The Professional Fighters League (PFL) brought an electrifying night of mixed martial arts to Pittsburgh, making its inaugural appearance in “The Steel City” this past Saturday. Fans gathered at the UPMC Center witnessed a spectacular showcase of fighting talent.
Headlining the PFL Pittsburgh event, Johnny Eblen, a former Bellator World Champion and the PFL’s top-ranked middleweight, delivered a commanding performance. He swiftly recovered from his career’s sole defeat by securing a decisive first-round submission against Bryan Battle, ranked No. 9, who was making his PFL debut. This victory significantly boosts Eblen’s chances for a highly anticipated rematch against the reigning PFL Middleweight World Champion, Costello van Steenis.
Local hero Dalton Rosta, ranked No. 4 and hailing from Pennsylvania, entered the PFL cage with overwhelming support from the Pittsburgh crowd in his bout against No. 3-ranked Impa Kasanganay. Despite the home advantage, “Hercules” couldn’t secure the win. Both fighters traded powerful strikes, delivering significant damage, but a decisive combination from Kasanganay ultimately sent Rosta to the canvas face down, prompting the referee to halt the contest.
Making a strong impression in her PFL debut, No. 10-ranked flyweight Ariane Lipski da Silva skillfully navigated her fight against No. 5-ranked Sumiko Inaba. Lipski dominated the striking exchanges and dictated the rhythm of the bout. Demonstrating precise striking and calm under pressure, she effectively maintained her distance and thwarted Inaba’s attacks, leading to a clear unanimous decision win.
The highly anticipated featherweight clash between No. 8 Alexei Pergande and No. 9 Julio Arce certainly delivered. Both athletes transformed the mat into a brutal arena, exchanging powerful blows while standing and engaging in intense grappling scrambles. Ultimately, the ascending Pergande emerged victorious via unanimous decision.
Undefeated Cuban bantamweight Lazaro Dayron, ranked No. 9, continued his winning streak by defeating Jacob Thrall via unanimous decision. Dayron showcased his exceptional wrestling prowess, securing an impressive seven takedowns over the course of the three rounds.
PFL Pittsburgh Main Card Results:
- #1-Johnny Eblen (17-1) defeated #7-Bryan Battle (12-3) via submission (rear-naked choke) at 4:10 of round one
- #3-Impa Kasanganay (20-6) defeated #4-Dalton Rosta (11-3) via knockout at 3:18 of round one
- #10-Ariane Lipski da Silva (18-11) defeated #5-Sumiko Inaba (8-3) via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
- #8-Alexei Pergande (8-0) defeated #9-Julio Arce (21-7) via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
- #9-Lazaro Dayron (10-0-1) defeated Jacob Thrall (15-8-1) via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 30-27)
Preliminary Card Results:
- Jack Cartwright (14-2) defeated Allan Begosso (10-4-1) via split decision (29-28, 27-28, 29-28)
- #5-Jakub Kaszuba (16-0) defeated #6-Natan Schulte (25-6-1) via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
- Dakota Bush (16-4) defeated Robert Watley (16-4) via KO at :34 of round one
- Ernesto Rodriguez (11-1) vs. #9-Masayuki Kikuiri (11-4-1) via majority decision (28-28, 29-28, 29-28)
- Tatiana Postarnakova (7-0) defeated Elora Dana (8-2) via unanimous decision (30-27 x3)
- Josh Fremd (12-6) defeated Jarrah Al Salawi (21-6) via knockout at 3:57 of round three
- Fred Dupras (10-2) defeated Ethan Goss (12-9) via technical submission (guillotine) at 2:46 of round one
