The Professional Fighters League (PFL) is preparing for an action-packed night of mixed martial arts in Pittsburgh, featuring a stacked lineup of bouts. A major highlight of the event is the highly anticipated PFL debut of former UFC sensation, Bryan Battle.
In the evening’s main event, Johnny Eblen seeks to bounce back after his recent loss of the middleweight championship to Costello van Steenis. He is set to clash with Bryan Battle, who marks his return to MMA following his departure from the UFC in 2024, where he was on an impressive four-fight winning streak. Despite his break from professional MMA, Battle, known as ‘The Butcher,’ demonstrated his striking prowess last year with two highlight-reel knockouts under the Dirty Boxing Championship banner.
Also making her first appearance in the PFL Smart Cage at PFL Pittsburgh is Ariane da Silva. During her tenure in the UFC, the ‘Queen of Violence’ compiled a record of 6-8, concluding her run with three consecutive losses. Standing in her way as she aims for a return to victory is Sumiko Inaba, famously known as ‘Lady Samurai.’ Inaba boasts a solid professional record of 8-2, with her only two defeats coming from formidable opponents, Denise Kielholtz and Dakota Ditcheva.
MAIN CARD (10 p.m. ET, ESPN2/ESPN Deportes)
- Johnny Eblen vs. Bryan Battle
- Impa Kasanganay vs. Dalton Rosta
- Ariane da Silva vs. Sumiko Inaba
- Julio Arce vs. Alexei Pergande
- Lazaro Dayron vs. Jacob Thrall
PRELIMINARY CARD (7 p.m. ET, ESPN app/ESPN Deportes)
- Allan Begosso vs. Jack Cartwright
- Jakub Kaszuba vs. Natan Schulte
- Dakota Bush vs. Robert Watley
- Masayuki Kikuiri vs. Ernesto Rodríguez
- Elora Dana vs. Tatiana Postarnakova
- Josh Fremd vs. Jarrah Al-Silawi
- Fred Dupras vs. Ethan Goss