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Tag: Johnny Eblen

  • Johnny Eblen Ragdolls Bryan Battle In Submission Win

    Johnny Eblen Ragdolls Bryan Battle In Submission Win

    Johnny Eblen has made a statement — he wants a shot to get the PFL middleweight title back from Costello Van Steenis. He made that statement emphatically with a one-sided victory over Bryan Battle in the main event of PFL Pittsburgh.

    Eblen landed an early takedown on Battle. Battle attempted to stand up, only to get brought back down slam style two more times by the former champ. Eblen continued this strategy, landing shots where he could, including a knee while standing and some ground-and-pound.

    Eblen, in fact, landed eight takedowns on Battle during a dominant first-round. Eblen then put a bow on the bout by getting to Battle’s back and locking up a rear-naked choke, scoring the first-round submission win.

    Johnny Eblen Dominates, Submits Bryan Battle At PFL Pittsburgh

    Eblen rebounds from his title run and undefeated record ending at the hands of Van Steenis with a literal last-minute submission at PFL Cape Town this past summer. Eblen was 16-0 prior to that loss and is a former Bellator middleweight champion.

    This was Battle’s first MMA bout since his release from the UFC due to weight issues. Battle’s last MMA bout prior to tonight was a split decision win over Randy Brown at UFC 310. The Ultimate Fighter season 29 winner fought in a pair of Dirty Boxing bouts last year following his UFC release.

  • PFL Pittsburgh Results: Eblen vs Battle Live Updates & Highlights

    PFL Pittsburgh Results: Eblen vs Battle Live Updates & Highlights

    PFL Madrid results and highlights are updated live as the action unfolds from the UPMC Events Center in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The main event will feature a middleweight bout between Johnny Eblen and Bryan Battle. MMANews has you covered with all the results and highlights!

    Johnny Eblen vs. Bryan Battle – Middleweight Main Event

    This marks Eblen’s first fight since losing to Costello Van Steenis in dramatic fashion in their PFL middleweight title clash at PFL Cape Town this past July.

    Prior to that loss, Eblen was 16-0 in professional MMA, defeating Gegard Mousasi for the Bellator middleweight title at Bellator 282. He defended the gold against Anatoly Tokov and Fabian Edwards (twice), as well as earning a win over Impa Kasaganagy at the PFL vs. Bellator event in February 2024.

    This will be Battle’s first MMA bout since joining the PFL following his UFC release due to several weight misses. Battle last fought in MMA at UFC 310, defeating Randy Brown via split decision to move to 12-2 (1 NC).

    Battle, the middleweight winner of The Ultimate Fighter season 29, fought in Dirty Boxing twice after his UFC release, earning sub-minute stoppages of Derik de Freitas and Nick Kohring.

    The PFL Pittsburgh co-main event will be another middleweight battle, featuring the aforementioned Impa Kasaganay and Dalton Rosta.

    Kasanagy won the PFL Light Heavyweight Tournament in 2023 but fell to Dovletdzhan Yagshimuradov in the 2024 final. Kasaganay then competed in the 2025 Middleweight World Tournament, getting finished by Edwards, the eventual tournament champion. Kasaganay last fought in August, scoring a last-minute finish of Andrew Sanchez.

    Rosta, entering this fight 11-2, also competed in the Middleweight World Tournament. He submitted Sabidou Sy and earned a split decision over Aaron Jeffrey before being knocked out by Edwards in the final.

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

    How to Watch PFL Pittsburgh

    • Date: Saturday, March 28, 2026
    • Venue: UPMC Events Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
    • Streaming: ESPN Unlimited (full card), ESPN2 (main card), ESPN+ (prelims)
    • Prelims: 7 PM ET / 4 PM PT
    • Main Card: 10 PM ET / 7 PM PT

    PFL Pittsburgh Quick Results

    • Main Event: Johnny Eblen vs. Bryan Battle — Johnny Eblen def. Bryan Battle via submission (rear-naked choke) (Rd. 1, 4:10)
    • Co-Main Event: Impa Kasaganay vs. Dalton Rosta — Impa Kasaganay def. Dalton Rosta via KO (Rd. 1, 3:18)
    • Ariane da Silva vs. Sumiko Inaba — Ariane da Silva def. Sumiko Inaba via unanimous decision (30-27 x2, 29-28)
    • Julio Arce vs. Alexei Pergande — Alexei Pergande def. Julio Arce via unanimous decision (29-28 x3)
    • Lazaro Dayron vs. Jacob Thrall — Lazaro Dayron def. Jacob Thrall via unanimous decision (30-27 x2, 29-28)

