Costello van Steenis Shocks and Conquers the PFL Middleweight Championship
In a night filled with emotions, Costello van Steenis was crowned PFL champion on Saturday, achieving an impressive victory over Johnny Eblen in the final seconds of their title fight. Van Steenis, known for his grappling ability, submitted Eblen with a rear-naked choke, leaving the former champion unconscious just nine seconds before the end of the fifth round.
Eblen, who had been the Bellator MMA champion in 2022 and brought his title to the PFL in 2024, dominated much of the fight, but visibly ran out of energy in the final rounds.
Van Steenis took advantage of Eblen’s fatigue in the fifth round and sealed the victory with a submission that left the champion with no chance to react.
Alofoke Deportes
van Steenis’ victory, who came with six submission victories before this fight, was a surprise, considering that Eblen was considered one of the best fighters outside the UFC and was the favorite to win the fight.Costello van Steenis ganó el campeonato de peso mediano de la PFL con una sorprendente sumisión sobre Johnny Eblen, quien era el favorito para ganar el combate.In the co-main event, Dakota Ditcheva continued her winning streak, defeating Sumiko Inaba by unanimous decision in a three-round bout. This was the first time Ditcheva had gone to decision since 2022, demonstrating Inaba’s resilience. Furthermore, Ditcheva seemingly suffered a fracture in her left hand during the final round.
After her victory, Ditcheva, who won the 2024 PFL Championship at 125 pounds, announced that she had signed a new multi-year deal with the promoter.
“I just re-signed with the PFL. We reached a great agreement,” Ditcheva said. “I’m looking forward to the next few years.”
In a featherweight fight, former Bellator MMA champion AJ McKee rebounded from a split decision loss to Paul Hughes, defeating Akhmed Magomedov by unanimous decision. McKee, 30, consistently outstruck Magomedov at crucial moments and landed several clean punches and body kicks.
McKee, who hadn’t fought at 145 pounds since 2022 due to a long stint at 155, indicated that he felt good at his old weight, calling it a “homecoming party”.
