Atlanta, GA — Picking up his first win since 2018, UFC veteran Jeremy Stephens finally had his hand raised at PFL 4 at the Overtime Elite Arena on Friday night.
Maybe it wasn’t the performance he wanted, or enough to land him in the league’s post-season. But the win against Myles Price snapped a lengthy losing streak for “Lil Heathen,” who was both critical of his performance, but clearly elated to be back to winning.
“It feels f*cking good, bro,” Stephens (29-20, 1NC) told Cageside Press following the fight. “It’s been four long, long years my man.”
While the bout ended in a split decision, Stephens was confident he’d done enough to secure the win Friday in Atlanta. “I felt I won the first two rounds,” Stephens said. “Last one, didn’t stick to the game plan, gave up a takedown. His top pressure’s pretty good, he was trying to do everything he could to lay on me and crotch-sniff so, it is what it is.”
Stephens, sporting a freshly shaved head he insisted was due to a new sponsor and not his weight cut, recognizes there are areas he can improve in. The PFL’s schedule should play into that — despite not making the playoffs, there’s little doubt the league will have him back at some point later in the year, likely in a featured, non-tournament fight.
“I got a few things to work on. I’m back in the win column, that’s all I need. I love the consistency here with PFL, the back-to-back,” exclaimed Stephens. “I didn’t get that type of fight with Clay Collard, so just back to the drawing board. I get to come back here in two months. My legs are good, I’m healthy, I could fight against tonight like I said. Going forward I’ve got a lot to work on, and you’re going to see me keep climbing this f*cking mountain, for sure.”
In terms of rating his performance, Stephens put it middle of the road. “I’m critical about myself, I feel like that was like a five,” he told us. “It was kind of half-there, half off, I did some good things, and there’s some things I need to work on to open up the game. I was feeling really aerodynamic with the hair and everything, I was just letting things fly. It is what it is, weird night.”
As to any particular names on the PFL roster he’d like to fight down the line, Stephens is open to anyone. “Just call me the can man, bro. Anybody can get it. An American, a Brazilian, a Dominican, call me the can man.”
Watch the full PFL 4 post-fight press scrum with Jeremy Stephens above.
