PFL Charlotte: Battle vs. Rosta Recap: Full Results and Analysis
Bryan Battle earned a split decision win over Dalton Rosta at Bojangles Coliseum in Charlotte on Thursday night, but the middleweight main event was more chess match than firefight. Battle controlled large stretches through cage pressure and clinch work, edging the scorecards 29-28 on two of the three judges' cards. Rosta, entering on a two-fight losing streak, was never in serious danger but could not generate the offense needed to shift the scorecards in his favor. The win was workmanlike. It gets the job done.
Full Results
| Fight | Winner | Method | Round | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bryan Battle vs. Dalton Rosta | Bryan Battle | Decision (Split) | 3 | 5:00 |
| Dovletdzhan Yagshimuradov vs. Simeon Powell | Simeon Powell | Decision (Split) | 3 | 5:00 |
| Josh Silveira vs. Aaron Jeffery | Aaron Jeffery | Decision (Unanimous) | 3 | 5:00 |
| Lewis McGrillen-Evans vs. Brandon Lewis | Lewis McGrillen-Evans | Decision (Unanimous) | 3 | 5:00 |
| Josh Fremd vs. Jhony Gregory | Josh Fremd | TKO | 2 | 1:44 |
| Denis Goltsov vs. Hasan Mezhiev | Denis Goltsov | TKO | 1 | 0:52 |
| Cheyden Leialoha vs. Robert Ring | Result pending | — | — | — |
| Cheyanne Bowers vs. Elora Dana | Cheyanne Bowers | Submission | 1 | 3:36 |
| Landry Ward vs. Michael Boylan | Landry Ward | Decision (Split) | 3 | 5:00 |
| Valentin Moldavsky vs. Bruno Cappelozza | Bruno Cappelozza | Decision (Unanimous) | 3 | 5:00 |
| Jonathan Martinez vs. Wilson Lopshire | Result pending | — | — | — |
| Eduardo Neves vs. Maxwell Djantou Nana | Result pending | — | — | — |
| Trey Waters vs. Trukon Carson | Result pending | — | — | — |
Main Event: Battle Grinds Out Rosta
The fight lived up to its cautious billing. Battle and Rosta spent significant time pressed against the cage, with Battle using his frame and clinch to limit Rosta's countering opportunities. Rosta found a right hand in round two that snapped Battle's head back and drew a visible reaction, but he could not follow up with enough sustained pressure to take the rounds. Two judges gave it to Battle 29-28. Rosta drops to three straight losses and faces a difficult window at 185 pounds within the PFL structure.
Battle improved to 13-3 overall. This was his first victory under the PFL banner, coming five months after a loss to Johnny Eblen in his promotion debut. After the fight, Battle offered a callout that got attention: "I don't think Jake Paul would fight me, but I'd fight Jake Paul, for sure." His more immediate future will be determined by where the PFL plants him next, not celebrity bouts.
Co-Main Event: Powell Edges Yagshimuradov
The light heavyweight co-main between Simeon Powell and Dovletdzhan Yagshimuradov went to a split decision, with Powell taking two of the three scorecards. Yagshimuradov, a seasoned international fighter, had moments throughout all three rounds but could not hold off Powell's pressure consistently enough. Powell's win adds momentum in a weight class the PFL has been developing competitively.
Notable Finishes
Denis Goltsov delivered the most emphatic performance of the night. He needed 52 seconds to stop Hasan Mezhiev, landing a head kick that put Mezhiev down before following with punches to draw the stoppage. It was the kind of first-round highlight that justifies showing up early for the prelims.
Josh Fremd kept things cleaner in the second round, stopping Jhony Gregory with punches at 1:44 in a middleweight bout. Fremd had been landing effectively throughout the round before the finish came off a knockdown. Cheyanne Bowers submitted Elora Dana with a rear-naked choke at 3:36 of round one in women's flyweight action, rounding out the finish column.
Bruno Cappelozza closed out the prelims with a unanimous decision over Valentin Moldavsky at light heavyweight, taking all three rounds from the experienced Russian fighter. Aaron Jeffery earned a unanimous decision over Josh Silveira at middleweight.
Looking Ahead
Charlotte delivered its best moments away from the top of the card. Goltsov and Bowers made the preliminary card worth watching. Battle adds a win but did not answer every question about where he fits at the top of the PFL middleweight ladder. Rosta's losing streak forces a hard look at what comes next. The callout remains a punchline until a contract emerges. The fights that still show pending results will fill in the picture when the scraper catches up.