The PFL World Tournament welterweight final had the potential to be a star turn for Thad Jean, an unbeaten but little-known talent paired up with former Bellator interim champ Logan Storley.
Coming immediately after a thriller between Movlid Khaybulaev and Jesus Pinedo, the UFC Atlantic City main event, with $500,000 in prize money awaiting the winner, did not disappoint.
It wasn’t long before Logan Storley shot his first takedown of the PFL World Tournament welterweight final. And it wasn’t long before Thad Jean was right back to his feet.
When a second takedown attempt came, rather shockingly, it was Jean turning the tables on “Storm” Storley, getting on top and moving straight to mount. Moments later, Storley was belly down, though just when things were looking bleak, he seemed to wake up, scrambling out and back to his feet.
Shockingly perhaps, Jean was more than up to the task of stuffing Storley’s takedowns for the bulk of the round. And in the second, the upstart hurt Storley early, going to the body. Storley backed up, covering up, and Jean laid into him. Storley was able to withstand that barrage, but it left Thad Jean feeling good enough to showboat a little.
Perhaps prematurely. Moments later, with half the round still on the clock, Storley landed a key takedown. Jean stayed active, looking to scramble then tried to lock up a triangle. No dice, and Storley spent some time on top. Not enough time, however: Jean would free himself. And back on the feet, Jean fired a front kick to the face, then really unleashed fury. A head kick, blocked. Lefts, rights, a jump knee that connected clean, a knee to the face. Soon Logan Storley was on his knees, Thad Jean landing punch after punch. Storley was bloodied, but somehow survived (Jean, it should be noted, was warned for blows to the back of the head, though none appeared to be intentional).
Round three found Thad Jean grooving again. Light on his feet, shucking and jiving (or perhaps just bobbing and weaving, but that’s less poetic). Great movement. Great footwork. An impressive sprawl stuffed a takedown attempt just under two minutes in. Storley, denied, put his weight on Jean against the fence. He could not, however, keep Jean there.
At center, Storley would land a takedown, giving him 90 seconds to try to win a fairly close round. Jean would scramble, only to see that backfire, with Storley able to move to mount. Yet moments later, Jean used the fence to push off, creating just enough space to escape out the back door from under Storley.
Jean’s jab was still snappy in the fourth round, but Storley began having success walking him down, cutting off the cage. A right hand landed for Storley, whose gas tank had never really been a question. Jean was showing signs of fatigue, however, and no longer appeared to have the energy to sprawl and fight off takedown attempts the way he had early. Instead, Storley was able to shoot, get Jean to his knees, and drape himself over the back.
Still, Jean did escape, landing more than once on Storley as they came up to the final minute of round four. Another takedown landed for Storley, though Jean was quickly back up.
Logan Storley went back to his bread and butter, the wrestling, in round five. When he couldn’t land it, the pair moved back to center, where Storley successfully blocked a high kick. Another shot came moments later, with Storley landing it. He looked to take the back, with half the round remaining. Two and a half minutes until someone claimed World Tournament gold. Jean once again was able to get back to his feet, despite the fatigue he’d so obviously been showing. There was also the question of whether Storley could win a decision; Jean almost certainly had won two, if not three rounds.
In the final minute, a sloppy Storley takedown attempt was answered with the active hands of Jean. He connected more than once. Moments later, he did so with a knee, and right hand. Storley was leaking blood again. They finished the round trading, Jean getting the better of the exchanges, as he had all fight long.
The judges saw it for Thad Jean. Easily the right call.
Speaking to Dan Hardy after the fight, Jean thanked his supporters for coming out. “This is my job, and I’m ready to fight whoever’s next!” he exclaimed. The “Silverback” improved to 11-0 with the win, after one of the most memorable runs in PFL history.
Official Result: Thad Jean def. Logan Storley by unanimous decision (49-46, 49-46, 48-47)
