NEW YORK — May 6, 2026 — The Professional Fighters League (PFL) today announced that PFL Middleweight World Champion Costello van Steenis (18-3) will defend his title against No. 1-ranked Johnny Eblen (17-1) in a highly anticipated championship rematch on Saturday, July 18 at Moody Center in Austin, Texas.
The PFL Austin main card will air live on ESPN2 in the U.S. beginning at 8 pm ET. The preliminary portion will begin at 5 pm ET and can be seen on the ESPN app. Tickets for the event are available now through pre-sale at pfl.info/austin. Additional bouts will be announced shortly.
“This is the fight that fans have been asking for since the moment Costello secured the rear-naked choke in the final seconds of their first world championship fight,” said PFL CEO John Martin. “There were a lot of opinions about how that fight ended, and both fighters have something to prove. Now we have a massive rematch with everything on the line, validation for The Spaniard, or redemption for Pressure. I can’t wait to see how it plays out on July 18.”
Van Steenis and Eblen first met in July 2025 for the inaugural PFL Middleweight World Championship, producing one of the most dramatic finishes in recent MMA history. Eblen controlled the fight and was seconds away from victory before van Steenis changed everything, securing a rear-naked choke in the final moments of the fifth round to capture the title and hand Eblen the first loss of his professional career.
One moment decided their first meeting in Africa and that moment has defined everything since.
Van Steenis returned to prove it wasn’t a fluke. In his first title defense, he delivered a statement performance against Fabian Edwards at PFL Madrid, finishing the fight by third-round TKO and reinforcing his claim as the best middleweight in the world.
“I wanted this rematch with Eblen from the moment the first fight ended,” said van Steenis. “There’s still a lot being said about that first result, and I’m looking forward to proving, definitively, that I’m the better fighter on July 18.”
Eblen also responded. In his return, he dominated UFC veteran Bryan Battle at PFL Pittsburgh from start to finish, securing a first-round rear-naked choke and immediately reestablishing himself as the division’s top contender.
“I gotta get that belt back.” Eblen screamed following his win over Battle. “Costello if you’re watching, I’m coming for you baby, revenge. Let’s go, revenge!”
Validation vs. Redemption.
For van Steenis, this is validation, beating Eblen once isn’t enough. He must prove it wasn’t timing, wasn’t luck, and wasn’t a single moment, but that he is, without question, the best middleweight in the world. For Eblen, this is redemption. Not a comeback. Not a reset. Taking back the title he believes should never truly left him.
On July 18, the PFL middleweight division doesn’t move forward until this is settled.
Updated PFL Austin Main Card:
Moody Center – Austin, Texas
July 18 | 8 pm ET / 5 pm PT
ESPN2 (U.S.)
PFL Middleweight World Championship Main Event: C-Costello van Steenis (18-3) vs. No. 1-Johnny Eblen (17-1)
