Johnny Eblen Dominates Bryan Battle at PFL Pittsburgh

Former PFL middleweight champion calls for title rematch with Costello van Steenis after first-round finish.

Mar. 29, 2026 at 4:18am

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In the main event of PFL Pittsburgh, Johnny Eblen put on a dominant wrestling performance to finish Bryan Battle in the first round. Eblen, a former PFL middleweight champion, is now targeting a rematch with Costello van Steenis, who handed him his first career loss last July.

Why it matters

Eblen's victory over Battle re-establishes him as a top contender in the PFL middleweight division. His desire for a rematch with van Steenis sets up a potentially thrilling title fight between two of the league's top middleweights.

The details

Eblen controlled the fight from the start, scoring five takedowns in the opening round. He eventually took Battle's back and secured the rear-naked choke finish. In the co-main event, Impa Kasanganay scored a vicious knockout over Dalton Rosta to insert himself into the middleweight title conversation.

  • The PFL Pittsburgh event took place on Saturday, March 29, 2026.

The players

Johnny Eblen

A former PFL middleweight champion who is now targeting a rematch with Costello van Steenis after his first-round finish of Bryan Battle.

Bryan Battle

A fighter making his return to MMA after being released from the UFC, but was dominated and finished by Eblen in the main event.

Costello van Steenis

The current PFL middleweight champion who handed Eblen his first career loss in July 2025.

Impa Kasanganay

A middleweight fighter who scored a vicious knockout over Dalton Rosta in the co-main event, re-inserting himself into the title conversation.

Dalton Rosta

Kasanganay's opponent in the co-main event, who was knocked out by the rising middleweight contender.

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What they’re saying

“I gotta get that belt back. Costello, if you're fucking watching, I'm fucking coming for you, baby. Revenge. Let's go, revenge!”

— Johnny Eblen

What’s next

Eblen's victory sets up a potential title rematch with Costello van Steenis, the current PFL middleweight champion. The PFL will likely look to book this fight in the near future.

The takeaway

Eblen's dominant performance over Battle re-establishes him as a top contender in the PFL middleweight division, and his desire for a rematch with van Steenis could lead to an exciting title fight between two of the league's best middleweights.