    PFL Pittsburgh Results & Highlights

    Preliminary Card (ESPN+, 7 PM ET)

    Featherweight: Ethan Goss vs. Frederik Dupras

    Result: Frederik Dupras def. Ethan Goss via technical submission (guillotine choke) (Rd. 1, 2:46)

    Welterweight: Josh Fremd vs. Jarrah Al-Silawi

    Result: Josh Fremd def. Jarrah Al-Silawi via KO (Rd. 3, 3:57)

    Women’s Flyweight: Tatiana Postarnakova vs. Elora Dana

    Result: Tatiana Postarnakova def. Elora Dana via unanimous decision (30-27 x3)

    Welterweight: Ernesto Rodriguez vs. Masayuki Kikuiri

    Result: Ernesto Rodriguez def. Masayuki Kikiuri via majority decision (28-28, 29-28 x2)

    Lightweight: Robert Watley vs. Dakota Bush

    Result: Dakota Bush def. Robert Watley via KO (Rd. 1, 0:34)

    Lightweight: Natan Schulte vs. Jakub Kaszuba

    Result: Jakub Kaszuba def. Natan Schulte via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28 x2)

    Catchweight (140 lbs): Allan Begosso vs. Jack Cartwright

    Result: Jack Cartwright def. Allan Begosso via split decision (29-28 x2, 27-29)

    Main Card (ESPN2, 10 PM ET)

    Bantamweight: Lazaro Dayron vs. Jacob Thrall

    Result: Lazaro Dayron def. Jacob Thrall via unanimous decision (30-27 x2, 29-28)

    Featherweight: Julio Arce vs. Alexei Pergande

    Result: Alexei Pergande def. Julio Arce via unanimous decision (29-28 x3)

    Women’s Flyweight: Ariane da Silva vs. Sumiko Inaba

    Result: Ariane da Silva def. Sumiko Inaba via unanimous decision (30-27 x2, 29-28)

    Middleweight: Impa Kasaganay vs. Dalton Rosta

    Result: Impa Kasaganay def. Dalton Rosta via KO (Rd. 1, 3:18)

    Middleweight: Johnny Eblen vs. Bryan Battle

    Result: Johnny Eblen def. Bryan Battle via submission (rear-naked choke) (Rd. 1, 4:10)

  • “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 João 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 João 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. Mickaël 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. Mickaël 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

  • Johnny Eblen Frustrated PFL Still Hasn’t Scheduled His Next Fight

    Johnny Eblen has taken to social media to voice his frustration about not having a fight booked. Eblen entered the year as the Bellator middleweight champion, but the longtime brand has since been scrapped by the PFL.

    Eblen’s most recent fight came last October at PFL Super Fights: Battle of the Giants, where the American beat Edwards in a rematch.

    He wrote on X this week, “Wish I had a fight scheduled 😐.”

    In the meantime, the Professional Fighters League (PFL) has been unveiling the rosters for its inaugural World Tournament, which will be replacing the season and playoff format.

    Eblen won’t feature in the middleweight bracket, which includes the likes of former Bellator middleweight title challengers Fabian Edwards and Aaron Jeffery, both bringing considerable high-level experience to the tournament.

    Adding a layer of excitement, Impa Kasanganay, the 2023 PFL light heavyweight champion, will move down a weight class to compete at 185 pounds. The tournament will also feature former Bellator middleweight contenders Dalton Rosta and Mike Shipman, as well as former ONE Championship standout Murad Ramazanov, ensuring a highly competitive field.

  • Gilbert Burns Names Three Bellator Fighters Who Can Give UFC Champs A Run For Their Money

    Gilbert Burns Names Three Bellator Fighters Who Can Give UFC Champs A Run For Their Money

    UFC welterweight contender Gilbert Burns is looking forward to the UFC signing three Bellator fighters to its roster. The Brazilian believes these fighters not only boast considerable star power, but also have the potential to defeat many top contenders and even the champions of their respective divisions.

    Burns is currently on a three-fight losing skid and he’ll return at UFC 314 in Miami, Florida, to face undefeated prospect Michael Morales on April 12, 2025. The former UFC title challenger is on the longest losing streak of his career, making this matchup really important for his title aspirations and future in the promotion.

