The inaugural season of PFL Africa launched in dramatic fashion Saturday night at the Grand Arena in GrandWest, as Costello “The Spaniard” Van Steenis captured the PFL Middleweight World Championship with a last-second submission win over previously undefeated Johnny “Pressure” Eblen.
Van Steenis (17-3) delivered one of the most remarkable comebacks in MMA history, securing a rear-naked choke in the final seconds of the fifth round after Eblen (16-1) had dominated much of the bout. With just seconds left on the clock, Van Steenis took Eblen’s back and forced the tap, silencing the crowd and claiming the belt in spectacular fashion.
In the co-main event, 2024 PFL Women’s Flyweight Champion Dakota “Dangerous” Ditcheva (15-0) continued her unbeaten streak, earning a unanimous decision win over Sumiko “Lady Samurai” Inaba (8-2). The British striker showcased her elite Muay Thai, punishing Inaba throughout with powerful combinations and dominant clinch work.
Also on the card, former Bellator featherweight champion AJ “Mercenary” McKee (23-2) impressed in his return to 145 pounds, outclassing Akhmed Magomedov (11-2) of Russia via unanimous decision. McKee utilized a balanced attack of striking and grappling to take the victory.
Dagestani grappler Artur Zaynukov (16-4) added another win to his streak, dominating Japan’s Takeshi Izumi (6-4) from start to finish. Zaynukov, a teammate of MMA stars Khabib Nurmagomedov and Islam Makhachev, secured takedowns at will to control all three rounds.
In the night’s opener, reigning Bellator light heavyweight champion Corey “Overtime” Anderson (19-6, 1 NC) made a successful return to the heavyweight division, stopping 2024 PFL heavyweight champion Denis “The Russian Bogatyr” Goltsov (36-9) with a second-round TKO. Anderson landed a brutal body shot before finishing the fight with ground and pound.
The first-round bouts also finalized semifinal matchups in the 2025 PFL Africa Tournament. In the bantamweight division, Nkosi Ndebele (9-3) will face Simbarashe Hokonya (6-0), while Boule Godogo (4-0) meets Karim Henniene (5-0). In the heavyweight bracket, Maxwell Djantou Nana (7-1) takes on Justin Clarke (3-0), and Joffie Houlton (8-4) faces Abraham Bably (6-2).
The PFL Africa Tournament continues on Saturday, Aug. 9 at Big Top Arena, Carnival City in Johannesburg, with featherweights and welterweights in action. The event will stream live in the U.S. via the PFL App.
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