According to Logan
Storley, the vast experience of competing in high-level
wrestling tournaments for most of his life will offer him an upper
hand in the
Professional Fighters League season format.
Storley (15-2) is set to make his PFL debut against undefeated
Russian prospect Shamil
Musaev (14-0-1) at
PFL 3: 2024 Regular Season on April 19 (tune into ESPN and
ESPN+ at 9:30 p.m. ET for the main card.) Like most Bellator
MMA fighters making the switch to PFL, Storley will also have
to adjust to the season format, which requires them to compete at a
much higher frequency.
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However, “Storm” believes his impressive wrestling pedigree will
help him adapt well to the PFL’s tournament structure. An
accomplished wrestler, Storley was a six-time South Dakota High
School Activities Association title holder and a four-time NCAA
All-American at the University of Minnesota. Storley believes his
experience of competing in back-to-back grappling matches, while
having to maintain weight, will come in handy while competing at
regular intervals in the PFL.
“Yeah, I think for me as a wrestler, you were competing week after
week making weight, so you really had to be on point. You knew your
schedule and you had to push your body through it. So it’s the same
thing with this tournament, obviously we’re fighting, not
wrestling. So you really have to take care of your body, take care
of your weight and be excited every time you’re going in there to
fight,” The 31-year-old said at PFL Chicago media day.
Apart from the physical aspect, the former interim Bellator
welterweight champ believes his wrestling background will help him
with the mental grind of competing frequently as well.
“I guess always in a wrestling season, at the end, any kind of
season, any kind of athletics, it’s the person that is excited to
be there, that’s not wanting it to be over. And so the first week
is different, but once you start getting into the second third
championship it’s the guy that is excited to be there, that wants
to be there and is still mentally and physically fresh, I think has
the best chance.”
Storley is coming off a knockout win over Brennan
Ward at
Bellator 298 in August that saw him bounce back from his second
loss against Yaroslav
Amosov, the only man to beat “Storm.” Meanwhile, his fellow
debutant opponent, Musaev, is undefeated in 14 pro outings and has
finished 11 of his 13 career wins.