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Tag: PFL Pittsburgh

  • 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.

  • Impa Kasaganay Spoils Dalton Rosta Homecoming With First-Round KO

    Impa Kasaganay Spoils Dalton Rosta Homecoming With First-Round KO

    Dalton Rosta’s Pittsburgh homecoming ended in disaster, as Impa Kasaganay took his best shots and fired back with his own best. The former PFL champion pounded Rosta en route to a first-round victory in the PFL Pittsburgh co-main event.

    Rosta came out aggressively right from the gun, looking to lure Kasaganay into a brawl. Kasaganay stayed patient, landing a couple of strong combinations on Rosta, who adjusted to a tactical approach himself.

    Rosta appeared to land a strong shot on Kasaganay, and he looked to swing for power. But Kasaganay landed a powerful right-left combination that caught Rosta, faceplanting Rosta and scoring the stoppage win.

    Impa Kasaganay Knocks Out Dalton Rosta At PFL Pittsburgh

    Kasaganay won the 2023 PFL light heavyweight tournament and was a finalist in 2024, losing to Dovletdzhan Yagshimuradov. After falling to eventual 2025 Middleweight World Tournament champ Fabian Edwards, Kasaganay rebounded with a finish of Andrew Sanchez in August.

    Rosta made his PFL debut last year in the Middleweight World Tournament, reaching the final before getting knocked out by Edwards.

  • “The Hype Is Real” – Dakota Bush Lands One-Punch KO

    “The Hype Is Real” – Dakota Bush Lands One-Punch KO

    The power of Dakota Bush was on full display at PFL Pittsburgh, as he landed a big knockout of Robert Watley in under a minute.

    Just a few punches into the fight, Bush landed a low kick before landing a hook that hit right on the button, dropping Watley out in the middle of the cage.

    Dakota Bush Stops Robert Watley In Just Over 30 Seconds At PFL Pittsburgh

    Bush was making his PFL debut tonight. He has now won eight straight since departing the UFC in early 2022.

    This loss snaps a five-fight win streak for Watley. The former CFFC champion made his PFL debut in August, scoring a third-round finish of Mads Burnell.

  • “Delivering The Violence” – Josh Fremd Nails Brutal KO

    “Delivering The Violence” – Josh Fremd Nails Brutal KO

    The PFL Pittsburgh night is young, but Josh Fremd chose violence and made the crowd loud early, courtesy of a hard-hitting knockout of Jarrah Al-Silawi.

    Al-Silawi showed flashes of strength early on, particularly with his grappling. On the feet, however, Fremd was at a clear advantage with his striking.

    Fremd added in takedowns, scoring some decent ground-and-pound. While Al-Silawi looked to score a late submission, particularly with an armbar threat, Fremd escaped and continued to pound away from the top.

    Then, back on the feet, Silawi attempted to come forward — only for Fremd to land a brutal counterpunch that faceplanted Silawi out cold for the win.

    Josh Fremd Defeats Jarrah Al-Silawi With Jaw-Dropping KO At PFL Pittsburgh

  • 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)

  • PFL Pittsburgh Preview: Eblen Looks to Rebound Against Battle

    The Professional Fighters League makes its Pittsburgh debut this Saturday with a 12-bout card at the UPMC Events Center. The main card airs on ESPN2 at 10 p.m. ET, with the early card streaming on the ESPN App starting at 7 p.m. ET.

    Here’s a breakdown of the fights worth watching on the PFL Pittsburgh card.

    Johnny Eblen (16-1) vs. Bryan Battle (12-2, 1 NC) – Middleweight Main Event

    This is the most important fight on the card for the PFL middleweight division’s pecking order. Eblen, the former Bellator middleweight champion, hasn’t competed since losing his title to Costello Van Steenis via last-second rear-naked choke in Cape Town last July. That loss snapped a 16-fight winning streak that dated back to his 2017 pro debut.

    The timing is notable. Van Steenis just defended the middleweight title with a third-round knockout of Fabian Edwards at PFL Madrid last week, so a strong Eblen performance here could put him right back in the title picture.

    Battle brings a different kind of momentum. The Season 29 TUF winner was released by the UFC after consecutive weight misses despite going 7-1 in the Octagon. He signed with the PFL in September 2025, picked up two sub-60-second knockouts in Dirty Boxing Championship, and now steps into the SmartCage for the first time against the division’s top-ranked fighter.

    Battle’s finishing ability is real, with nine stoppages across his 12 wins. But Eblen’s pressure wrestling has historically neutralized dynamic strikers. The question is whether the Cape Town loss left a psychological mark or sharpened Eblen’s focus.

    Dalton Rosta (11-2) vs. Impa Kasanganay (19-6) – Middleweight Co-Main Event

    Rosta gets a homecoming fight in Pittsburgh after reaching the 2025 PFL Middleweight World Tournament Finals, where he lost to Edwards by third-round head kick knockout. This is also a gym war: Rosta trains at Kill Cliff FC, Kasanganay at American Top Team, two South Florida rivals separated by a short drive.

    Kasanganay, a former PFL light heavyweight champion, has been a fixture at the top of the PFL roster since its acquisition of Bellator. He’s fought Eblen (split decision loss) and Edwards (TKO loss) in recent years. This is a borderline must-win for both fighters if they want to stay in the title conversation at 185 pounds.

    Fights to Watch on the Undercard

    The lightweight matchup between two-time PFL champion Natan Schulte (25-5-1) and undefeated Jakub Kaszuba (15-0) is arguably the best fight outside the main card. Schulte hasn’t fought in the PFL SmartCage in three years and faces a real test in Kaszuba, the two-time PFL Europe lightweight champion riding a unanimous decision win over Sergio Cossio from last August.

