Overview:
Undefeated MMA fighter Thad Jean is making ready for the 2025 PFL World Championship Finals. On this Q&A, the Haitian-American athlete shares how religion, neighborhood, and Haitian delight have formed his path from Broward County to a shot on the title and $500,000 prize.
Because the Skilled Fighters League (PFL) prepares for its 2025 World Championship Finals in Atlantic Metropolis, one title is on the lips of Haitian MMA followers all over the place: Thad Jean. Undefeated at 10-0 with six finishes, Jean is shortly rising as a breakout star within the world battle scene. And this August, the Broward County native will step into the cage not only for a shot on the welterweight title and $500,000, however for one thing far larger—representing Haiti.
Often known as “The Silverback,” Jean brings a mix of explosive athleticism, deep-rooted religion, and cultural delight into each battle. Born in 1998 to Haitian immigrants who made a number of makes an attempt to succeed in U.S. shores by boat, he carries the load of generational wrestle and triumph into the cage. His journey from native gyms to ESPN broadcasts has been constructed on self-discipline, non secular readability, and a mission to encourage younger Haitians throughout the globe.
Forward of the championship bout, The Haitian Occasions caught up with Jean to speak about rising up in South Florida’s Haitian church neighborhood, how his religion fuels his profession, and why he hopes to be remembered not simply as a champion—however as a lightweight for Haiti.
The Haitian Occasions: Inform the readers about your self—the place you grew up, your upbringing, your connection to Haiti, and the way you bought into MMA.
Thad “Silverback” Jean: I grew up in South Florida within the Broward space, the place there’s an enormous Haitian neighborhood.
My dad and mom are from Haiti —my dad is a pastor at a Haitian church. I discovered converse Creole primarily from the older girls at church.
After all, my dad and mom as properly, however you study so much from the neighborhood contained in the church within the Haitian neighborhood. My largest connection to Haiti is my sister, who nonetheless lives in Haiti.
She’s positively an enormous a part of my MMA profession. I wish to ensure that Haiti is a safer place for her sooner or later. That’s considered one of my objectives—I wish to turn out to be a lightweight. Effectively, I don’t wish to sound large and loopy and say a lightweight, however I wish to be—yeah, I wish to be a lightweight that folks can have a look at and see that I don’t have to take a look at these people who find themselves getting cash in an evil method or a nasty method and be an issue to all people else and make Haiti a rustic that folks wish to go to, particularly since it’s such a stupendous nation.
It’s not being visited due to all of the crime that’s happening there, as a result of all people’s misguided on the market. So I wish to be a lightweight that folks may see—that there’s a unique method. And it doesn’t should be combating—it may very well be something. I imply, Haitians are so good. So I simply wish to do my half.
THT: You entered the event as an alternate. What was your mindset getting in, and the way did you keep prepared for the chance when it got here?
TJ: I used to be all the time prepared. I used to be prepared your complete time. I’ve been prepared for 3 years now. I imply, as quickly as I bought the decision and I knew I used to be going to get into the event—as a result of as an alt, you’re going to get into the event. There’s all the time somebody who’s dropping out. There’s all the time somebody who’s not making weight.
There’s all the time somebody who’s getting harm. I imply, sorry to say that however hey, for those who’re a fighter, you simply bought to be prepared for each alternative and when it presents itself, simply be sure you’re there. And that’s precisely what it was. I’m prepared as a result of I knew that as an alternate I’d ultimately be within the event.
THT: As a proud Haitian American, what does it imply to you to signify Haiti on such a worldwide stage within the PFL?
TJ: Oh man. I imply, like I stated—Haitian American, that’s superior. There are such a lot of Haitian People right here in South Florida and simply to have the ability to signify them—I imply, it’s loopy.
As a result of I’m not the one one. There are such a lot of folks which might be doing a lot for Haiti as Haitian People—Haitian no matter they’re. It doesn’t even should be People. However they’ve that Haitian blood in them, and so they’re representing, similar to I wish to signify Haiti.
I’m able to be the primary Haitian champion in an MMA league. I’m able to be the primary and to have the ability to signify Haiti. I imply the entire nation is behind me. So I’m prepared for it.
THT: Is “Silverback” only a nickname you got here up with, or how did you get that? Is it associated to Haiti in any method?
TJ: Truly, I bought it from a dream.
It was a lucid dream the place I used to be strolling down the road with an albino gorilla and a common black silverback gorilla. I felt so assured. And this was like, I swear to you, this was after I requested God for completely every part.
I’m tremendous into my religion in relation to simply any choices that I make that’s going to be long run. And I requested God, like, what must be my nickname? As a result of first I wished to be Black Mamba. However then we had someone on the fitness center that was already Black Mamba.
So I stated, let me simply ask God—what ought to I do? Who ought to I be?
And I had a dream two, three days later. And I used to be strolling with these silverback gorillas—one albino, one common—and I used to be like, oh, I’m the Silverback. And it caught with me.
THT: What components of your Haitian upbringing or tradition do you carry into the cage—whether or not mentally, bodily, or spiritually?
TJ: One of many largest components that I carry that’s from the Haitian tradition is our resilience, our delight.
We’re a robust nation. And that’s the factor. The rationale why Haiti is in a spot proper now could be as a result of individuals are so prideful and so they don’t wish to be left behind.
However we may use that—we may use that mentality for the higher, to alter the mindset of the place we put the vitality of that sturdy mentality and delight and simply sense of ‘I wish to get it, I wish to get it.’
That’s in our blood. I carry that into the cage each single time. That hey, ‘I’m the perfect, I’m the highest, and I’m by no means going to be behind anyone. I’m the chief of this and I’m going to ensure I present all people that, hey—each time I step into the cage, you’re not simply stepping in opposition to me, you’re stepping in opposition to everybody that’s behind me—your complete Haitian tradition.’
The American as properly, you realize. It’s not simply—like I stated, about my Haitian American id. I prefer to say that my blood is the Haitian in me, after which the center that I’ve in me is that diesel American—that diesel American coronary heart. There’s no method you’ll be able to cease me.
THT: The PFL World Championship finals supply a $500,000 prize and a significant title. Past the cash, what would successful this battle imply to you, your loved ones, and the Haitian neighborhood?
TJ: Past the dimensions of the cash, there’s already a plan to do issues with it. I imply, investments and setting myself and household for the longer term.
However the title itself is a monumental win. We’re in a significant league the place the PFL isn’t just right here, it’s in Africa now, It’s in several components of the world, It’s large in Europe.
It’s large all over the place and to be the primary Haitian to win this title can be nice as a result of it’s not going to be simply in America that I’m combating.
Now I can go to Europe and beat their guys. I can go to Africa and beat their guys. And I’m Haitian and I’m going to hold that delight with me all over the place.
THT For younger Haitians watching your rise, whether or not within the U.S., Haiti or throughout the diaspora, what’s one message you need them to take out of your journey up to now?
TJ: Preserve God first. That’s the message. Life is hard. And being younger is hard itself.
There’s so many issues on this life that may pull us from what our objectives are. And the perfect factor you are able to do is maintain God first. And that’s what I’ve been doing. And look—I’m about to win a championship.
Not due to my very own energy, however due to God’s energy.
So maintaining God first is the perfect and the one factor I can let you know.
Tickets can be found at Ticketmaster. The 2025 PFL World Match Atlantic Metropolis: Finals takes place reside on ESPN, ESPN+ and DAZN. The Early Card begins at 6:00 pm ET, with the Primary Card kicking off at 9:00 pm ET.