Former Bellator middleweight champion Johnny Eblen will face UFC veteran Bryan Battle in the main event of the PFL card in Pittsburgh on March 28, marking Eblen’s return after a previous defeat, while the co-main event features Dalton Rosta against Impa Kasanganay.
Former Bellator middleweight champ Johnny Eblen is itching to get back in the cage. He’s set to face UFC vet Bryan Battle in the main event of the upcoming PFL card in Pittsburgh on March 28. Exciting stuff, right?
PFL dropped the news on Tuesday. The event’s happening at UPMC Events Center, and you can catch it live on ESPN2 or stream it on ESPN Unlimited. Tickets? They’re up for grabs starting Jan. 29.
This fight marks Eblen’s comeback after a stunning upset loss to Costello van Steenis last July. That defeat dashed his hopes of becoming the first undisputed PFL middleweight champ. Van Steenis submitted him with just seven seconds left. Ouch.
Eblen, an American Top Team fighter, is eyeing a win to jump back into the 185-pound title race. Meanwhile, Battle is making his PFL debut. He had a solid 7-1 run in the UFC post-The Ultimate Fighter but missed weight thrice, leading to his release.
After leaving the UFC, Battle signed with Dirty Boxing, where he snagged two knockout wins. Now, he’s ready to kickstart his PFL journey against Eblen in March. Quite the matchup, huh?
In the co-main event, Dalton Rosta, fresh off the PFL tournament finals, is taking on former champ Impa Kasanganay in a middleweight clash. Rosta, another American Top Team product, lost to Fabian Edwards in the finals but boasts an impressive 11-1 record.
Kasanganay, a UFC vet, shined in the PFL with a season-winning performance at light heavyweight in 2023. After a close loss to Eblen in early 2024, he bounced back with three wins before falling in the tournament finals.
He suffered another loss but rebounded with a victory over UFC vet Andrew Sanchez. This card marks PFL’s debut in Pittsburgh, following international events in Dubai and Spain. Exciting times ahead!