Outside Source
Thad Jean will turn his attention to Logan Storley on Aug. 1. | 📷: PFL
Thad Jean believed it before many thought it was possible, and he now finds himself pitted against Logan Storley for a Professional Fighters League championship. The two men will square off when their welterweight final headlines 2025 PFL World Tournament 8 on Friday at Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey. After defeating former Bellator MMA champion Jason Jackson in the tournament semifinals, the undefeated Jean has his sights set on the biggest fight of his young career. He has no plans to let the moment overtake the opportunity he created for himself.
In less than one calendar year, the PFL brand has been strengthened by the rise of new champions Dakota Ditcheva and Costello van Steenis, and Jean wants to add his name to the list of young talents making names for themselves within the company.
Advertisement
“People who don’t see the PFL talent are just haters,” he told Sherdog.com. “It’s all God’s plan. I’ve said it in every interview. For people to be giving their eyes to the PFL, even if they’re hating, it’s eyes regardless. It doesn’t matter if they’re hating now. Eventually, they’ll start watching the PFL. We’ve got superstars, we got eyes and even got eyes that won’t admit they’re watching. We said we would keep rising up, and we will.”
In the immediate aftermath of his victory over Jackson in June, Jean turned his attention to Storley. He recognizes the challenge ahead of him and acknowledged his opponent’s strengths.
“At that moment, Jackson got moved to my past and Storley was my future, and he’s the one who is in my way,” Jean said. “That’s what I love about the PFL so much. I already know who my next opponent is after my most recent fight. I already know who is stopping me [from being] the greatest that I know that I am. So as soon as I know that, I go straight into the game plan and how I will conquer them. When I beat this dude, it’ll be how I played it out in my brain. It may not go exactly how I want during the fight, but at the end of the fight, it’s going to end with my hand raised.”
Getting to the championship was no easy feat for Jean. He was not even an original participant in the tournament but stepped in on short notice and made the most of his opportunity. In getting to the tournament final, Jean had to go all 15 minutes against Jackson and earned a split decision—a moment he felt prepared him for the championship fight ahead.
“I definitely needed all of it—the promotion, the fight, all of it,” he said. “It would’ve been great to finish the fight in the first round. It would’ve been perfect. It would’ve been ‘shut your mouth, here’s your pacifier, watch my next fight,’ but you don’t gain much as a fighter from that. You really gain a lot as a fighter going through those rounds. I didn’t want to, but going through them helped me realize what I can do and who I can do it against. Sometimes, you have to really go through and experience it so you’re prepared for next time, and now I feel it on my shoulders. I’m not underestimating Storley’s game, but I’m ready for his game, 100%.”
In going the distance against Jackson, Jean answered some questions. However, he still faces doubts about his ability to go 25 minutes in a championship fight. Knowing the pressure and pace that Storley can bring to the table, Jean believes he has put in all the necessary work to prepare for whatever comes his way.
“The fight camp was a quick turnaround. We’ve been non-stop,” Jean said. “I’ve doubled up the amount of rounds we do in training, as well as my strength and conditioning. Mentally, I’ve been there. Mentally, I’ve been the champion, and I have to get my body there physically to match my mental [standing]. This is what I love: putting myself through the grind and the pressure so I can break through and rise to the occasion. Let’s be honest. This is not going to be a five-round fight. I’m not going to let it be a five-round fight.
“Storley will have a hard time taking me down, and if he takes me down, he’s going to have a tough time keeping me down,” he added. “We saw in his last fight [that] he’s not young anymore. He does not have that cardio or stamina, and I’m going to take advantage of that. I’m going to make him desperate. I’m going to capitalize on everything that presents itself.”
Jean remains vocal about his relationship with the PFL and his desire to grow together with the company. A tournament title could theoretically put him on the same track the aforementioned Ditcheva has taken to stardom.
“I’ve said this all year: I’m ready to be one of the faces of the PFL that shoots this promotion to the stars,” Jean said. “Things are just starting with the PFL. Wait until it grows even more. Some of us are going to be hall of famers, and I’m excited to be that. I’m excited that Dakota has re-signed with the PFL. I’m excited that Costello had the fight he had [against Johnny Eblen], fighting until the last second. We’re ready to be stars. Someone like me who talks but also backs it up in the SmartCage, that’s what people want to see.”
This article first appeared at Recent News on Sherdog.com
Help support MMACrazies.com when you shop Amazon by starting your online Amazon shopping at MMACrazies.com/recommends/amazon. You are not charged extra, but we receive a small and very helpful commission on everything you purchase. Thanks for thinking of us every time you shop at Amazon.
