Johnny Eblen thinks he’s undeniable for a chance to regain the PFL middleweight title after a one-sided showing against Bryan Battle at PFL Pittsburgh.
After losing the belt and his undefeated record in a buzzer-beater submission defeat to Costello van Steenis in July, Eblen (17-1) returned to the cage on Saturday and mauled UFC veteran Battle (12-3) into a fight-ending choke.
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Eblen thought he should’ve received an immediate rematch with van Steenis after the loss, but the promotion went another direction and pitted the champ against Fabian Edwards earlier this month in Madrid, which he won with a resounding knockout. Eblen did his part one week later, and now he is adamant it’s time to run it back.
“I think I totally deserve that rematch,” Eblen told reporters backstage at PFL Pittsburgh. “I was a three-year defending champion. I was winning the fight. I lost in the last few seconds. It was a fight that I probably shouldn’t have fought, but you learn lessons and you move on. I had to get through Bryan Battle, and I made a statement.
“It’s the rematch you have to make. It’s the biggest fight you can make in the PFL right now. … Sometimes you’ve just got to make it obvious. I made it obvious.”
Eblen was having his way with van Steenis in their initial meeting before slipping up late. He gave up his back with seconds remaining and van Steenis choked him with just nine ticks remaining on the clock in Round 5 for what MMA Junkie named the 2025 Submission of the Year.
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Although he was proud of his perfect record, Eblen, an honorable mention in the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie middleweight rankings, admits a freedom has come with no longer being unblemished, and it’s one less thing to worry about going into a rematch with No. 14-ranked van Steenis.
For Eblen, 34, he wants to right the wrong and go on another long title reign, because PFL is currently his home.
“I signed a two-year, six-fight contract with the PFL,” Eblen said. “I’ll defend the belt as long as I need to. I’m a PFL man right now. They take care of me, they pay me well and we have a great division.”
This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Johnny Eblen: Costello van Steenis title rematch PFL’s ‘biggest fight’
