Costello van Steenis Conquers the PFL Middleweight Championship
In a night full of emotions, Costello van Steenis won the PFL middleweight championship last Saturday, after submitting the experienced Johnny Eblen in the final seconds of their title fight. Van Steenis (17-3) took advantage of Eblen’s (16-1) fatigue in the fifth round, finishing the fight with a rear naked choke just nine seconds from the end. Eblen, who had won the Bellator MMA title in 2022 and held it in the PFL in 2024, dominated much of the fight, but visibly ran out of energy in the final moments. van Steenis’s victory was surprising, considering his grappling ability, with six previous submission victories. Eblen was considered one of the best fighters outside the UFC, and was the favorite with a more than 5-1 advantage.Dakota Ditcheva Dominates and Renews with PFL
At the co-main event, Dakota Ditcheva demonstrated her superiority once again, defeating Sumiko Inaba by unanimous decision in three rounds. It was the first time since 2022 that Ditcheva (15-0) went to the decision, which was attributed more to Inaba’s resilience than a lack of effort on Ditcheva’s part. Furthermore, Ditcheva apparently suffered a fracture in her left hand during the last round.
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“I just re-signed with PFL. We reached a great agreement,” Ditcheva said. “I look forward to the next few years.”
Dakota Ditcheva
