Jeremy
Stephens wasn’t a free agent for long.
The 34-fight UFC veteran
announced during an appearance on “The MMA Hour” that he has
signed with Professional Fighters League with the intention to
compete at lightweight during the promotion’s 2022 season, which is
slated to begin in April. Stephens didn’t rule out competing at
other weight classes for future PFL seasons. Last week it was
revealed that Stephens
elected not to re-sign with the UFC after a lengthy tenure that
began in 2007.
“It’s a great organization, the fighters over there, the matchups,
the potential,” Stephens said. “They’re gonna pay me a little bit
more than the UFC, and I have a chance at a million dollars, which
is doable, which I really love. Maybe go in there, win that million
dollars, and I like the fact that they fight back to back, month
after month. I’m not getting any younger. I love to constantly be
fighting. I don’t like sitting and waiting for opponents six months
down the road. I’d rather fight once every three months.”
Stephens will enter the PFL on a six-bout winless streak that dates
back to July 2018. “Lil Heathen” last appeared at UFC on ESPN 26,
where he suffered a first-round submission defeat to Mateusz
Gamrot this past July. Stephens’ record includes victories over
the likes of Josh Emmett,
Doo Ho
Choi, Gilbert
Melendez, Renan Barao,
Darren
Elkins, Dennis
Bermudez and Rafael dos
Anjos, to name a few.