    As of now, “Durinho” is ranked 8th in the division and he definitely can’t afford losing to the no. 12 ranked prospect in Morales.

    In a recent episode of Show Me The Money, Burns appeared alongside popular UFC lightweight Renato Moicano to discuss UFC 312 and all things MMA. While talking about potential signings for the UFC, Burns named three fighters who are yet to fight for the promotion but have all the tools to make it big there.

    “That’s one guy that I really want to see in the UFC is freaking Patchy Mix. That guy is so good, so good, and I hope they release him because they don’t give him a fight. It’s two guys that I think—so many guys from Bellator, but I’ll say my three favorite guys to be in the UFC now from Bellator is Johnny Eblen. That’s the number one. That guy, he could go head-to-head with Dricus Du Plessis.”

    He further added:

    “That’s one thing, I think he’s a top five for sure. I don’t know if he is gonna beat DDP. I think he can, I think he can, but we got to see, you know? That’s one thing. So, Johnny Eblen should be in the UFC. Patchy Mix, 100%, should be in the UFC. And I think Patricio Pitbull, you know, he can—I don’t know if he’s going to make that run now, but yeah, I wanna see Pitbull in the UFC. Those are my three guys outside of the UFC with the whole Bellator-PFL history. Those three guys I want to see so much in the UFC right now, especially Patchy Mix and Johnny Eblen. Those guys are in their prime and I think it’ll be a couple of great fights.”

    While Patricio “Pitbull” Freire is 37 and arguably in the latter half of his career, both Patchy Mix (31) and Johnny Eblen (33) are very well in their physical primes. Mix boasts an impressive 20-1 record as a bantamweight and Eblen is an undefeated middleweight. This explains why Burns, alongside many in the MMA community, is excited to see how these fighters perform in the UFC.

    Considering that the PFL brand is struggling amidst its acquisition of Bellator, many of its fighters want to be relieved of their contracts. It is undoubtedly a good time for the UFC to sign these stars and give its champions a run for their money. As for fans, they simply want to see the best fight the best, regardless of promotions.

  • Sean Strickland Asks PFL To Release Undefeated Champion For UFC Move

    Sean Strickland Asks PFL To Release Undefeated Champion For UFC Move

    Former UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland is pushing for one of his top teammates to be competing under the same banner as him soon enough.

    Strickland is currently gearing up for his first assignment of the new year — a chance at redemption opposite current 185-pound kingpin Dricus Du Plessis in the main event of UFC 312 on Feb. 8.

    In the lead-up to his rematch with the South African in Sydney, Australia, Strickland hasn’t been short on top-tier training partners over at Xtreme Couture. And one of his most prominent teammates is Bellator Middleweight Champion Johnny Eblen.

    Eblen is 16-0 as a professional and has held Bellator gold since a dominant decision victory to dethrone Gegard Mousasi in 2022. He’s since defended the title three times, twice against Fabian Edwards, and defeated Impa Kasanganay to win a “PFL vs. Bellator Champion of Champions” Super Belt.

    The 33-year-old’s future is somewhat uncertain after the PFL announced the end of the Bellator brand. While the promotion will no doubt be keen to have Eblen front and center as it enters a new era, Strickland hopes his teammate’s future lies in the Octagon.

    He showed as much in a recent post on his Instagram Stories, which saw him ask the PFL to release “Johnny Pressure” in order to facilitate a move to the UFC.

    Sean Strickland & Johnny Eblen

    The PFL has been dealing with many unhappy Bellator titleholders in recent times, with both Patricio Pitbull and Patchy Mix publicly requesting their releases after not receiving their desired level of activity in 2024.

    Eblen, meanwhile, has remained relatively tight-lipped about his feelings toward the PFL — though he did express some confusion over his status as a Bellator champ following the elimination of the brand this year.

  • Bellator Champion On Being Blindsided By PFL Scrapping The Brand: ‘Still Haven’t Heard A Thing’

    Bellator Champion On Being Blindsided By PFL Scrapping The Brand: ‘Still Haven’t Heard A Thing’

    It isn’t currently known what will happen to the current Bellator champions after Ariel Helwani stated that the promotion is “dead” from here on out. The Bellator Champions Series, which was established by the PFL in 2024, suffered from some major issues which as a result, has led some of the top fighters on the roster voicing their criticisms of the way that they have been treated since their contracts were acquired by the PFL in 2023.

