Johnny Eblen stops Impa Kasanganay at PFL Austin to set up heated title rematch

JOHNNY EBLEN TAKES CARE OF BUSINESS WITH A BRUTAL FINISH 😱#PFLAustin | 📺 MAIN CARD LIVE NOW ON ESPN 2 pic.twitter.com/aMXIk0bjFv — PFL (@PFLMMA) July 19, 2026 Professional Fighters League’s latest event has come and gone, with a new interim middleweight champion crowned. PFL Austin set up another high profile title fight rematch at the top of the 185-pound division, where Johnny Eblen and Costello van Steenis will run it back. Eblen, 18-1, looking to get his opportunity for revenge against van Steenis, rematched Impa Kasanganay (20-7) and was able to close the show in the third round. Eblen’s win not only saw him crowned interim middleweight champion, but set the stage for a high-intensity faceoff with van Steenis as the two belt holders exchanged words in their post-fight clash to build hype towards their eventual unification bout.Johnny Eblen wins the interim middleweight title and confronts Costello van Steenis after PFL Austin Eblen showcased a higher level of striking that had not been seen in his game previously, and put Kasanganay on his back foot. It was an elbow in the third round that landed directly on the temple of Kasanganay that ushered in the bout’s final sequence. Eblen followed up with leather untl referee Jacob Montalvo stepped in to show mercy. It was a dominant performance for the former champion and new interim king, who now gets a chance to settle the score against van Steenis. In the co-main event, former PFL Europe bantamweight champion Lewis McGrillen-Evans (12-2) came in with plenty of hype, but had a tough test in front of him in veteran Rafael do Nascimento. Do Nascimento (13-3) showed incredible composure against McGrillen-Evans, who is known for his power, but the former was able to work his skillset on the ground and pulled off a second-round rear-naked choke at the 2:07 mark. Caolan Loughran was back in the featherweight division after a fantastic performance in his last fight, but taking on Julio Arce, the matchup was not as simple for the Irishman. Arce (22-7) would go the distance, picking up the victory by unanimous decision over Loughran (11-4) as he set the tone early in the fight and carried the momentum through all three rounds (30-27, 30-27, 29-28). In other action, Jesus Pinedo (26-8-1) needed just one round to stop Joey Ruquet (10-5), earning a technical knockout via punches and elbows at 4:50 of the opening frame; Gamid Khizriev (5-0) remained unbeaten with a first-round twister submission of Biaggio Ali Walsh (4-2) at 2:32; Aleksandra Savicheva (8-2) edged Andrea Vazquez (8-4) by split decision; Ashley Thiner (3-0) kept her perfect record intact with a unanimous decision over Mia Grawe(3-1); 18-year-old prospect Jackson Glass (4-0) stayed undefeated by knocking out Zak Flessas (2-2) with punches and kicks just 47 seconds into the first round; Victoria Alba (7-2) opened the card with a third-round technical knockout of Borena Tsertsvadze (6-2) after a barrage of kicks and punches at the 4:50 mark.