Costello Van Steenis Retains PFL Middleweight World Title at Historic PFL Madrid

PFL Madrid culminated in a triumphant night for Costello van Steenis (18-3), who successfully defended his PFL Middleweight World Title in his home country. This historic victory cemented his place as the inaugural main event victor in Spain's first major MMA spectacle.

In a challenging back-and-forth contest, "The Spaniard" Van Steenis secured his second victory over Fabian Edwards (16-5). The decisive moment arrived in the third round when Edwards attempted a takedown, inadvertently placing himself in a vulnerable position against the fence. Costello capitalized, raining down elbows on Edwards until he was rendered unconscious.

The Co-Main Event saw AJ "Mercenary" McKee (24-2) deliver a dominant and well-rounded performance, reaffirming his status as one of the world's elite featherweights. He earned a unanimous decision victory against Ádám "The Kid" Borics (20-4), positioning himself strongly for a shot at the 145 lb championship.

Franco "El Rey de la Calle" Tenaglia (6-2) emerged victorious over French opponent Yassin "The Scientist" Najid (9-6) at the Palacio Vistalegre. The bout concluded at the end of round two due to a doctor's stoppage after Najid dislocated his shoulder while bracing against Tenaglia's takedown attempt. The former BKFC Champion, an Argentine, quickly became a crowd favorite among the Spanish fans in his impressive PFL debut, hinting at a promising future.

Jacinta "The Juggernaut" Austin (9-2) seized the spotlight at PFL Madrid with an impressive first-round knockout victory. She dropped Benita van Rooij (7-2) with a powerful right hand, followed by relentless ground-and-pound, delivering a standout performance in the strawweight division.

The main card's opening bout, a heavyweight clash, saw Linton "The Big Swarm" Vassell (26-10, 1 NC) deliver an exciting performance. He secured a TKO victory over Jose "Gugu" Augusto (11-6) after landing a takedown and following up with heavy ground-and-pound, prompting the referee to stop the fight. At 42 years young, Vassell proved that age is merely a number.

Full PFL Madrid Main Card Results:

• PFL Middleweight World Title Main Event: C-Costello van Steenis def. #2-Fabian Edwards by KO (elbows), Round 3, 1:48
• Featherweight Co-Main Event: #2-AJ McKee def. #4-Adam Borics by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
• Welterweight Bout: Franco Tenaglia def. Yassin Najid by TKO (doctor stoppage), Round 2, 5:00
• Women’s Strawweight Bout: Jacinta Austin def. Benita Van Rooij by KO, Round 1, 2:40
• Heavyweight Bout: #4-Linton Vassell def. Jose Augusto by TKO (punches), Round 2, 2:48

Preliminary Card Results:

• Bantamweight Bout: Luciano Pereira def. Kevin Cordero by knockout (punch), Round 1, 2:10
• Flyweight Bout: Borja Garcia def. Rafael Calderon by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
• Lightweight Bout: Gino van Steenis def. Mark Ewen by knockout (punch), Round 1, 2:43
• Bantamweight Bout: Mattia Giordano def. Ernesto Schisano by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
• 165-Pound Contract Weight Bout: Claudio Pacella def. David Mora by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-26, 30-27)
• Featherweight Bout: Ignacio Campos def. Mathys Duragrin by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)