    These events are set to be replaced by the PFL Champions Series which will introduce new PFL titles instead of having the belts up for grabs in the regular season format as has been the case in previous years. It now appears that the final fight that still has the Bellator name attached to it will be on January 25 where Usman Nurmagomedov defends the Bellator lightweight title against Paul Hughes in Dubai.

    One of the current champions of the promotion that is set to be fazed out of the PFL brand spoke out on social media following this news. Corey Anderson claimed that rather than being contacted by someone from the PFL, he found out that the brand which he is the light heavyweight champion of will cease to exist via his wife.

    “Imagine being the champion of an organization chilling on the couch and your wife walks in and tells you “did you see this? Bellator is dead now?”… and all you can do is shrug your shoulders in confusion…. CUZ you still haven’t heard a thing. Lol Yeaaaah, that was me.”

    Anderson has been particularly vocal in recent times due to the booking and subsequent cancelation of his matchup with Vadim Nemkov which was booked for the first “Road to Dubai” event on January 25. Bellator middleweight champion Johnny Eblen also took to social media to raise the question of what this news means for his current status.

  • Undefeated Bellator Champion Calls Jake Paul Out For MMA Fight With ‘Modified Rules’

    Undefeated Bellator Champion Calls Jake Paul Out For MMA Fight With ‘Modified Rules’

    It isn’t yet known who Jake Paul will face in his combat sports return following his huge contest with Mike Tyson last month. Given that he’s coming off of a record breaking event, it appears that all bets are off for “The Problem Child” in terms of the opponents that he is capable of drawing in.

    Though he has signed to the PFL, there hasn’t been any news in some time regarding Paul’s MMA debut but there has been one name that has been mentioned time and time again. In August last year, he defeated Nate Diaz in a boxing match and has since been trying to get the former UFC fighter to face him in a rematch that would take place in MMA.

    Diaz hasn’t showed any interest in doing that because he would prefer to do it in boxing and he doesn’t want to fight in the PFL after being a big part of the UFC for so long. Paul once again called Diaz out at a recent press conference.

    “It’s funny that Nate Diaz is actually scared to fight me in MMA, actually. The biggest payday of his life would be me and him in MMA. Yeah, so I’m ready.”

    Underneath the clip posted by MMA Fighting on Instagram, one of the top names on the PFL roster called for a modified rules fight with Paul seeing that he can’t get Diaz to step in there with him. Bellator middleweight champion Johnny Eblen has won back-to-back fights this year, improving his overall record to 16-0.

    In October, he defeated Fabian Edwards for a second time at Battle of the Giants to successfully defend the 185-pound title for a third time. As seen in this rematch, Eblen’s greatest strength is his wrestling but clearly he would be open to meeting Paul in the middle in terms of the ruleset if that’s something he would be interested in.

  • PFL: Battle Of The Giants Results & Highlights: Francis Ngannou Batters Renan Ferreira

    PFL: Battle Of The Giants Results & Highlights: Francis Ngannou Batters Renan Ferreira

    PFL Battle of the Giants: Francis Ngannou vs. Renan Ferreira took place on pay-per-view Saturday, and MMA News has you covered with all the action!

    The Professional Fighters League hosted its second PPV of the year at The Mayadeen in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where the main attraction saw former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou make his long-awaited return to mixed martial arts.

    Having not competed in the cage since a victory over Ciryl Gane in January 2022 — completing a pair of boxing matches opposite Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua in the period since — “The Predator” made an emphatic MMA comeback at the expense of last year’s PFL heavyweight title winner Renan Ferreira, whom he pummeled inside one round.

    Setting the stage for the headliners was another Super Fights championship clash, with reigning Bellator featherweight queen Cris Cyborg debuting in the SmartCage opposite the PFL’s first two-weight champion, Larissa Pacheco. The 39-year-old legend continued to make history, capturing gold in a fifth major promotion by outpointing her fellow countrywoman.

    Elsewhere, Bellator gold was on the line in the Middle East when middleweight champ Johnny Eblen ran it back with Fabian Edwards and the stakes were high when the massively touted Paul Hughes got a step up in competition against AJ McKee.

    With the event concluded, see below for the full results, followed by all the highlights!

