PFL landed in Madrid, Spain, on the night of March 21, and the main event delivered a result with real divisional consequences. In the headline middleweight title fight, Costello van Steenis finished Fabian Edwards by technical knockout in the third round at PFL Madrid.
For American fans, Edwards was the more recognizable name coming in because of his Bellator run and his connection to UFC champion Leon Edwards. That made van Steenis’ win feel bigger than just another main-event result — it was the kind of finish that can change how the division is viewed going forward.
The middleweight stakes were obvious. If Edwards had won, PFL would have had a proven name to build around internationally. Instead, van Steenis created a new storyline as a finisher capable of disrupting the company’s established hierarchy, and that matters in a division still looking for a clear face after the Bellator-PFL transition.
The rest of the card featured several notable results. At featherweight, AJ McKee beat Adam Borics by unanimous decision in a matchup that drew plenty of attention from U.S. MMA media because McKee remains one of the most important names on the roster outside the title picture. At welterweight, Franco Tenaglia stopped Yassin Najid after a doctor’s stoppage in the second round.
In women’s strawweight action, Jasinta Austin stopped Benita van Rooy by first-round TKO. At heavyweight, Linton Vassell defeated Jose Augusto by second-round TKO. Luciano Pereira knocked out Kevin Cordero in the first round at lightweight, while Borja Garcia Eres earned a unanimous decision over Rafael Calderon at flyweight.
Also on the card, Gino van Steenis scored a first-round knockout over Marc Ewen at lightweight, Mattia Giordano took a unanimous decision against Ernesto Schizano at bantamweight, and Claudio Pacella beat David Mora by unanimous decision in a 160-pound catchweight bout.
The biggest takeaway is simple: van Steenis didn’t just win in Madrid, he forced himself into the next serious conversation at 185 pounds, and now the focus turns to whether PFL will capitalize on that momentum.