CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA – The Skilled Fighters League (PFL) launched its inaugural PFL Africa season with a bang on the Grand Area, GrandWest in Cape City. Topped by an all-time comeback, the occasion featured explosive finishes, dominant performances, and a showcase of rising African expertise. Headlining the cardboard, Costello “The Spaniard” van Steenis pulled off a miraculous rear-naked choke victory over beforehand undefeated Johnny “Stress” Eblen to say the PFL Middleweight World Championship.
Eblen (16-1), the previous champion, appeared poised for a cushty determination win after dominating a lot of the five-round bout. However with simply 9 seconds left within the remaining spherical, van Steenis (17-3) reversed his fortunes by taking Eblen’s again and locking in a rear-naked choke that put the champion to sleep, stunning the MMA world in a dramatic end.
“It’s by no means over till it’s over. I knew I needed to go for it,” mentioned van Steenis. “That is all the pieces I’ve labored for.”
Dakota Ditcheva Dominates Co-Major Occasion
2024 PFL Girls’s Flyweight Champion Dakota “Harmful” Ditcheva (15-0) continued her unbeaten run with a one-sided determination win over American standout Sumiko “Girl Samurai” Inaba (8-2). The UK star showcased world-class Muay Thai, battering Inaba with a vicious mixture of strikes, together with knees, elbows, and pinpoint punches all through all three rounds.
“Sumiko is hard, however I had a plan and caught to it,” Ditcheva mentioned post-fight. “I’m right here to point out why I’m top-of-the-line on this planet.”
Judges scored the bout 30-27, 30-27, and a dominant 30-24.
Featherweight Contender AJ McKee Shines
Former Bellator Featherweight Champion AJ “Mercenary” McKee (23-2) returned to 145 kilos and delivered a clear sweep towards Russia’s Akhmed Magomedov (11-2). McKee showcased a mix of hanging and grappling, dominating all three rounds to earn a unanimous determination (30-27 x3).
Anderson Returns to Heavyweight with TKO Over Goltsov
Corey “Extra time” Anderson (19-6, 1 NC) made a profitable return to the Heavyweight division with a second-round TKO over 2024 PFL Heavyweight Champion Denis “The Russian Bogatyr” Goltsov (36-9). After weathering early stress, Anderson landed a brutal physique shot and adopted up with ground-and-pound to drive the stoppage at 3:28 of spherical two.
Dagestan’s Zaynukov Dominates Izumi
Rising Dagestani grappler Artur Zaynukov (16-4) placed on a wrestling clinic towards Japan’s Takeshi Izumi (6-4). A coaching companion of champions like Khabib and Islam Makhachev, Zaynukov secured takedowns at will and managed each spherical to win a 30-27 unanimous determination throughout the board.
2025 PFL Africa Match: Bantamweight & Heavyweight Semifinals Set
Following an evening of high-stakes matchups, the Bantamweight and Heavyweight Semifinals for the PFL Africa Match at the moment are set:
Bantamweight Semifinals:
Nkosi Ndebele (9-3) vs. Simbarashe Hokonya (6-0)
Boule Godogo (4-0) vs. Karim Henniene (5-0)
Heavyweight Semifinals:
Maxwell Djantou Nana (7-1) vs. Justin Clarke (3-0)
Joffie Houlton (8-4) vs. Abraham Bably (6-2)
Subsequent Cease: Johannesburg
The 2025 PFL Africa Match continues on Saturday, August 9 on the Large Prime Area, Carnival Metropolis in Johannesburg, the place Featherweight and Welterweight contenders will compete of their first-round bouts. Followers within the U.S. can catch all of the motion stay on the PFL App.
Full Battle Outcomes – PFL Champions Collection: Cape City
Major Card
Costello van Steenis def. Johnny Eblen through submission (rear-naked choke) – R5, 4:51
Dakota Ditcheva def. Sumiko Inaba through unanimous determination (30-27 x2, 30-24)
AJ McKee def. Akhmed Magomedov through unanimous determination (30-27 x3)
Artur Zaynukov def. Takeshi Izumi through unanimous determination (30-27 x3)
Corey Anderson def. Denis Goltsov through TKO (strikes) – R2, 3:28
PFL Africa Match: First Spherical
Nkosi Ndebele def. Mahmoud Atef through TKO (strikes) – R1, 4:50
Maxwell Djantou Nana def. Mickael Groguhe through unanimous determination
Boule Godogo def. Shannon van Tonder through break up determination
Justin Clarke def. Jashell Ticha Awa through TKO (physician stoppage) – Finish of R1
Karim Henniene def. Asiashu Tshitamba through break up determination
Joffie Houlton def. Abdoulaye Kane through DQ (unlawful knee) – R1, 0:40
Simbarashe Hokonya def. Frans Mlambo through unanimous determination
Abraham Bably def. Paul-Emmanuel Gnaze through KO (punch) – R1, 4:59
Juliet Ukah def. Ceileigh Niedermayr through unanimous determination (30-27 x3)
Roberto Villa is the CEO, Founder, Govt Author, Senior Editor of FightBook MMA. Has a ardour for Fight Sports activities and in addition a podcast host for Sitting Ringside. He’s additionally a former MMA fighter and Kickboxer.
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