Preview: 2022 PFL Championships

Lightweight Championship

Olivier Aubin-Mercier (16-5, 5-0 PFL) vs. Steven Ray (25-10, 2-1 PFL)

ODDS: Aubin-Mercier (-350), Ray (+250)

After a difficult run at the end of his Ultimate Fighting Championship tenure, Aubin-Mercier appears to be at the peak of his powers as a mixed martial artist. “The Canadian Gangster” has crafted a five-fight winning streak under the PFL banner and is on the brink of a $1 million victory. In hindsight, his resurgence should not be all that surprising, because Aubin-Mercier’s three-bout skid in the Octagon came against tough competition in Arman Tsarukyan, Gilbert Burns and Alexander Hernandez. The Tristar Gym stalwart gave perhaps the most complete performance of his PFL stint in the 155-pound semifinals, where he dropped Alexander Martinez twice with left hands before relying on his trademark grappling to cruise to a lopsided decision.

Ray, meanwhile, played the role of spoiler in the PFL after returning from a retirement that lasted more than two years. He shook off a loss to Martinez in his debut—an appearance in which he got stronger over time—to post back-to-back victories over former UFC lightweight king Anthony Pettis. The first of those was a “Submission of the Year” candidate that ended via twister, but the Scot proved the win was no fluke by using takedowns, positional advances and control to push past “Showtime” in the other lightweight semifinal.

A grappling-based approach will not work for Ray here, however. Though his striking and movement on the feet have improved significantly over the years, Aubin-Mercier is still at his best when he can close the distance, initiate the clinch and land takedowns. The Canadian can bank rounds on control alone, which does not bode well for someone like Ray, who likes to take chances in grappling exchanges by forcing scrambles and gambling for risky submissions. On the feet, Aubin-Mercier has enough power to give Ray pause, as witnessed by his two-knockdown performance against Martinez. Ray has been known to do good work offensively in the clinch, but this is another area where he would seemingly be nullified by his opponent. Look for Aubin-Mercier to dictate the terms of engagement and, when Ray gets desperate, perhaps find an opening to end his string of decision victories.

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Harrison vs. Pacheco
Loughnane vs. Jenkins
Delija vs. Scheffel
Aubin-Mercier vs. Ray
Ladd vs. Budd
Sy vs. Taylor
Wilkinson vs. Akhmedov
The Prelims