Johnny Eblen and Bryan Battle Headline PFL Event in Pittsburgh
The mixed martial arts world is gearing up for an exciting Professional Fighters League (PFL) event on March 28th in Pittsburgh. The main event will pit former Bellator MMA champion Johnny Eblen against Bryan Battle.
The announcement was made by the PFL CEO, John Martin, generating great anticipation among fans. The event will mark the promotional debut of the PFL in Pittsburgh, specifically at the UPMC Events Center at Robert Morris University.
The main billboard will be broadcast on ESPN in the United States.
Johnny Eblen (16-1) will look to bounce back from the first loss of his career. He suffered an unexpected submission loss to Costello van Steenis in July, losing the PFL 185-pound championship. Eblen was the favorite to win at the inaugural PFL Africa event in Cape Town, but was submitted in the fifth round.
Bryan Battle (12-2) will also seek redemption, although under different circumstances. The 31-year-old fighter was released by the UFC in August, after failing to make weight for a middleweight bout in Chicago. This was the second consecutive time that Battle failed to make weight, even after moving up a weight class. Battle has not been defeated since 2022, but his commitment has been questioned following his failed attempts to make weight.
The PFL also announced the middleweight co-main event between Pennsylvania native Dalton Rosta (11-2) and 2023 PFL tournament champion Impa Kasanganay (19-6).
