Costello Van Steenis Upsets Johnny Eblen in PFL Cape Town Title Fight

Costello van Steenis shocked the MMA world by submitting undefeated Johnny Eblen with a rear-naked choke just seconds before the end of their five-round PFL middleweight title fight in Cape Town, South Africa. Despite Eblen dominating much of the bout with his wrestling and pressure, Van Steenis capitalized on a late mistake in the final round to reverse the position and secure the submission at 4:51 of Round 5. Van Steenis, a longtime Bellator veteran and training partner of Gegard Mousasi, captured the PFL 185-pound title in a dramatic comeback, marking his first career win over Eblen. The fight showcased Van Steenis' resilience and striking improvements after years of experience and setbacks early in his career. Additionally, in the co-main event, Dakota Ditcheva won a unanimous decision over Sumiko Inaba and announced a new contract with PFL, highlighting her status as a rising MMA star. Other notable results included Corey Anderson moving up to heavyweight for a TKO win and former Bellator featherweight champion A.J. McKee securing a unanimous decision victory in his return to 145 pounds.