Van Steenis Shocks: Knocks Out Eblen and Conquers PFL Title

Costello van Steenis Conquers PFL Middleweight Championship with a Stunning Submission

In a night full of emotions, Costello van Steenis won the PFL middleweight championship on Saturday, submitting king Johnny Eblen in the final seconds of their title fight. Van Steenis, with an impressive 17-3 record, took advantage of Eblen’s (16-1) fatigue in the fifth round, rendering him unconscious with a rear naked choke with only nine seconds left. Eblen, who won the Bellator MMA title in 2022 and moved it to the PFL in 2024, dominated much of the fight, but visibly ran out of energy in the final moments. van Steenis’s victory was a surprise, considering his grappling ability and his six submission victories. Eblen was considered one of the best fighters outside the UFC, and came into the fight as the favorite with a betting advantage of more than 5-1.

Dakota Ditcheva Dominates Sumiko Inaba and Signs New PFL Contract

In the co-main event, Dakota Ditcheva continued her undefeated streak by defeating Sumiko Inaba by unanimous decision in a three-round bout. This was the first time Ditcheva (15-0) had gone to decision since 2022, demonstrating Inaba’s resilience and Ditcheva’s effort. After her victory, Ditcheva, who won the 2024 PFL Championship at 125 pounds, announced the signing of a new multi-year deal with the fight promotion.

I just re-signed with PFL. We reached a great agreement. I look forward to the next few years.

Dakota Ditcheva

Costello van Steenis won the PFL middleweight championship with an impressive submission victory over Johnny Eblen, who entered the fight as a 5-1 favorite.

A.J. McKee Returns to Victory in Featherweight

In a featherweight bout, former Bellator MMA champion A.J. McKee (23-2) rebounded from a recent split-decision loss by defeating Akhmed Magomedov by unanimous decision. McKee, 30, consistently outstruck Magomedov (11-2) at key moments and landed several clean left hands and body kicks. He also threatened with a rear-naked choke late in the fight. McKee, who hadn’t fought at 145 pounds since 2022 due to his move to 155 pounds, indicated that he felt good at his old weight, describing it as a “homecoming party.”