Thad Jean, an undefeated welterweight, won the 2025 PFL World Tournament 8 by beating Logan Storley via unanimous decision on August 1, 2025, in Atlantic City, New Jersey. The win earned Jean the PFL welterweight title and a $500,000 prize, marking a breakout moment for the 27-year-old. Jean controlled the fight with sharp striking and solid defense, outsmarting the favored wrestler Storley.
PFL 8 Fight and Tournament Victory
PFL 8 was held at Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City. Jean, with a 10-0 record, faced Storley, a former Bellator interim champion with an 18-3 record, in the welterweight tournament final. Jean earned his spot by defeating Rory MacDonald and Neiman Gracie in earlier rounds, while Storley advanced with wins over Joseph Luciano and Masayuki Kikuiri.
HUGE SHOTS FROM THAD JEAN.
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— PFL (@PFLMMA) August 2, 2025
Thad Jean and Logan Storley go the distance!
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— PFL (@PFLMMA) August 2, 2025
Thad Jean comes out on top! He is the CHAMPION!
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— PFL (@PFLMMA) August 2, 2025
Jean kept the fight standing, landing clean jabs and leg kicks while stopping Storley’s takedowns. In round one, Jean mounted Storley, showing his grappling skills. In round two, he rocked Storley with a front kick to the face, nearly finishing the fight. The judges scored it 49-46, 49-46, and 48-47 for Jean, giving him the unanimous decision and the title. Jean told ESPN, “I came here to prove I’m the best, and I did that tonight.”
The event also featured Movlid Khaybulaev submitting Jesus Pinedo in the featherweight final, Asael Adjoudj beating Yves Landu, and Jordan Newman stopping Eslam Abdul Baset.
Movlid Khaybulaev gets the submission finish!
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— PFL (@PFLMMA) August 2, 2025
Thad Jean, 27, is from Queens, New York. He turned pro in 2022, going 4-0 before joining PFL in 2025. His wins over MacDonald, Gracie, and Jason Jackson in the semifinals showed his precise boxing and strong wrestling. Trained at Kill Cliff FC in Florida under coach Henri Hooft, Jean is now 11-0 and the first PFL welterweight champion since Ray Cooper III in 2021.
Logan Storley, 32, is from South Dakota and was a four-time NCAA Division I All-American wrestler at the University of Minnesota. He turned pro in 2017, competing in Bellator before joining PFL in 2024. Known for his grappling, Storley beat Michael Page for the Bellator interim welterweight title in 2022 and went 2-1 in the 2025 PFL season before losing to Jean. His record is now 18-4, with losses to Yaroslav Amosov and Shamil Musaev.
PFL’s tournament format, with a regular season, playoffs, and a $500,000 final, sets it apart from UFC. Past winners like Kayla Harrison have used it to launch big careers, and Jean now follows their path.
Here are PFL 8 full results:
- Thad Jean def. Logan Storley via unanimous decision (49-46, 49-46, 48-47)
- Movlid Khaybulaev def. Jesus Pinedo via submission (arm-triangle choke) — 1:17, Round 5.
- Asael Adjoudj def. Yves Landu via unanimous decision (29-28×3)
- Jordan Newman def. Eslam Abdul Baset via TKO (retirement) — 5:00, Round 1.
- Jakub Kaszuba def. Sergio Cossio via unanimous decision (29-28×3)
- Kyle Driscoll def. Husein Kadimagomaev via split decision (29-28, 27-30, 30-27)
- Fred Dupras def. Nathan Kelly via technical submission (guillotine choke) — 4:38, Round 2
- Sarak Shields def. Nick Meck via TKO (doctor stoppage) — 5:00, Round 1. | Gruesome Cut
- Tom Pagliarulo def. Matt Turnbull via knockout — 4:36, Round 1.
