OAM Vows to Not Get Dragged Into War with Clay Collard at PFL Finals

Professional Fighters League 2022 lightweight champion Olivier Aubin-Mercier isn't looking to engage in an all-out war with Clay Collard in their scheduled lightweight finals bout Friday at the 2023 PFL Championships.

Undefeated since his arrival in the PFL, Mercier (20-5) finds himself competing for the lightweight championship for the second time in a row. “The Canadian Gangster” has earned the highly-coveted title fight on the heels of three impressive outings against Bruno Miranda, Anthony Romero and former Ultimate Fighting Championship competitor Shane Burgos.

Interestingly, Mercier and Collard (24-10) will enter the Smart Cage on Nov. 24 at The Anthem in Washington D.C. having faced a common opponent in Burgos. Although both 2023 playoff finalists managed to secure the victory against “Hurricane,” the way the two approached the matchup couldn't have been more different.

While “The Canadian Gangster” defeated Burgos with his well-rounded approach by comfortably outclassing the American both on the feet and the ground, Collard and Burgos engaged in a stand-up battle, inflicting significant damage on each other throughout the fight. In the end, “Cassius” managed to secure the unanimous decision in a bout that is considered by many to be one of the most memorable fights in PFL history and a legitimate candidate for 2023’s “Fight of the Year.”

Keeping the same in mind, Mercier will look to impose his will and gameplan against Collard without being goaded into a back-and-forth brawl with “Cassisus,” who has repeatedly found success inside the Smart Cage by overwhelming the opposition with his high-volume striking and pressure.

“I'm going to see how I feel but, I just have to be smart, you know, standing up... I cannot do a war like Burgos did with him... And I think it's the danger of Collard; you cannot get in his game because he's really good at that. He's good, really good at war. So, I have to be careful, I have to be smart, don't stay in traffic; it's useless and that's it. I mean, make him pay for the mistake.”

Tudor Leonte contributed to this item.