PFL Austin: Eblen vs. Kasanganay 2 Recap: Full Results and Analysis
The first meeting between Johnny Eblen and Impa Kasanganay in February 2024 ended by split decision — a result close enough that a rematch was warranted, and disputed enough that both fighters had something to prove. In Austin on July 18, 2026, the rematch came with the interim PFL middleweight championship attached, and Eblen answered every question it raised. He stopped Kasanganay in round three via ground elbows at 2:39, claimed the interim belt, and removed whatever ambiguity remained from the first fight.
The interim title was necessitated by an injury to champion Costello van Steenis, who was forced out before his scheduled defense. Rather than delay, the PFL elevated Kasanganay to fill the vacancy, creating a rematch with real stakes and a clear divisional resolution. Eblen handled it cleanly.
The card also produced one of the rarest finishes in professional MMA. In the prelims, Gamid Khizriev submitted Biaggio Ali Walsh — Muhammad Ali's grandson — with a twister at 2:32 of round one. The twister requires the opponent to be on their side with the spine bent laterally, demanding precise positioning and control to apply. Khizriev had both. It was the defining moment of a prelim card that delivered multiple finishes.
Full Results
| Fight | Winner | Method | Round | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eblen vs. Kasanganay | Johnny Eblen | TKO (Elbows) | 3 | 2:39 |
| Nascimento vs. McGrillen-Evans | Rafael do Nascimento | Submission | 2 | 2:07 |
| Arce vs. Loughran | Julio Arce | Decision (Unanimous) | 3 | 5:00 |
| Pinedo vs. Ruquet | Jesus Pinedo | TKO (Ground & Pound) | 1 | 4:40 |
| Khizriev vs. Ali Walsh | Gamid Khizriev | Submission (Twister) | 1 | 2:32 |
| Savicheva vs. Vazquez | Aleksandra Savicheva | Decision (Split) | 3 | 5:00 |
| Thiner vs. Grawe | Ashley Thiner | Decision (Unanimous) | 3 | 5:00 |
| Glass vs. Flessas | Jackson Glass | TKO (Elbows) | 1 | 0:47 |
| Alba vs. Tsertsvadze | Victoria Alba | TKO (Punches) | 3 | 4:50 |
Main Event: Eblen Claims Interim Gold
The split decision from February 2024 sat unresolved for over two years. In that first fight, Eblen won with two of three judges, but the margins were thin and Kasanganay came out of the cage disputing the outcome. The rematch — converted to an interim title fight when van Steenis withdrew — gave the rivalry a conclusion.
Eblen worked the first two rounds with control striking, staying on the outside and landing the harder shots in exchanges. Kasanganay pressed forward but did not have the output to impose his game. In round three, the fight went to the mat and Eblen found his position, landing elbows from a dominant spot until the stoppage at 2:39.
The interim title puts Eblen in line for a unification bout with van Steenis when the champion is cleared. He has gone 2-0 in the PFL with clean results in both outings. The argument for the undisputed belt is straightforward.
Co-Main Event and Main Card
Rafael do Nascimento won his second PFL bout by submitting Lewis McGrillen-Evans in round two at 2:07. Nascimento established back control and applied the rear-naked choke before McGrillen-Evans could work to a defense. At 2-0 in the promotion, the bantamweight is worth monitoring.
Julio Arce returned to form with a unanimous decision over Caolán Loughran at featherweight. Arce's output and ring generalship carried him through three rounds at scores of 30-27, 30-27, and 29-28.
Jesus Pinedo stopped Joey Ruquet with ground and pound at 4:40 of round one. Pinedo had missed weight in the build-up but delivered on fight night.
Prelim Highlights
The twister by Gamid Khizriev was the most remarkable finish on a card that finished bouts at a high rate. Khizriev took Biaggio Ali Walsh — a recognizable name who drew eyeballs to the broadcast — down, established position, and bent him into the submission at 2:32. A finish of this kind at this level of competition earns attention.
Jackson Glass was even faster: 47 seconds, TKO via elbows over Zak Flessas — one of the quickest stoppages across either of Saturday's two major MMA cards.
Victoria Alba stopped Borena Tsertsvadze at 4:50 of round three in a women's flyweight fight that was competitive deep before Alba closed with punches. Aleksandra Savicheva edged Andrea Vazquez by split decision — 29-28, 28-29, 29-28 — in a bout that went the distance.
What's Next
Johnny Eblen holds the interim PFL middleweight belt. The unification fight with Costello van Steenis is the next event in the division's sequence, pending the champion clearing his injury. If that fight is made before the end of 2026, it is the PFL's clearest title unification at the weight class.
Gamid Khizriev's twister earns him a step up in competition. Finishing a recognizable opponent with one of MMA's rarest submissions puts his name in a different category than a standard first-round finish. The PFL should respond with a more prominent assignment.