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Tag: Costello van Steenis

  • PFL Madrid Results: Van Steenis vs Edwards Live Updates & Highlights

    PFL Madrid Results: Van Steenis vs Edwards Live Updates & Highlights

    PFL Madrid results and highlights are updated live as the action unfolds from the Palacio Vistalegre in Madrid, Spain. The main event will feature a middleweight title fight between Costello Van Steenis and Fabian Edwards. MMANews has you covered with all the results and highlights!

    Costello Van Steenis vs. Fabian Edwards – PFL Middleweight Championship Main Event

    Van Steenis has won five of his last six, and this marks his first PFL middleweight championship title defense. Van Steenis scored a come-from-behind, last-second submission of Johnny Eblen at PFL Cape Town last July to become PFL middleweight champion.

    Edwards has won three straight and earned tonight’s title opportunity by winning the 2025 PFL Middleweight World Tournament, knocking out Dalton Rosta in the final. Edwards has previously challenged Eblen for the Bellator middleweight title twice, losing both times.

    The co-main event will see A.J. McKee take on Adam Borics. McKee scored a decision over Akhmed Magomedov at PFL Cape Town, rebounding from a loss to Paul Hughes — just the second of McKee’s career. Borics is 2-2 in his last four after starting his MMA career 18-1. He last fought in June, defeating Jeremy Kennedy.

    If you can’t watch the action, check here for all the latest results and highlights from PFL Madrid!

    How to Watch PFL Madrid

    • Date: Friday, March 20, 2026
    • Venue: Palacio Vistalegre, Madrid, Spain
    • Streaming: ESPN Unlimited
    • Prelims: 1 PM ET / 10 AM PT
    • Main Card: 4 PM ET / 1 PM PT

    PFL Madrid Quick Results

    • Main Event: Middleweight Championship: Costello van Steenis vs. Fabian Edwards – Costello van Steenis def. Fabian Edwards via KO (Rd. 3, 1:48)
    • Co-Main Event: AJ McKee vs. Adam Borics – AJ McKee def. Adam Borics via unanimous decision (30-27 x2, 29-28)
    • Franco Tenaglia vs. Yassin Najid – Franco Tenaglia def. Yassin Najid via TKO (Rd. 2, 5:00)
    • Jacinta Austin vs. Benita van Rooij – Jacinto Austin def. Benita van Rooij via TKO (Rd. 1, 2:40)
    • Linton Vassell vs. Jose Augusto – Linton Vassell def. Jose Augusto via TKO (Rd. 2, 2:48)

    PFL Madrid Results & Highlights

    Preliminary Card (ESPN Unlimited, 1 PM ET)

    Featherweight: Ignacio Campos vs. Mathys Duragrin

    Result: Ignacio Campos def. Mathys Duragrin via unanimous decision (29-28 x3)

    Catchweight (160 lbs.) : David Mora vs. Claudio Pacella

    Result: Claudio Pacella def. David Mora via unanimous decision (30-27 x2, 30-26)

    Bantamweight: Mattia Giordano vs. Ernesto Schisano

    Result: Mattia Giordano def. Ernesto Schisano via unanimous decision (29-28 x3)

    Lightweight: Gino van Steenis vs. Mark Ewen

    Result: Gino van Steenis def. Mark Ewen via KO (Rd. 1, 2:43)

    Flyweight: Borja Garcia vs. Rafael Calderon

    Result: Borja Garcia def. Rafael Calderon via unanimous decision (29-28 x3)

    Bantamweight: Kevin Cordero Lopez vs. Luciano Pereira

    Result: Luciano Pereira def. Kevin Cordero via KO (Rd. 1, 2:10)

    Main Card (ESPN Unlimited, 4 PM ET)

    Heavyweight: Linton Vassell vs. Jose Augusto

    Result: Linton Vassell def. Jose Augusto via TKO (Rd. 2, 2:48)

    Women’s strawweight: Jacinta Austin vs. Benita van Rooij

    Result: Jacinto Austin def. Benita van Rooij via TKO (Rd. 1, 2:40)

    Welterweight: Franco Tenaglia vs. Yassin Najid

    Result: Franco Tenaglia def. Yassin Najid via TKO (Rd. 2, 5:00)

    Featherweight: AJ McKee vs. Adam Borics

    Result: AJ McKee def. Adam Borics via unanimous decision (30-27 x2, 29-28)

