Costello van Steenis vs. Johnny Eblen title fight rematch headlines PFL Austin on July 18

TL;DR

Costello van Steenis will defend his PFL Middleweight title against Johnny Eblen in a rematch on July 18, 2026, at Moody Center in Austin, Texas. This fight follows their dramatic first encounter where van Steenis won with a rear-naked choke in the final seconds.

Key points

Costello van Steenis defends PFL Middleweight title
Johnny Eblen is the No. 1-ranked contender
Rematch takes place on July 18, 2026
Fight at Moody Center in Austin, Texas
First fight ended dramatically with a rear-naked choke

Mentioned in this story

Moody CenterAustin, Texas

Costello van SteenisJohnny EblenPFL

MOON TOWNSHIP, PA - MARCH 29: Johnny Eblen celebrates after fighting against Bryan Battle during PFL Pittsburgh at the UPMC Events Center on March 29, 2026 in Moon Township, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Professional Fighters League (PFL) today announced that PFL Middleweight Champion Costello van Steenis (18-3) will defend his title against No. 1-ranked Johnny Eblen (17-1) in a championship rematch atop the upcoming PFL Austin fight card on Sat., July 18, 2026 at Moody Center in Austin, Texas.

“This is the fight that fans have been asking for since the moment Costello secured the rear-naked choke in the final seconds of their first world championship fight,” said PFL CEO John Martin. “There were a lot of opinions about how that fight ended, and both fighters have something to prove. Now we have a massive rematch with everything on the line, validation for The Spaniard, or redemption for Pressure. I can’t wait to see how it plays out on July 18.”

Van Steenis and Eblen first went to war for the inaugural PFL middleweight strap at PFL South Africa in summer 2025, producing one of the most dramatic finishes in recent memory. Eblen controlled the fight and was seconds away from victory before van Steenis changed everything, securing a rear-naked choke in the final moments of the fifth round to capture the title and hand Eblen the first loss of his professional career.

“I wanted this rematch with Eblen from the moment the first fight ended,” said Van Steenis. “There’s still a lot being said about that first result, and I’m looking forward to proving, definitively, that I’m the better fighter on July 18.”

Q&A

What date is the Costello van Steenis vs. Johnny Eblen rematch?

The rematch is scheduled for July 18, 2026.

Where will the PFL Austin fight card take place?

The fight card will take place at Moody Center in Austin, Texas.

What happened in the first fight between van Steenis and Eblen?

In their first fight, Costello van Steenis won by securing a rear-naked choke in the final seconds, handing Johnny Eblen his first professional loss.