Johnny Eblen is convinced that his decisive victory over Bryan Battle positions him as the next rightful contender for the PFL middleweight championship. His prior loss to the current 185-pound titleholder, Costello Van Steenis, was widely considered one of 2025’s biggest upsets, making a rematch highly anticipated, especially given Eblen appeared to dominate much of that initial bout before the finish.
At PFL Pittsburgh, not only did Eblen secure a first-round submission against Bryan Battle on March 28th, but Impa Kasanganay also defeated Dalton Rosta in a match that could similarly influence the next title challenger. When asked before his fight with Battle why he deserved the next shot at Van Steenis’s crown, particularly after the champion’s strong defense against Fabian Edwards, Eblen asserted:
“I believe I’ve beaten the challenger twice. I was leading against the current champion for almost the entire fight before losing in the final moments. Both Dalton Rosta and Impa Kasanganay have lost to an opponent I’ve defeated twice. Therefore, I clearly see myself as the next in line for the title shot. I feel I am well-deserving of this opportunity after my recent performance.”
Johnny Eblen Seeks Vengeance, Title Reclamation, and Multiple Defenses
While not explicitly making excuses, Johnny Eblen has previously alluded to the full circumstances surrounding his first fight with Costello Van Steenis. The former Bellator MMA champion mentioned sustaining an injury during his training camp, which perhaps should have led to him withdrawing from the PFL Africa 1 event in Cape Town.
When questioned if a rematch with Van Steenis, with Eblen fully prepared and optimized, would provide a sense of closure, he responded:
“Yes, and I chose to fight, so no excuses. It’s true that I’ve had previous camps with injuries where I still competed and won. Things are rarely perfect, but I think that situation was a confluence of factors. I was traveling to South Africa, my entire corner couldn’t accompany me because they were cornering Dustin Poirier that same weekend, and I also dealt with a camp injury. It felt like a lot to manage.
So yes, I believe getting a rematch with a complete training camp, ideally without so many simultaneous challenges, would allow me to get my revenge. Ultimately, regardless of who holds the title, my main objective is to reclaim that championship and defend it as many times as possible.”