland’s Stevie (Braveheart) Ray with one punch in the second round Nov. 25 to claim both prizes at the Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden.

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Each of the 10 fighters in the division gets two regular-season fights, with points awarded for wins and finishes. The top four make the playoffs.

After a close first round, Aubin-Mercier looked for a takedown and ended up taking Burgos’ back from a standing position but it didn’t lead to anything. The Canadian looked to his grappling in the third, which ended in a flurry of blows from Burgos. 

Like Aubin-Mercier, Burgos (15-4-0) is a former UFC fighter. The 32-year-old American defeated Canadian Charles (Air) Jourdain last time out in July, completing an 8-3-0 run in the UFC.

Burgos moved up a weight class to lightweight (155 pounds) from featherweight (145 pounds) to face the Canadian in his PFL debut.

Aubin-Mercier was a cast member of “The Ultimate Fighter Nations: Canada vs. Australia” reality TV show, losing a split decision to fellow Canadian Chad (The Disciple) Laprise in the finale in April 2014. He won seven of his next eight UFC fights before losing three straight and making the switch to the PFL.

The 2023 PFL season kicked off April 1 with PFL 1 in Las Vegas.

Aubin-Mercier won both his regular-season fights last year, winning a split decision over Brazil’s Natan Schulte at PFL 1 in April and a unanimous decision over Brazil’s Rausch Manfio at PFL 4 in June. He then won a unanimous decision over Paraguay’s Alex Martinez at PFL 7 in August to move into the final against Ray.

Aubin-Mercier trains at both H2O MMA and Tristar, at home in Montreal to be close to his 11-year-old daughter.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 14, 2023.

The Canadian Press