    PFL Battle Of The Giants: Ngannou vs. Ferreira Results & Highlights

    Main Card:

    • Heavyweight Superfight Championship: Francis Ngannou def. Renan Ferreira via KO (ground punches): R1, 3:32
    • Women’s Featherweight Superfight Championship: Cris Cyborg def. Larissa Pacheco via unanimous decision (49-46, 49-46, 49-46)
    • Bellator Middleweight Championship: Johnny Eblen def. Fabian Edwards via unanimous decision (48-47, 48-47, 48-47)
    • Featherweight: Zafar Mohsen def. Husein Kadimagomaev via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
    • Lightweight: Paul Hughes def. AJ McKee via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)

    Preliminary Card:

    • Bantamweight: Raufeon Stots def. Marcos Breno via submission (rear-naked choke): R3: 3:01
    • Lightweight: Makkasharip Zaynukov def. Dedrek Sanders via unanimous decision (30-26, 30-26, 30-26)
    • Featherweight: Ibragim Ibragimov def. Nacho Campos via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
    • Featherweight: Taha Bendaoud def. Tariq Ismail via submission (triangle choke): R2, 3:51

    Taha Bendaoud Def. Tariq Ismail

    Ibragim Ibragimov Def. Nacho Campos

    Makkasharip Zaynukov Def. Dedrek Sanders

    Raufeon Stots Def. Marcos Breno

    Paul Hughes Def. AJ McKee

    Zafar Mohsen Def. Husein Kadimagomaev

    Johnny Eblen Def. Fabian Edwards

    Cris Cyborg Def. Larissa Pacheco

    Francis Ngannou Def. Renan Ferreira

  • ‘Belal’d Leon Edwards’ Brother’ – Fans React As Johnny Eblen Retains Bellator Title At PFL Super Fights Event

    ‘Belal’d Leon Edwards’ Brother’ – Fans React As Johnny Eblen Retains Bellator Title At PFL Super Fights Event

    Johnny Eblen retained the Bellator middleweight title at PFL‘s Battle Of The Giants pay-per-view by beating Fabian Edwards via unanimous decision.

    The champion was largely dominant throughout the first four rounds, consistently landing his takedowns without landing too much significant damage.

    Edwards tried to turn the tide in the fifth frame, which was by far his best of the fight as he kept the fight standing and put the pressure on the American, Unfortunately for him, it was too little, too late.

    Eblen got the stoppage the first time they met in Dublin, and though he was unable to put Edwards away the second time around, the result wasn’t in doubt at the end of the five rounds in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

    MMA Fans React To A Slow, Grueling Bellator Middleweight Title Rematch

    MMA fans reacted on social media to the Eblen vs. Edwards rematch that took place as the first of three title fights on the PFL’s second PPV event of the year.

    Many were critical of Eblen’s performance despite his dominant victory to retain the title. Others compared it to the manner in which Fabian’s brother, UFC star Leon Edwards, was dethroned by Belal Muhammad in Manchester this past July.

    https://twitter.com/Percy2mac/status/1847760654934909437
  • PFL Battle Of The Giants: Francis Ngannou vs. Renan Ferreira Weigh-In Results

    PFL Battle Of The Giants: Francis Ngannou vs. Renan Ferreira Weigh-In Results

    The PFL‘s “Battle of the Giants” pay-per-view takes place on Saturday, and MMA News is here to bring you the official weigh-in results!

    Headlining in the Middle East will be former UFC champion Francis Ngannou, who returns to the cage following a memorable two-fight stint in the boxing realm. For his first taste of MMA action since departing the UFC at the start of 2023, “The Predator” will battle Renan Ferreira for the PFL’s superfight heavyweight title.

    The same stakes will also exist in the co-headliner as legend Cris Cyborg battles the PFL’s first two-weight title winner Larissa Pacheco for the featherweight belt, while Bellator gold will be on the line beforehand when Johnny Eblen and Fabian Edwards run it back.

    Elsewhere, AJ McKee looks to stall the charge of Paul Hughes and the likes of Raufeon Stots and Ibragim Ibragimov hope to make the most of their positions on the major PPV card.

    PFL Battle Of The Giants: Ngannou vs. Ferreira Weigh-In Results

    The PFL’s “Battle of the Giants” event takes place on Saturday, October 19, at The Mayadeen in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The main card begins at 4 p.m. ET/1 p.m. PT, with the preliminary card starting at 1 p.m. ET/10 a.m. PT.

    With that said, check out the full weigh-in results below!

