Jason Jackson and Thad Jean finally settled their intense rivalry in a grueling three-round battle during the PFL World Tournament semi-finals.
The lead-up to the fight saw their exchange become surprisingly personal. The former Bellator champion, Jackson, had notably criticized his undefeated opponent`s family, among other controversial remarks. With his extensive experience and victories against fighters like Douglas Lima and Yaroslav Amosov, the Jamaican was considered a strong favorite entering the cage.
However, facing a passionate Nashville crowd, including many supporters from Jean’s `Silverback Nation`, Jackson encountered a tougher challenge than anticipated. In the end, Jean managed to secure a razor-close split decision victory.
Fight Recap: Jackson vs Jean in Nashville
With celebrities like Russell Brand watching from cageside, both fighters quickly engaged, bringing the crowd to its feet. Early in the first round, Jean knocked Jackson down, then allowed him back up and aggressively pursued a finish.
Jackson recovered by executing a well-timed takedown, disrupting Jean`s momentum and slowing the pace. While Jackson`s veteran strategy seemed well-executed, his younger opponent appeared to have answers for much of what he offered.
Jean successfully defended against several takedown attempts and even attempted one himself at the start of the second round. However, Jackson managed to assert his presence, leaving the fight finely balanced heading into the third round, accompanied by loud `Silverback` chants from the crowd.
Midway through the third round, the action briefly paused after Jackson was dropped by an illegal low blow. Fortunately, he recovered quickly, and the fight resumed without a significant shift in momentum for either fighter.
As Jean couldn`t land a finishing blow, the fight went the distance to the judges` scorecards. Jean was awarded the win via split decision, with one judge`s 30-27 score proving controversial. He now advances to the final in August to face Logan Storley.
The Bitter History Behind the Fight
Surprisingly, there was no apparent animosity between Jackson and Jean when they competed on the same quarter-final card in Orlando. However, that changed dramatically when they were scheduled to face each other; the normally friendly former champion immediately started engaging in verbal exchanges with his upcoming opponent.
The rivalry escalated from that moment onwards, with Jackson making harsh remarks, including questioning Jean`s Haitian heritage. Jackson also accused Jean of hypocrisy, claiming Jean had told him backstage he was supporting him, only to later predict Jackson would lose his opening round fight against Andrey Koreshkov.
Jean, for his part, appeared unfazed by the comments, seemingly focusing on the opportunity to headline his first PFL event.
