Costello van Steenis Defends PFL Middleweight Title in Historic Madrid Event

PFL Madrid culminated in a triumphant defense for Costello van Steenis (18-3), who retained his PFL Middleweight World Title in his native country. This landmark victory not only cemented his championship status but also marked him as the inaugural main event winner in Spain's first major MMA showcase.

In a grueling rematch, "The Spaniard" Van Steenis secured his second victory over Fabian Edwards (16-5). The decisive moment arrived in the third round when Edwards' attempt at a takedown positioned him precariously against the fence, allowing Costello to unleash a series of powerful elbows, rendering Edwards unconscious and securing a knockout win.

The co-main event featured AJ "Mercenary" McKee (24-2) delivering a dominant and well-rounded performance that underscored his status as one of the world's most elite featherweights. He secured a unanimous decision victory against Ádám "The Kid" Borics (20-4), a win that significantly boosts his contention for the 145 lb gold.

Franco "El Rey de la Calle" Tenaglia (6-2) celebrated a victory in his PFL debut against French opponent Yassin "The Scientist" Najid (9-6) at the Palacio Vistalegre. The bout concluded at the end of round two due to a doctor's stoppage after Najid dislocated his shoulder while defending a takedown attempt by Tenaglia. The former BKFC Champion from Argentina was a clear crowd favorite, hinting at a bright future in the organization.

Jacinta "The Juggernaut" Austin (9-2) seized the opportunity of the grand PFL Madrid stage, achieving an impressive first-round knockout victory over Benita van Rooij (7-2). Austin dropped Rooij with a clean right hand, followed by relentless ground-and-pound, delivering a standout performance in the strawweight division.

The main card opened with a heavyweight clash where Linton "The Big Swarm" Vassell (26-10, 1 NC) put on a show, earning a TKO victory against Jose "Gugu" Augusto (11-6). After a successful takedown, Vassell unleashed heavy ground-and-pound, prompting the referee to intervene and stop the fight. At 42 years old, Vassell proved that age is merely a number in elite competition.

Complete PFL Madrid Results:

• PFL Middleweight World Title Main Event: C-Costello van Steenis def. #2-Fabian Edwards by KO (elbows), Round 3, 1:48
• Featherweight Co-Main Event: #2-AJ McKee def. #4-Adam Borics by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
• Welterweight Bout: Franco Tenaglia def. Yassin Najid by TKO (doctor stoppage), Round 2, 5:00
• Women’s Strawweight Bout: Jacinta Austin def. Benita Van Rooij by KO, Round 1, 2:40
• Heavyweight Bout: #4-Linton Vassell def. Jose Augusto by TKO (punches), Round 2, 2:48

Preliminary Card:

• Bantamweight Bout: Luciano Pereira def. Kevin Cordero by knockout (punch), Round 1, 2:10
• Flyweight Bout: Borja Garcia def. Rafael Calderon by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
• Lightweight Bout: Gino van Steenis def. Mark Ewen by knockout (punch), Round 1, 2:43
• Bantamweight Bout: Mattia Giordano def. Ernesto Schisano by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
• 165-Pound Contract Weight Bout: Claudio Pacella def. David Mora by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-26, 30-27)
• Featherweight Bout: Ignacio Campos def. Mathys Duragrin by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)