    PFL Middleweight Championship: Costello van Steenis vs. Fabian Edwards

    Result: Costello van Steenis def. Fabian Edwards via KO (Rd. 3, 1:48)

  • “One Of The Greatest Comeback Wins I’ve Ever Seen” – Fans React To Costello Van Steenis Pulling Off Last-Second Submission To Claim PFL Middleweight Gold At PFL Champions Series 2

    “One Of The Greatest Comeback Wins I’ve Ever Seen” – Fans React To Costello Van Steenis Pulling Off Last-Second Submission To Claim PFL Middleweight Gold At PFL Champions Series 2

    In what will surely go down as one of the greatest comebacks the sport of Mixed Martial Arts has ever seen, Costello Van Steenis’ hearty performance earned him a submission victory in the closing moments of his fight with the now previously-undefeated Johnny Eblen.

    As a result of his win over Eblen, the final Bellator middleweight champion, Van Steenis is now recognized as the new PFL middleweight champion.

    The fight headlined PFL Champions Series 2 — the second part of the PFL Cape Town card on July 19 in Africa.

    The fight started with Eblen dominating the early rounds, using his wrestling to control position, land ground-and-pound, and suffocate Van Steenis against the fence. Van Steenis showed flashes of offense, but Eblen consistently secured takedowns and threatened submissions.

    But in round four, things really began to change. Van Steenis stuffed shots, landed kicks and combinations, and even wobbled Eblen with a head kick at one point. Still, Eblen did enough to stop Van Steenis where need be, putting him in a huge must-finish situation.

    Eblen looked to ride the fifth round out with his grappling. But Van Steenis fought with fire, staying composed and reversing position. With mere seconds to go in the fifth, Van Steenis took the back and sank in a rear-naked choke. Eblen was unable to survive, going unconscious with 10 seconds remaining to give Van Steenis a Hollywood ending.

    Costello Van Steenis Wins PFL Middleweight Title, Ends Johnny Eblen’s Undefeated Record At PFL Cape Town

    Eblen captured the Bellator middleweight title with a win over Gegard Mousasi at Bellator 282 and retained the belt against Anatoly Tokov and Fabian Edwards (the latter twice).

    Van Steenis earned this match with a pair of victories last year against Gregory Babene and Joรฃo Vitor Dantas.

  • PFL Cape Town: PFL Champions Series 2: Johnny Eblen vs. Costello Van Steenis & PFL Africa 1 Results & Highlights

    PFL Cape Town: PFL Champions Series 2: Johnny Eblen vs. Costello Van Steenis & PFL Africa 1 Results & Highlights

    PFL Cape Town presents a historic night for the PFL and Africa, as global MMA action has touched down in the continent with both the second edition of the PFL Champions Series and the first-ever PFL Africa event — and MMA News has you covered with all the action.

    A card in Africa has been a longtime coming for the PFL since its signing of Francis Ngannou in 2023 — with Ngannou being named a part-owner and chairman of PFL Africa. PFL Africa is the latest region-specific venture of the PFL’s, following its launch of PFL Europe in 2023 and PFL MENA in 2024.

    This evening will simultaneously mark the second edition of PFL Champions Series — developed as part of the slew of changes made by PFL for 2025 that included the elimination of the Bellator brand.

    Those championships will carry on, however, as seen in the main event of PFL Champions Series 2, as now-PFL middleweight champion Johnny Eblen defends the title against Costello Van Steenis.

    Eblen won the then-Bellator middleweight title by defeating Gegard Mousasi at Bellator 282, retaining the belt against Anatoly Tokov at Bellator 290 and Fabian Edwards at Bellator 299. Since the PFL’s purchase of Bellator, Eblen scored a split decision win over Impa Kasaganay at PFL vs. Bellator Champions and retained against Edwards again at PFL Battle of the Giants last October.

    Van Steenis comes into this title shot off two straight wins, submitting Gregory Babene at the Bellator Champions Series event in Paris in May 2024 before a 48-second head kick knockout of Joรฃo Vitor Dantas at the PFL World Championships last fall.

    Dakota Ditcheva, the 2024 PFL women’s flyweight champion and 2023 PFL Europe women’s flyweight champion, returns to action tonight against Sumiko Inaba, who defeated Saray Orozco and Mackenzie Stiller last year.

    The PFL Africa 1 portion of the evening will see the African-focused promotion’s tournaments kick off with first-round heavyweight and bantamweight action.