    At women’s flyweight, Ariane Lipski da Silva (17-11) makes her PFL debut against Sumiko Inaba (8-2). Lipski, a 14-fight UFC veteran nicknamed “Queen of Violence,” owns 10 finishes across her 17 wins. Inaba went five rounds with undefeated Dakota Ditcheva last year and has never been stopped in her two career losses.

    Undefeated featherweight prospect Alexei Pergande (7-0) out of Kill Cliff FC takes on 10-fight UFC veteran Julio Arce (21-6), who enters riding a three-fight winning streak. Pergande is one of the PFL’s more intriguing young talents and could make a statement here.

    How to Watch PFL Pittsburgh

    PFL Pittsburgh airs Saturday, March 28 from the UPMC Events Center in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The main card starts at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN2 and ESPN Deportes. The early card begins at 7 p.m. ET on the ESPN App.

  • PFL Pittsburgh 2026: Full Fight Card for March 28

    PFL Pittsburgh 2026: Full Fight Card for March 28

    PFL Pittsburgh is set for Saturday, March 28, 2026 at UPMC Events Center in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and the full fight card is officially set.

    The main card airs live on ESPN2 starting at 10 p.m. ET, while the early card streams on the ESPN App beginning at 7 p.m. ET.

    Full PFL Pittsburgh Fight Card

    Main Card (ESPN2, 10 p.m. ET)

    • Middleweight: #1 Ante Eblen vs. #9 AC Battle
    • Middleweight: #5 Chris Rosta vs. #3 Farrukh Kasanganay
    • Women’s Flyweight: #10 Bianca Basilio Da Silva vs. #5 Randi Inaba
    • Featherweight: #9 Tyler Pergande vs. Jesus Arce
    • Bantamweight: #9 Yusuf Dayron vs. Clay Thrall

    Early Card (ESPN App, 7 p.m. ET)

    • Bantamweight: Lance Meredith vs. Declan Cartwright
    • Lightweight: #7 Lucas Schulte vs. #9 Mateusz Kaszuba
    • Lightweight: Earl Watley vs. Cameron Bush
    • Welterweight: Pedro Rodriguez vs. #7 Ryusei Kikuiri
    • Women’s Flyweight: Ekaterina Postarnakova vs. Larissa Dana
    • Middleweight: Cody Fremd vs. Fares Al-Selawe
    • Featherweight: Jimmy Goss vs. Renan Dupras

    Tickets for PFL Pittsburgh are available now at pfl.info/pittsburgh.

    PFL Pittsburgh: Main Card Preview

    The main event features a Middleweight (185 lbs) clash between #1 seed Ante Eblen and #9 seed AC Battle. Both fighters are American, making it an all-USA showdown at the top of the card.

    Also on the main card, #5 Chris Rosta takes on #3 Farrukh Kasanganay in another Middleweight bout. In the Women’s Flyweight division, #10 Bianca Basilio Da Silva of Brazil faces off against #5 seed Randi Inaba.

    The Featherweight division sees #9 Tyler Pergande square off against Jesus Arce, and the card closes with a Bantamweight bout between #9 Yusuf Dayron of Cuba and Clay Thrall.

    PFL Pittsburgh Main Card

    PFL Pittsburgh: Early Card Preview

    The early card opens with a Bantamweight matchup between Lance Meredith and England’s Declan Cartwright. In Lightweight action, #7 Lucas Schulte meets #9 Mateusz Kaszuba of Poland, followed by Earl Watley vs. Cameron Bush.

    The Welterweight division is represented by Pedro Rodriguez of Cuba taking on #7 seed Ryusei Kikuiri of Japan. The Women’s Flyweight division sees Ekaterina Postarnakova battle Larissa Dana of Brazil.

    Rounding out the preliminary card, Cody Fremd faces Fares Al-Selawe at Middleweight, and Jimmy Goss meets Renan Dupras of Canada in a Featherweight bout.

    PFL Pittsburgh Early Card
  • Johnny Eblen vs. Bryan Battle Set for PFL Pittsburgh on March 28

    Johnny Eblen vs. Bryan Battle Set for PFL Pittsburgh on March 28

    The Professional Fighters League returns to the United States for its first domestic event of 2026, as PFL Pittsburgh takes over the UPMC Events Center on March 28. The event marks the city’s first major MMA show in nearly a decade.

    Former Bellator middleweight champion Johnny Eblen (16-1) headlines against Bryan Battle (12-2, 1 NC) in a pivotal 185-pound clash. Eblen looks to rebound after losing his title in dramatic fashion in Cape Town, while Battle makes his highly anticipated PFL debut after signing as one of the most sought-after free agents in late 2025. The former Ultimate Fighter winner enters with momentum, having secured back-to-back first-round finishes in Dirty Boxing Championship.

    The co-main event features a hometown hero, as Pittsburgh native Dalton Rosta (11-2) returns to action following his run to the 2025 PFL World Tournament Finals. He faces former PFL champion Impa Kasanganay (19-6) in a matchup that pits two of South Florida’s top gyms against each other—Rosta’s Kill Cliff against Kasanganay’s American Top Team.

    “Bringing the PFL to Pittsburgh marks a major milestone for us,” said PFL CEO John Martin.

    The main card airs at 10:00 pm ET on ESPN2 and ESPN Deportes.

    PFL Pittsburgh Tickets

    Pre-sale tickets are available January 27 via Ticketmaster, with general sale beginning January 29.