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Olivier Aubin-Mercier thinks the PFL might wish to begin considering twice about placing their prized signings up in opposition to him.
The league’s 2022 light-weight champion kicked off his 2023 marketing campaign with a bang, defeating fellow former UFC fighter Shane Burgos by unanimous resolution in the principle occasion of PFL 3 this previous Saturday. Burgos not too long ago signed with the PFL coming off of two straight victories within the UFC’s featherweight division, however Aubin-Mercier stifled him to earn his personal seventh consecutive win.
Aubin-Mercier appeared on The MMA Hour on Monday, the place he was requested if he felt the PFL made a mistake reserving him because the opponent for Burgos’ debut.
“I used to be shocked they gave me Shane,” Aubin-Mercier mentioned. “I actually thought they’d not give it to me at first, however I really feel that they modified the way in which they see it. Final time with [Anthony] Pettis, I feel they tried to make a little bit path for him to make the ultimate and it failed, and I feel this time they tried the alternative, to only make the very best combat to start with.
“They did the identical with [Brendan] Loughnane, they did the identical with [Rob Wilkinson] — they put them in opposition to the brand new signings of the PFL and it didn’t play out.”
Aubin-Mercier was referencing former UFC light-weight champion Anthony Pettis, who has but to advance to a remaining in two seasons with the PFL. Former UFC title contenders Marlon Moraes and Thiago Santos had been additionally unsuccessful of their PFL common season debuts, dropping to Brendan Loughnane and Rob Wilkinson, respectively.
Concerning the seemingly uneven promotional push that Burgos acquired within the lead-up to their combat, Aubin-Mercier took it in stride and later loved taking part in the spoiler.
“I considered that and for positive it was type of good,” Aubin-Mercier mentioned of being the underdog. “You recognize, the plan was not for me to win, they needed Shane to win and make an enormous factor out of it. It was fairly humorous as a result of I had conversations with all my buddies they usually had been all the time sending me how each champ was on posters and the whole lot however me, however all the time Shane was there.
“It was fairly humorous, however it’s all good. I’m OK with that. He’s an even bigger identify than I’m, so I can perceive. It was candy to have a win over Shane due to that.”
Aubin-Mercier, a former welterweight, bought the higher of Burgos within the putting and grappling departments, at one level neutralizing Burgos’ offense by taking again management with each males standing. In the long run, Aubin-Mercier earned a trio of 30-27 scores to win a snug resolution.
Requested if he thought Burgos made a mistake transferring as much as light-weight, Aubin-Mercier mentioned that it might take Burgos time to regulate.
“I heard he had plenty of hassle making 145 and I don’t suppose he’s going to have the ability to do the event at 145 as a result of it’s 4 fights in a yr,” Aubin-Mercier mentioned. “So I don’t suppose so, however he used plenty of his measurement when he was at 145. I don’t suppose it’s going to be potential at 155. Let’s see what occurs. We noticed plenty of massive 145ers, they did rather well at 155 after a few fights, if you consider [Dustin] Poirier and [Charles] Oliveira. I feel he simply wants to regulate a little bit bit.”
As for explaining his personal success, Aubin-Mercier mentioned it’s merely a matter of maturing and likewise having had time to deal with development and growth, versus continually throwing himself into combat camps. Throughout his run with the UFC, Aubin-Mercier compiled a 7-5 document, together with his final three appearances for the promotion being resolution losses to Arman Tsarukyan, Gilbert Burns, and Alexander Hernandez.
Aubin-Mercier is but to lose since becoming a member of the PFL in 2021 and he sees himself as a matchup downside for anybody in his division.
“I’m extra assured,” Aubin-Mercier mentioned. “I really feel I’m extra of a tactician too. I all the time had issues within the UFC for some cause with my combat IQ. I actually made dangerous selections after I was preventing within the UFC throughout fights, and I feel throughout COVID I needed to watch plenty of fights and research plenty of fights. I had plenty of time to only get higher. Not combat, simply get higher. And I feel that actually, actually helped. While you’re within the UFC, you all the time should combat. While you don’t combat, you attempt to recuperate and you’re feeling a lot strain, that you simply don’t actually get higher.
“So I feel with the whole lot that occurred within the final couple of years, I had time to get higher, I had time to check fights, and I had time to grasp what are my strengths and what are my weaknesses, and I feel we are able to see that now. I feel I’m a very sophisticated man to combat proper now.”
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