    PFL Cape Town begins with PFL Africa 1 action at 10am ET/7am PT on the PFL App, while PFL Champions Series 2 starts at 2pm ET/11 am PT on ESPN+. If you can’t watch the action, MMA News has you covered with all the results and highlights below.

    PFL Cape Town: PFL Champions Series 2: Johnny Eblen vs. Costello Van Steenis & PFL Africa 1 Results & Highlights

    PFL Champions Series 2:

    • Middleweight Championship: Costello Van Steenis def. Johnny Eblen via submission (rear-naked choke) (R5, 4:51)
    • Women’s Flyweight: Dakota Ditcheva def. Sumiko Inaba via unanimous decision (30-27 x3)
    • Featherweight: A.J. McKee def. Akhmed Magomedov via unanimous decision (30-27 x3)
    • Lightweight: Makkasharip Zaynukov def. Takeshi Izumi via unanimous decision (30-27 x3)
    • Heavyweight: Corey Anderson def. Denis Goltsov via TKO (R2, 3:28)

    PFL Africa 1:

    • Bantamweight: Nkosi Ndebele def. Mahmoud Atef via TKO (R1, 4:50)
    • Heavyweight: Maxwell Djantou Nana def. Mickaรซl Groguhe via unanimous decision (30-27 x3)
    • Bantamweight: Boule Godogo def. Shannon van Tonder via split decision (30-26, 28-29, 29-27)
    • Heavyweight: Justin Clarke def. Jashell Ticha Awa via TKO (corner stoppage) (R1, 5:00)
    • Bantamweight: Karim Henniene def. Asiashu Tshitamba via split decision (30-27, 28-29, 29-28)
    • Heavyweight: Joffie Houlton def. Abdoullah Kane via DQ (illegal strikes) (R1, 0:40)
    • Bantamweight: Simbarashe Hokonya def. Frans Mlambo via unanimous decision (30-26 x2, 30-25)
    • Heavyweight: Abraham Bably def. Paul-Emmanuel Gnaze via KO (R1, 4:59)
    • Women’s Strawweight Showcase: Juliet Ukah def. Ceileigh Niedermayr via unanimous decision (30-27 x3)

    Juliet Ukah vs. Ceileigh Niedermayr

    Paul-Emmanuel Gnaze vs. Abraham Bably

    Frans Mlambo vs. Simbarashe Hokonya

    Abdoullah Kane vs. Joffie Houlton

    Asiashu Tshitamba vs. Karim Henniene

    Jashell Ticha Awa vs. Justin Clarke

    Shannon van Tonder vs. Boule Godogo

    Maxwell Djantou Nana vs. Mickaรซl Groguhe

    Nkosi Ndebele vs. Mahmoud Atef

    Corey Anderson vs. Denis Goltsov

    Makkasharip Zaynukov vs. Takeshi Izumi

    A.J. McKee vs. Akhmed Magomedov

    Dakota Ditcheva vs. Sumiko Inaba

    Johnny Eblen vs. Costello Van Steenis

  • VIDEO: Costello van Steenis Opens PFL World Championship Card With Head-Kick KO In 48 Seconds

    VIDEO: Costello van Steenis Opens PFL World Championship Card With Head-Kick KO In 48 Seconds

    This year’s PFL World Championship began in violent fashion, with longtime Bellator contender Costello van Steenis landing a brutal knockout in the first round.

    10 title fights are set to go down today inside the King Saud University in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where both this year’s PFL Global and PFL MENA champions will be determined.

    Before gold is dished out, a series of showcase bouts are opening proceedings. And while the cancellation of Jesus Pinedo’s return dealt a blow to the lineup, a number of notable names are still featuring.

    That included van Steenis, who has figured in Bellator middleweight title contention ever since getting the better of Fabian Edwards back in 2020.

    He advanced his ambitions in a big way at the PFL World Championship, face-planting opponent Joao Dantas in just 48 seconds with a perfectly timed head kick.

    During his celebrations, “The Spaniard” called for a shot at PFL middleweight gold and also pitched a clash with the current Bellator 185-pound kingpin, Johnny Eblen.

    Van Steenis originally appeared in line for a shot at gold following a victory earlier this year. After having his charge toward the top stalled by Douglas Lima in 2023, the Dutch-born 32-year-old bounced back by submitting Gregory Babane in a clash branded a title eliminator this past May.

    For whatever reason, that classification was forgotten about and van Steenis was further made to earn a potential opportunity this week in the Middle East.

    Suffice to say, he did just that.