← PFL Pittsburgh: Eblen vs. Battle
PFL Middleweight Main event

Johnny Eblen VS Bryan Battle

UPMC Events Center, Moon Township, Pennsylvania, U.S.

Tale of the Tape

18-1-0 Record 13-3-0, 1 NC
34 Age 31
190 cm Height 185 cm
187 cm Reach 196 cm
— Stance orthodox
50% Finish rate 69%
39% KO rate 31%
11% Sub rate 38%

Result Summary

Johnny Eblen def. Bryan Battle Submission (rear naked choke) · R1 4:10

Inthehighlyanticipatedmainevent, formerBellatorchampionJohnnyEblen looked to bounce back from his first career loss by taking on PFL newcomer and former UFC veteran Bryan "The Butcher" Battle. From the opening bell, Eblen showcased relentless forward pressure, establishing his physical dominance early. Battle attempted to utilize his reach advantage and strike from the outside, but Eblen quickly closed the distance and initiated the grappling exchanges. After grinding Battle against the fence, Eblen secured a perfectly timed takedown, moving swiftly to back control. Eblen flattened Battle out, softening him up with heavy ground-and-pound before sinking his hooks in deep. As Battle scrambled, Eblen stayed attached like a backpack and locked in a tight rear-naked choke. Battle fought the hands briefly but was forced to tap at the 4:10 mark of the first round, putting Eblen back in the win column with an emphatic statement.

Fight Overview

Former Bellator Middleweight World Champion Johnny 'Pressure' Eblen looks to bounce back from his first career loss and reassert his dominance against PFL newcomer and former UFC standout Bryan 'The Butcher' Battle. Battle drops in to test himself against the #1 ranked middleweight after an impressive run, setting the stage for a spectacular clash of grappling pressure versus rangy, dynamic striking.

Keys to Victory

Johnny Eblen

  1. Implement heavy wrestling pressure early to stifle Battle's striking rhythm
  2. Close the distance efficiently behind the jab to negate Battle's 9cm reach advantage
  3. Control top position and use relentless ground-and-pound to wear down Battle's cardio

Bryan Battle

  1. Maintain range using his 196cm reach advantage and constant lateral movement
  2. Target the body with kicks and punches to drain Eblen's gas tank and slow his wrestling entries
  3. Utilize sharp counter-striking and intercepting knees when Eblen attempts to crash the pocket

Last 5 fights

Johnny Eblen

  1. L Costello van Steenis Submission · R5 4:51 · 19 JUL 2025
  2. W Fabian Edwards Decision · R5 5:00 · 19 OCT 2024
  3. W Impa Kasanganay Decision · R3 5:00 · 24 FEB 2024
  4. W Fabian Edwards KO · R3 0:21 · 23 SEPT 2023
  5. W Anatoly Tokov Decision · R5 5:00 · 4 FEB 2023

Bryan Battle

  1. W Randy Brown Decision · R3 5:00 · 7 DEC 2024
  2. W Kevin Jousset TKO · R2 3:47 · 28 SEPT 2024
  3. NC Ange Loosa No contest · R2 1:00 · 16 MAR 2024
  4. W A.J. Fletcher Submission · R2 4:32 · 23 SEPT 2023
  5. W Gabriel Green KO · R1 0:14 · 13 MAY 2023

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AI-generated This analysis was generated with AI and may contain errors.

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