Olivier Aubin-Mercier
Age: 29
Nationality: Canadian
MMA Record: 11-2
UFC Record: 7-2
Notable Wins: Evan Dunham, Tony Martin
Notable Losses: Chad Laprise, Carlos Diego Ferreira
Last Fight: TKO win over Evan Dunham
Fighter Profile: A former standout on The Ultimate Fighter, OAM might be one of the biggest surprises in the UFC lightweight division. He came into the UFC as just a grappler but he’s quickly turned into a very well-rounded fighter who is dangerous on both the feet and on the ground. In his last fight, he showed the evolution in his striking when he was able to knock out Dunham, who is one of the most durable veterans in the division. He’s also submitted a number of other opponents in the Octagon in exhilirating fashion. One thing I also like about OAM aside from his exploits inside the cage is his confidence outside of it, as he seems to have a ton of confidence in his abilites and he wants to be great. He still has a lot of work to go until he becomes a legitimate title contender, but he’s not that far away from the top-10 now, and with a big win on home soil at UFC Calgary, he could be in line for a big fight his next time out.
Alexander Hernandez
Age: 25
Nationality: American
MMA Record: 8-1
UFC Record: 1-0
Notable Wins: Beneil Dariush
Notable Losses: Jamall Emmers
Last Fight: TKO win over Beneil Dariush
Fighter Profile: A relative newcomer to the UFC, Hernandez had an amazing debut in the Octagon when he came in on short notice and brutally knocked out Dariush to enter the top-15 rankings right out of the gate. A former standout in LFA and RFA, Hernandez looks like a terrific addition to what is already a stacked lightweight division in the UFC. He’s a vicious finisher both on the feet and on the ground and he has a ton of confidence in his abilities. He still has a lot to prove, but so far he looks like he’s the real deal.
Fight Breakdown: I absolutely love this matchup as it’s going to help determine which of these young studs is a legitimate contender and which one needs to go back to the drawing board. OAM has to be considered one of the most improved fighters on the entire UFC roster, while Hernandez had an epic UFC debut and looks like he’s going to have a very nice career for himself in the UFC. Hernandez is definitely a dangerous guy, but I still feel like we have so many unanswered questions about him, such as his chin, cardio, and his wrestling, whereas we already know OAM is an incredibly well-rounded fighter who just keeps getting better. Although I wouldn’t be shocked if Hernandez did land that KO blow since he appears to have huge knockout power, I also think OAM is a smart fighter who will be able to work around the early KO threat and take this fight to deep waters, and I see him grinding out a decision win here.
Prediction: Olivier Aubin-Mercier via decision
