The 2025 PFL World Tournament Finals got underway in dramatic fashion Friday night at Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, where the Welterweight and Featherweight divisions saw new champions emerge in front of a packed crowd.
In the night’s headliner, Thad Jean (11-0) maintained his undefeated streak and claimed the 2025 PFL Welterweight World Tournament Championship, earning a dominant unanimous decision win over former Interim Bellator Champion Logan Storley (18-4). Over five rounds, Jean showcased superior striking—his sharp combinations, accuracy, and power consistently outmatched Storley’s pressure-heavy wrestling game. While Storley remained tough and persistent throughout, Jean dictated the pace and kept the veteran on the back foot, walking away with the belt and further cementing his place among the world’s elite 170-pounders.
The co-main event featured a showdown between two former champions, as Movlid Khaybulaev (24-0-1) squared off against Jesus Pinedo (25-7-1) for the Featherweight crown. Khaybulaev leaned on his elite grappling, using relentless top control to stifle the striking power of Peru’s first MMA champion. Despite being grounded for much of the bout, Pinedo made the most of his moments on the feet, even scoring a knockdown that electrified the crowd. But Khaybulaev weathered the storm and ultimately locked in a late submission to secure the tap and claim the 2025 PFL Featherweight World Tournament title.
Elsewhere on the card, Algeria’s Asaël Adjoudj (10-1) outpointed France’s Yves Landu (21-9) in a tactical featherweight bout. Adjoudj used his height and reach to keep Landu at bay through the first two rounds, frustrating the French veteran with precision striking and smart movement. Landu roared back in the final frame, taking the mount and pouring on ground-and-pound in a late attempt to finish, but Adjoudj survived and threatened with a submission of his own in the closing seconds. The judges rewarded the Algerian’s overall control with a unanimous decision victory.
Main Card Results:
- Thad Jean (11-0) def. Logan Storley (18-4) via unanimous decision (49-46, 49-46, 48-47)
- Movlid Khaybulaev (24-0-1) def. Jesus Pinedo (25-7-1) via submission (arm-triangle choke) at 1:17 of round five
- Asaël Adjoudj (10-1) def. Yves Landu (21-10) via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
- Jordan Newman (8-0) def. Eslam Abdelbaset (16-4) via TKO (fighter retirement) at 5:00 of round one
Early Card Results:
- Jakub Kaszuba (15-0) def. Sergio Cossio (27-11-1) via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
- Kyle Driscoll (14-4) def. Husein Kadimagomaev (11-2) via split decision (30-27, 27-30, 29-28)
- Fred Dupras (9-2) def. Nathan Kelly (11-5) via technical submission (guillotine) at 4:38 of round two
- Sarek Shields (8-2) def. Nick Meck (9-3) via TKO (doctor’s stoppage) at 5:00 of round one
- Tom Pagliarulo (10-2) def. Matt Turnbull (9-7) via KO (knee to body) at 4:36 of round one
