Bryan Battle will make his PFL debut later this year following his departure from the UFC, facing a major test in his return to mixed martial arts. Battle was released by the UFC last year after missing weight twice, but quickly rebuilt momentum with two wins at middleweight in Dirty Boxing Championship events promoted by Mike Perry and Jon Jones. Now fully committed to MMA again, he is stepping straight into elite competition.
PFL chief executive John Martin confirmed that Battle will headline PFL Pittsburgh against former Bellator middleweight champion Johnny Eblen. Eblen had been unbeaten before suffering a surprise submission loss to Costello van Steenis last year despite controlling much of the fight. The event marks the PFL’s first US show since last summer and its first visit to Pittsburgh in nearly a decade.
The card will also feature a co-main event between 2023 light-heavyweight tournament winner Impa Kasanganay and former middleweight finalist Dalton Rosta. Martin said the promotion is excited to bring world-class MMA to a city with a deep sporting tradition, calling the Pittsburgh event a major milestone as the PFL begins a new chapter without its global tournament format.
