Logan Storley Believes Wrestling Background will Help with PFL Season Format

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.

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.