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Eblen vs. Kasanganay Elevated to Interim PFL Middleweight Title Match

The winner will hold an interim belt that sets up a future unification fight with injured champion Costello van Steenis.

Overview

  • PFL confirmed Johnny Eblen and Impa Kasanganay made weight for the five-round interim title fight that tops the card at Moody Center in Austin, Texas, on Saturday.
  • Costello van Steenis withdrew from the original undisputed rematch with Eblen because of an injury, prompting the promotion to promote the replacement bout to interim-title status.
  • Jesus Pinedo missed the featherweight limit by 0.8 pounds at Friday’s weigh-ins and is expected to forfeit a percentage of his purse while his fight remains on the card.
  • Eblen arrives with high-level camp support including UFC champion Sean Strickland in his corner and has framed the fight as a tactical challenge, while Kasanganay has publicly adopted a champion mindset ahead of the rematch.
  • The interim winner will be positioned to unify the middleweight title with van Steenis once the champion recovers, a matchup PFL and the fighters expect to schedule later in 2026.