Thad Jean on faith, fighting and flying Haiti’s flag on the world stage

As the Professional Fighters League (PFL) prepares for its 2025 World Championship Finals in Atlantic City, one name is on the lips of Haitian MMA fans everywhere: Thad Jean. Undefeated at 10-0 with six finishes, Jean is quickly emerging as a breakout star in the global fight scene. And this August, the Broward County native will step into the cage not just for a shot at the welterweight title and $500,000, but for something far greater—representing Haiti.

Known as “The Silverback,” Jean brings a blend of explosive athleticism, deep-rooted faith, and cultural pride into every fight. Born in 1998 to Haitian immigrants who made multiple attempts to reach U.S. shores by boat, he carries the weight of generational struggle and triumph into the cage. His journey from local gyms to ESPN broadcasts has been built on discipline, spiritual clarity, and a mission to inspire young Haitians across the globe.

Ahead of the championship bout, The Haitian Times caught up with Jean to talk about growing up in South Florida’s Haitian church community, how his faith fuels his career, and why he hopes to be remembered not just as a champion—but as a light for Haiti.

The Haitian Times: Tell the readers about yourself—where you grew up, your upbringing, your connection to Haiti, and how you got into MMA.

Thad “Silverback” Jean: I grew up  in South Florida in the Broward area, where there’s  a huge Haitian community.

My parents are from Haiti —my dad is a pastor at a Haitian church. I learned how to speak Creole mainly from the older ladies at church. 

Of course, my parents as well, but you learn a lot from the community inside the church in the Haitian community. My biggest connection to Haiti is my sister, who still lives in Haiti. 

She’s definitely a huge part of my MMA career. I  want to make sure that Haiti is a safer place for her one day. That’s one of my goals—I want to become a light. Well, I don’t want to sound big and crazy and say a light, but I want to be—yeah, I want to be a light that people can look at and see that I don’t have to look at these people who are making money in an evil way or a bad way and  be a problem to everybody else and make Haiti a country that people want to visit, especially since  it’s such a beautiful country.  

It’s not being visited because of all the crime that’s going on there, because everybody’s misguided out there. So I want to be a light that people could see—that there’s a different way. And it doesn’t have to be fighting—it could be anything. I mean, Haitians are so smart. So I just want to do my part.

THT: You entered the tournament as an alternate. What was your mindset going in, and how did you stay ready for the opportunity when it came?

TJ: I was always ready. I was ready the entire time. I’ve been ready for three years now. I mean, as soon as I got the call and I knew I was going to get into the tournament—because as an alt, you’re going to get into the tournament. There’s always someone who’s dropping out. There’s always someone who’s not making weight.

There’s always someone who’s getting hurt. I mean, sorry to say that but hey, if you’re a fighter, you just got to be ready for every opportunity and when it presents itself, just make sure you’re there. And that’s exactly what it was. I’m  ready because I knew that as an alternate I would eventually be in the tournament.

THT: As a proud Haitian American, what does it mean to you to represent Haiti on such a global stage in the PFL?

TJ: Oh man. I mean, like I said—Haitian American, that’s awesome. There are so many Haitian Americans here in South Florida and just to be able to represent them—I mean, it’s crazy.
Because I’m not the only one. There are so many people that are doing so much for Haiti as Haitian Americans—Haitian whatever they are. It doesn’t even have to be Americans. But they have that Haitian blood in them, and they’re representing, just like I want to represent Haiti.

I’m ready to be the first Haitian champion in an MMA league. I’m ready to be the first and to be able to represent Haiti. I mean the whole country is behind me. So I’m ready for it.

THT: Is “Silverback” just a nickname you came up with, or how did you get that? Is it related to Haiti in any way?

TJ: Actually, I got it from a dream.

It was a lucid dream where I was walking down the street with an albino gorilla and a  regular black silverback gorilla. I felt so confident. And this was like, I swear to you, this was after I asked God for absolutely everything.

I’m super into my faith when it comes to just any decisions that I make that’s going to be  long term. And I asked God, like, what should be my nickname? Because first I wanted to be Black Mamba. But then we had somebody at the gym that was already Black Mamba. 

So I said, let me just ask God—what should I do? Who should I be?
And I had a dream two, three days later. And I was walking with these silverback gorillas—one albino, one regular—and I was like, oh, I’m the Silverback. And it stuck with me.

THT: What parts of your Haitian upbringing or culture do you carry into the cage—whether mentally, physically, or spiritually?

TJ: One of the biggest parts that I carry that’s from the Haitian culture is  our resilience, our pride.

We are a strong country. And that’s the thing. The reason why Haiti is in a spot right now is because people are so prideful and they don’t want to be left behind.

But we could use that—we could use that mentality for the better, to change the mindset of where we put the energy of that strong mentality and pride and just sense of ‘I want to get it, I want to get it.’

That’s in our blood. I carry that into the cage every single time. That hey, ‘I’m the best, I’m the top, and I’m never going to be behind anybody. I’m the leader of this and I’m going to make sure I show everybody that, hey—every time I step into the cage, you’re not just stepping against me, you’re stepping against everyone that’s behind me—the entire Haitian culture.’

The American as well, you know. It’s not just—like I said, about my Haitian American identity. I like to say that my blood is the Haitian in me, and then the heart that I have in me is that diesel American—that diesel American heart. There’s no way you can stop me.

THT: The PFL World Championship finals offer a $500,000 prize and a major title. Beyond the money, what would winning this fight mean to you, your family, and the Haitian community?

TJ: Beyond the size of the money, there’s already a plan to do things with it. I mean, investments and setting myself and family for the future.

But the title itself is a monumental win. We’re in a major league where the PFL is not just here, it’s  in Africa now, It’s in different parts of the world, It’s huge in Europe. 

It’s huge everywhere and to be the first Haitian to win this title will be great because it’s not going to be just in America that I’m fighting.

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 carry that pride with me everywhere. 

THT For young Haitians watching your rise, whether in the U.S., Haiti or across the diaspora, what’s one message you want them to take from your journey so far?

TJ: Keep God first. That’s the message.  Life is tough. And being young is tough itself.
There’s so many things in this life that can pull us from what our goals are. And the best thing you can do is keep God first. And that’s what I’ve been doing. And look—I’m about to win a championship.

Not because of my own power, but because of God’s power.
 

So keeping God first is the best and the only thing I can tell you.

Tickets  are available at Ticketmaster. The 2025 PFL World Tournament Atlantic City: Finals takes place live on ESPN, ESPN+ and DAZN. The Early Card begins at 6:00 pm ET, with the Main Card kicking off at 9:00 pm ET.

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