    Main Card:

    • Heavyweight Superfight Championship: Francis Ngannou (256.8lbs) vs. Renan Ferreira (261.5lbs)
    • Women’s Featherweight Superfight Championship: Cris Cyborg (144.5lbs) vs. Larissa Pacheco (144.1lbs)
    • Bellator Middleweight Championship: Johnny Eblen (184.7lbs) vs. Fabian Edwards (184.9lbs)
    • Featherweight: Husein Kadimagomaev (146lbs) vs. Zafar Mohsen (145.8lbs)
    • Lightweight: AJ McKee (155.8lbs) vs. Paul Hughes (155.8lbs)

    Preliminary Card:

    • Bantamweight: Raufeon Stots (135.8lbs) vs. Marcos Breno (136lbs)
    • Lightweight: Makkasharip Zaynukov (153.6lbs) vs. Dedrek Sanders (154.9lbs)
    • Featherweight: Ibragim Ibragimov (145.5lbs) vs. Nacho Campos (145.9lbs)
    • Featherweight: Tariq Ismail (145.1lbs) vs. Taha Bendaoud (145.5lbs)
  • Sean Strickland To Train With Bellator Champion For Dricus Du Plessis Rematch

    Sean Strickland To Train With Bellator Champion For Dricus Du Plessis Rematch

    It is all but official that Sean Strickland will be fighting Dricus Du Plessis for the UFC middleweight championship next. When they last fought in January 2024, DDP won a razor-close split decision to become the new champion.

    Strickland returned in June 2024 to win yet another split decision, this time against Paulo Costa which he believed to be enough for another title shot. Du Plessis, on the other hand, defended the title against Israel Adesanya at UFC 305, becoming the first fighter to submit “The Last Stylebender.”

    To ensure Strickland doesn’t lose the rematch, Eric Nicksick will rely on a Bellator champion who brings out the best in his fighter…

    Sean Strickland’s Coach Trusts Johhny Eblen With Emulating Dricus Du Plessis’ Style In Training

    Nicksick recently appeared on the MMAFightingonSBN YouTube channel to discuss his fighters like Francis Ngannou, Strickland, and Daniel Zellhuber. When asked about the former UFC middleweight champion, he admitted that a better game plan could’ve helped him beat “Stillknocks”.

    The coach then brought up Johnny Eblen, the reigning Bellator middleweight champion. The undefeated American fighter has defended the belt three times and will rematch Fabian Edwards in the upcoming Saudi Arabia card. After healing up from the fight, Nicksick expects Eblen to join Strickland in training for DDP.

    “I’m bringing in Johnny Eblen, for sure. Like, I brought Johhny in, we brought Johnny in for, well, we bring him in all the time but Johnny will fight on the Saudi card so once he gets healed up and ready to come, we’ll have him out here. Johnny brings the best out of Sean, and in styles, I think Johnny can emulate so many different styles for us. He’s another guy I consider a teammate although he’s a, you know, ATT champion. We cross train quite a bit so I’m gonna lean heavy on Johnny Eblen this camp.”

    The coach credited Du Plessis for having an unorthodox yet effective fighting style. Although it is hard to copy such a fighter, he believes Eblen to be the best at it. Despite being an American Top Team fighter, he regularly cross-trains at Xtreme Couture.

    On top of having the best training partners possible, Nicksick wants to rectify a bunch of errors this time around. He highlighted Strickland’s high dependency on his jab and believes adding more tools to his fighter’s arsenal could be worthwhile.

  • Jorge Masvidal Touts Bellator Star As A ‘Future UFC Champion’: ‘He’s On Another Level Right Now’

    Jorge Masvidal Touts Bellator Star As A ‘Future UFC Champion’: ‘He’s On Another Level Right Now’

    Jorge Masvidal recently lauded a Bellator champion, declaring that he envisions this fighter as a future titleholder in the UFC.

    The individual in question is none other than Masvidal’s teammate at American Top Team (ATT), reigning Bellator middleweight champion Johnny Eblen.

    Eblen launched his professional MMA career under the Shamrock FC banner in July 2017, quickly rising through the ranks. After just four fights, he caught the attention of Bellator MMA, making his promotional debut in March 2019, securing a commanding decision victory over Chauncey Foxworth.

    Eblen extended his undefeated streak by dethroning Gegard Mousasi at Bellator 282 in July 2022, capturing the middleweight title in the process. The 32-year-old native is coming off a split decision victory over 2023 PFL heavyweight champion Impa Kasanganay at the highly anticipated PFL vs. Bellator event this past February.

