The Professional Fighters League will return to the United States on March 28. On Tuesday, the MMA organization announced its first U.S. event of 2026 will be held in Pittsburgh at the UPMC Events Center headlined by former world champion Johnny Eblen against high-profile newcomer Bryan Battle.
There will also be a local connection as Pittsburgh native Dalton Rosta will co-headline the event, facing for PFL champion Impa “Tshilobo” Kasanganay in a middleweight clash. The bout also pits two South Florida powerhouses—American Top Team (Eblen, Rosta) and Kill Cliff (Kasanganay)—in a gym rivalry in the Steel City.
The Pittsburgh card follows the “PFL Road to Dubai,” which is set set for Saturday, Feb. 7, 2026, at Dubai’s Coca-Cola Arena. The card is topped by unbeaten PFL Lightweight World Champion Usman Nurmagomedov (20-0-0, 1 NC) defending his title against 2025 tournament winner Alfie Davis (20-5-1). The co-main features a welterweight championship clash between former Bellator titleholder Ramazan Kuramagomedov (13-0) and 2024 PFL tournament champion Shamil Musaev (20-0-1). The preliminary card begins at 9 a.m. ET (6 p.m. local), with the main card at 12 p.m. ET (9 p.m. local). In the U.S., coverage streams on the ESPN App for ESPN Unlimited subscribers, while Starzplay airs the event across MENA.
Eblen (16-1), a former Bellator titleholder, returns looking to reassert his dominance after a dramatic last July in Cape Town ended his 16-fight win streak. He has notable wins in his career including a 2022 unanimous decision win over former champion Gegard Mousasi. Battle (12-2-1 NC), a former winner of UFC’s reality series The Ultimate Fighter, is currently one of MMA’s most coveted recent free agents, makes his PFL debut after back-to-back first-round finishes in Dirty Boxing Championship and a nine-fight run in the UFC.
Rosta (11-2), fresh off a 2025 PFL World Tournament Finals appearance, draws Kasanganay (19-6), whose resume includes a PFL championship. The matchup underscores PFL’s depth in the middleweight division and offers a high-stakes measuring stick for both athletes early in the season.
“The PFL is excited to make its debut in one of the most passionate and storied sports towns in America,” PFL CEO John Martin said in a press release, noting Pittsburgh will host its first MMA show in nearly a decade. “We look forward to delivering an unforgettable night of world-class mixed martial arts.”
Tickets go on Ticketmaster with a presale Tuesday, Jan. 27 at 10 a.m. ET and a general on-sale Thursday, Jan. 29 at 10 a.m. ET.
For more information: pfl.info/pittsburgh. Additional bouts will be announced.
Broadcast: The main card airs in the U.S. on ESPN2 and ESPN Deportes at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT, with the early card streaming on the ESPN App at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT for ESPN Unlimited subscribers.
PFL Pittsburgh — Main Card
UPMC Events Center, Pittsburgh, Pa. | Saturday, March 28 | 10 p.m. ET
Broadcast: ESPN2 & ESPN Deportes (U.S.)
Main Event — Middleweight
Johnny Eblen (16-1) vs. Bryan Battle (12-2, 1 NC)
Co-Main Event — Middleweight
Dalton Rosta (11-2) vs. Impa Kasanganay (19-6)