Jean Tells Fans PFL Fighters Match UFC Level
PFL welterweight champion Thad Jean believes he could compete with the best fighters in the UFC and called out fans who question the caliber of talent outside the octagon.
Jean, who improved to 12-0 with a third-round stoppage of Ernesto Rodriguez to win the PFL title, told Ariel Helwani that he ranks among the top three welterweights in mixed martial arts. The undefeated American says critics who diminish PFL competition reveal themselves as casual observers rather than serious students of the sport.
Jean Claims PFL Talent Matches UFC Roster
"I'm up there. I'm top three," Jean said, as posted by Helwani on social media. "I know people talk trash about the PFL and say, 'Oh, because you're in the PFL, you're nothing.' The level of fighters in the PFL is just as high as the people in the UFC. And the reason you don't understand that, the reason you don't think so, is because you're a casual."
Jean won the 2025 PFL welterweight tournament with victories over Mukhamed Berkhamov, Jason Jackson, and Logan Storley. The 28-year-old joined the promotion in 2023 after just four professional bouts. Rodriguez knocked Jean down in the second round of their title fight but faded badly, allowing the champion to secure the finish in round three despite Rodriguez taking the bout on two days' notice.
Jean insisted nothing would prevent him from capturing UFC gold if given the opportunity. The UFC welterweight title will be contested Aug. 15 at UFC 330 in Philadelphia, where Islam Makhachev defends against Ian Garry.
Photo: KnicksFanTV / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0
Original reporting:
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