Thad Jean has message for anyone who thinks PFL fighters aren’t UFC level

PFL welterweight champion Thad Jean has a message for fans who question whether fighters outside the UFC can compete at the highest level. Jean (12-0) captured the PFL championship with a third-round stoppage of Ernesto Rodriguez, who stepped in on short notice and provided unexpected resistance, even scoring a knockdown in the second round before exhaustion set in.

Despite stepping up in competition, Jean believes he ranks among the world's elite welterweights and dismisses the notion that PFL fighters are inferior to their UFC counterparts. In an interview with Ariel Helwani, the undefeated champion directly addressed the criticism, claiming that only casual fans diminish the PFL's talent level.

"I'm up there. I'm top three," Jean stated. "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 is because you're a casual. You're not a true MMA fan." Jean went further, asserting that his championship credentials would translate to UFC success. "I'm at the top of the PFL welterweight division. I'm the champion and there's nothing that would stop me from being the welterweight champion in the UFC." His confidence comes as Islam Makhachev prepares to defend the UFC welterweight title against Ian Garry at UFC 330 on August 15 in Philadelphia.