This yr’s PFL World Championship started in violent vogue, with longtime Bellator contender Costello van Steenis touchdown a brutal knockout within the first spherical.
10 title fights are set to go down in the present day contained in the King Saud College in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, the place each this yr’s PFL International and PFL MENA champions shall be decided.
Earlier than gold is dished out, a sequence of showcase bouts are opening proceedings. And whereas the cancellation of Jesus Pinedo’s return dealt a blow to the lineup, quite a lot of notable names are nonetheless that includes.
That included van Steenis, who has figured in Bellator middleweight title competition ever since getting the higher of Fabian Edwards again in 2020.
He superior his ambitions in an enormous method on the PFL World Championship, face-planting opponent Joao Dantas in simply 48 seconds with a superbly timed head kick.
Throughout his celebrations, “The Spaniard” referred to as for a shot at PFL middleweight gold and likewise pitched a conflict with the present Bellator 185-pound kingpin, Johnny Eblen.
Van Steenis initially appeared in line for a shot at gold following a victory earlier this yr. After having his cost towards the highest stalled by Douglas Lima in 2023, the Dutch-born 32-year-old bounced again by submitting Gregory Babane in a conflict branded a title eliminator this previous Might.
For no matter purpose, that classification was forgotten about and van Steenis was additional made to earn a possible alternative this week within the Center East.
Suffice to say, he did simply that.
Learn Extra: 2024 PFL World Championship Outcomes & Highlights
Source link