Stevie Ray and Olivier Aubin-Mercier fought earlier today (Friday, November 25, 2022) inside the Hulu Theater in New York City, New York as part of the ESPN+ PPV event. After a devastating one-punch knockout finish against Stevie Ray, Olivier Aubin-Mercier captured the lightweight title and took home the $1 million prize in the PFL.
“The Canadian Gangster” might be best known as a grappler, but he looked sharp with his kickboxing throughout the first round. He threw several calf kicks that spun Ray around, and he made Ray miss several punches as a result of those kicks. As the opening round proceeded, Aubin-Mercier continued to do damage as well as controlling range effectively.
The second round was a bit better for Ray as he was able to rebound a bit. Despite still having to deal with low kicks, he was able to score a takedown and spent the majority of the round in back control.
It was actually Ray who took a grappling attack on Aubin-Mercier for most of the second round, however, following the fight’s recovery, the Canadian landed a devastating right hook.
A brutal punch knocked Ray off his feet and he fell to the canvas, forcing the referee to rush to the scene before any further damage could be done.
Official Result: Olivier Aubin-Mercier def. Stevie Ray by KO (punch) in Round 2, 4:40
Check out the highlights below:
Olivier Aubin-Mercier investing in the low kick early.
[#PFLWorldChampionship | BUY NOW https://t.co/9tors6rrKk | LIVE ON ESPN+ PPV] pic.twitter.com/H7BRWKvhyS
— PFL (@PFLMMA) November 26, 2022
Stevie Ray starts strong in the 2nd round getting OAM's back after a SLAM!
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— PFL (@PFLMMA) November 26, 2022
THE CANADIAN GANGSTER @oliaubin GETS THE CLEAN KO IN ROUND TWO TO WIN THE CHAMPIONSHIP @PFLMMA #PFLWorldChampionship pic.twitter.com/4oQP8iQPrh
— Spinnin Backfist (@SpinninBackfist) November 26, 2022
CANADA HAS A NEW WORLD CHAMPION! OLIVIER AUBIN-MERCIER IS A WORLD CHAMP! 🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦
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— PFL (@PFLMMA) November 26, 2022