    “Gamebred” sees immense potential in Eblen and confidently predicts that he is destined for an even greater future in the sport…

    Masvidal Claims Eblen Shines Brighter Than Other Training Partners At ATT

    During a recent interview with MMA Junkie, Masvidal was asked about the fighter who has challenged him the most during training sessions at ATT, as he charts his own MMA comeback. The former BMF titleholder acknowledged that while all his training partners are high-level competitors, Eblen stands out as someone who appears to be in a league of his own.

    “Gamebred” expressed his belief that Eblen could eventually make his way to the UFC and has the potential to become a champion in the world’s premier MMA promotion.

    “Everybody I shake hands with and train with, they’re all pushing me; they’re all freaking pushing me, man. But I got in some good quality rounds with Johnny,” Masvidal said. “Johnny’s getting ready to scrap, and f**k, he’s like on another level right now; he’s hitting the gas pedal very hard. He’s a real nightmare right now at the gym for everybody he’s going with. I’m never gonna name anyone, but there are a lot of guys Johnny’s going in there with, man, and he’s putting in good work. I think this guy’s going to be a future UFC champion.”

    Eblen is preparing to defend his title in a rematch against former rival Fabian Edwards on the main card of PFL Super Fights: Battle of the Giants, scheduled for October 19 at The Mayadeen in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Eblen boasts an impressive undefeated record of 15-0, with six of those victories achieved through submissions.

  • Johnny Eblen vs. Fabian Edwards 2 Rescheduled For PFL’s Battle Of The Giants

    Johnny Eblen vs. Fabian Edwards 2 Rescheduled For PFL’s Battle Of The Giants

    A huge rematch in Bellator’s middleweight division has been announced as the latest addition to the PFL’s Battle Of The Giants event on October 19.

    185-pound champion Johnny Eblen was set to defend his title for a third time in a rematch with Fabian Edwards in London this past weekend.

    Unfortunately, the bout fell off the card with no reason being given, meaning that the latest instalment of the Bellator Champions Series went down without a title fight headliner.

    The two men previously met back at Bellator 299 in September last year where Eblen retained the gold via a third round stoppage in Dublin, Ireland.

    A win over Aaron Jeffery put Edwards back in the title picture for another chance to bring the Bellator belt back to Birmingham, England.

    Eblen, on the other hand, remained undefeated in a tough fight with Impa Kasanganay earlier this year at the PFL vs. Bellator event in February.

    As per the official press release, the fight will now take place at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh on the same night as Francis Ngannou’s long awaited return to MMA.

    He takes on PFL’s 2023 heavyweight champion Renan Ferreira with Cris Cyborg and Larissa Pacheco serving as the co-main event for the debut of the PFL’s PPV Super Fights division.

    Also announced for the card is Bellator star A.J. McKee, who takes on one of the PFL’s most exciting additions in recent times, Irish prospect Paul Hughes who will be facing his toughest test to date.

    Read also: Brendan Schaub On UFC Show At ‘Rainforest Cafe’ Sphere: ‘Looks Great But The Product Is Sh*t’

  • Bellator Champions Series London Loses Johnny Eblen vs. Fabian Edwards On Late Notice, New Main Event Confirmed

    Bellator Champions Series London Loses Johnny Eblen vs. Fabian Edwards On Late Notice, New Main Event Confirmed

    The return of the Bellator brand to England’s capital has taken a major blow less than two weeks out.

    After the Professional Fighters League (PFL) acquired Bellator MMA and announced the Bellator Champions Series, founder Donn Davis outlined plans for two titles to be on the line at each of the eight events.

    While that promise came through for event one in Belfast, the subsequent cards in Paris and Dublin saw just one piece of gold at stake. And although that trend continues in San Diego this week, London has now lost its one and only championship clash.

    Following a lightweight title showdown between Usman Nurmagomedov and Alexandr Shabliy on US soil this coming Saturday, the Bellator Champions Series will cross the pond to stage its fifth event of the year inside London’s OVO Arena Wembley.

    But just days out, fans planning to attend have received some disastrous news…

    Eblen vs. Edwards Postponed, McCourt Headlines Championshipless Champions Series Card

    Topping the lineup on Sept. 14 was scheduled to be middleweight kingpin Johnny Eblen and England’s own Fabian Edwards, with the latter slated to challenge for “The Human Cheat Code’s” title for the second time in as many years.

    On Tuesday, however, a post on the Bellator MMA social media accounts announced that the pair’s main event has been scrapped from the card and will be rescheduled for a later date. The reason for the cancellation is unclear as of this writing.

