Jason Jackson and Thad Jean concluded their intense rivalry over three grueling rounds when they met in the PFL World Tournament semi-finals. The build-up to the fight featured a surprisingly personal exchange between the two, with the former Bellator champion making harsh remarks about his undefeated opponent`s family and other issues. Given his extensive experience and victories against notable fighters such as Douglas Lima and Yaroslav Amosov, the Jamaican fighter was considered a strong favorite entering the cage.
However, in front of a lively Nashville crowd, which included numerous traveling supporters from Jean’s `Silverback Nation`, he encountered a more formidable challenge than anticipated. Ultimately, Jean secured a victory via a very close split decision.
Jason Jackson vs Thad Jean PFL Nashville Result
With a notable lineup of spectators including Russell Brand watching cageside, Jean and Jackson wasted no time in exciting the crowd. Jean dropped Jackson early in the first minute, allowing him to stand but immediately pressing for a finish. Nevertheless, Jackson saved himself with a well-timed takedown just as Jean was building momentum, effectively slowing the pace of the fight. The veteran`s strategy was almost flawless, but for much of the bout, his younger opponent appeared to counter him effectively.
Jean successfully defended several takedown attempts and even attempted one of his own at the start of the second round. Yet, Jackson managed to assert his presence, leaving the fight evenly contested as they entered the third round, accompanied by loud `Silverback` chants from the audience.
Midway through the third round, the fight was temporarily halted when Jackson was downed by an illegal low blow. Fortunately, the action resumed quickly, and momentum didn`t significantly shift towards either fighter.
Since Jean was unable to land a decisive blow to finish the fight, it went to the judges` scorecards for a decision. Jean secured the win on two scorecards, one of which was a controversial 30-27, and he will now advance to face Logan Storley in the finals this August.
The Deeply Bitter Feud Between Jackson and Jean
There didn`t appear to be any significant animosity between Jackson and Jean when they competed on the same fight card in the quarter-finals in Orlando. However, as soon as they had to face each other directly, the former champion, usually good-natured, immediately began to verbally spar with his opponent.
The rivalry remained intense from that point forward, with Jackson making severe personal attacks, including questioning Jean’s Haitian heritage and accusing his rival of hypocrisy. Jackson alleged that Jean had told him backstage he was supporting him, only to then predict that Andrey Koreshkov would win their initial round match.
For his part, Jean seemed largely unaffected by the comments, appearing focused on the opportunity to headline his first PFL event.
