2-time PFL champ Aubin-Mercier retires

Olivier Aubin-Mercier announced his retirement from mixed martial arts Wednesday, less than a week after winning the PFL lightweight championship for the second straight year.

"Feeling incredibly grateful today as I hang up my gloves," Aubin-Mercier wrote in an Instagram post.

The former UFC fighter, who's from Montreal, beat Clay Collard by unanimous decision Nov. 24 in Washington to win the 2023 PFL lightweight season and become a two-time titleholder.

"I must give a massive shoutout to (the PFL)," Aubin-Mercier wrote. "PFL believed in me. They recognized a fighter in a kid from Quebec who just wouldn't quit. It has been an honor to step into the cage under their banner.

"As I move on from competition, I hope that the path I've trodden serves as an invitation to other Quebecois fighters. May you find in the PFL the same support, the same faith, and the same opportunities to showcase our Quebecois tenacity."

Aubin-Mercier said after the victory over Collard that he was likely going to retire.

"Truly, I didn't feel anything when I won," Aubin-Mercier said earlier this week on "The MMA Hour." "I didn't feel anything about the sport. But I was really emotional about seeing my family and seeing the people I like. I think that's a good sign that it may be the end, it may be time to stop it.

"It's not normal that you don't feel anything when you win one of the biggest fights of your career."

Aubin-Mercier, affectionately known as "The Canadian Gangster," joined the UFC in 2014 after finishing as runner-up on "The Ultimate Fighter Nations." He put together a 7-5 record in the Octagon, beating the likes of Drew Dober, Anthony Rocco Martin, and Evan Dunham. Aubin-Mercier finished his UFC stint with three consecutive losses.

He turned things around in the second chapter of his pro career, however, cruising through the 2022 and 2023 PFL seasons after making his debut in 2021. The 34-year-old went undefeated in the promotion, winning 10 in a row against the likes of Shane Burgos, Collard, Stevie Ray, and Natan Schulte.

Aubin-Mercier, who had been a pro fighter since 2011, walks away with a 21-5 record overall.