    With insufficient time to book a replacement bout with similar stakes and name value, the original women’s featherweight co-main event between Leah McCourt and Sara Collins has been elevated to the headline spotlight.

    That news was met with frustration from plenty of UK fans, some of whom took to the comment sections on X and Instagram to enquire about possible refunds.

    Below the promoted main event matchup, notable UK names like former PFL Europe standout Simeon Powell, ex-UFC contender Marc Diakiese, and highly touted American Archie Colgan are all set to be in action.

  • Report: Gegard Mousasi vs. Johnny Eblen In The Works For June

    A Bellator middleweight title fight between champion Gegard Mousasi and top contender Johnny Eblen is in the works for June.

    News of the targeted bout was first reported by MMA journalist Ariel Helwani.

    Mousasi had teased a potential move to light heavyweight by the end of 2022, but that plan appears to be on hold at the moment. He is coming off one of the most dominant wins of his career over Austin Vanderford at Bellator 275 in a quick TKO victory.

    Mousasi earned the belt by defeating Douglas Lima for the then-vacant title at Bellator 250. He went on to successfully defend it against John Salter and most recently against Vanderford.

    Mousasi also had a brief title reign by defeating Rory MacDonald at Bellator 206 in a second-round ground-and-pound barrage.

    Mousasi will face a tough test in Eblen, who has been on a roll and is undefeated in his MMA career. The former NCAA wrestling standout and American Top Team trainee most recently earned lopsided wins over Salter and Collin Huckbody.

    Eblen made his Bellator debut back at Bellator 218 following his full-time transition to MMA. He has also earned wins over Taylor Johnson and Mauricio Alonso on the way to the title shot.

    As Helwani reported, the Mousasi vs. Eblen matchup is tentatively in the works for sometime in June. The venue and exact date regarding the planned fight could be announced within the coming weeks.

    What is your prediction for the rumored Gegard Mousasi vs. Johnny Eblen fight?

  • EXCLUSIVE | ATT Fighter Johnny Eblen Talks Masvidal/Covington Beef

    Bellator middleweight and American Top Team fighter Johnny Eblen gave MMA News the inside scoop regarding Jorge Masvidal and Colby Covington.

    Eblen is set to face former Bellator title challenger John Salter at Bellator 276 next weekend. He’s spent plenty of time around Covington and Masvidal at ATT and knows their story from the inside out.

    Masvidal and Covington will square off in the UFC 272 headliner this weekend. It is one of the most highly-anticipated fights in recent memory and one of the biggest non-title grudge matches in UFC history.

    Eblen was a teammate of Covington before Covington’s split from the gym. He continues to work with Masvidal at ATT as one of his main sparring partners.

    During an exclusive interview with MMA News, Eblen gave his thoughts on the matchup between Covington and Masvidal.

    “I think Jorge is going to put it on the motherf**ker, to be honest,” Eblen said of Masvidal. “I sparred a lot with that dude this camp, he’s on point and I can’t wait to watch him break his jaw. And I can’t wait to watch it on national television.”

    Johnny Eblen Explains The Difference Between Jorge Masvidal And Colby Covington

    Eblen went on to detail his personal experience with Covington at ATT and why he’s glad he’s still a teammate of Masvidal.

    “When I kinda came into the gym, he was just transitioning into that whole gimmick thing, and he was kinda doing it at the gym as well,” Eblen said of Covington. “I never really got close to him, never really trained with him too much. There were some instances where I trained with him, but outside of that didn’t get close to him. I don’t know, he just seems like a clown to me now. I’m definitely on the side of Jorge. Jorge is my homie and I’ve been training with that dude since I’ve been at the gym and I kind of gravitated closer to him instead of Colby, and I’m glad I did.”

    While Covington and Masvidal have had their fair share of verbal banter leading up to the fight, Eblen says their intentions are completely different.

    “He’s more respectful to people,” Eblen said of Masvidal. “He doesn’t talk s**t to talk s**t. When he’s talking s**t, there’s a reason for it. You’re on his bad side. Colby’s talking s**t to get likes and to be relevant. He was calling out teammates and s**t, which is a big no-no. Causing tension at the gym that wasn’t supposed to be there.”

    The storyline of Masvidal and Covington’s friendship and time together at ATT has been well documented. Eblen and the rest of ATT don’t plan on burying the hatchet with Covington anytime soon, regardless of what happens at UFC 272.

    What are your thoughts on our Johnny Eblen interview about Jorge Masvidal and Colby Covington?