{"id":780422,"date":"2026-07-05T10:55:12","date_gmt":"2026-07-05T10:55:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/780422\/"},"modified":"2026-07-05T10:55:12","modified_gmt":"2026-07-05T10:55:12","slug":"johnny-eblen-questions-legitimacy-of-costello-van-steenis-injury","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/780422\/","title":{"rendered":"Johnny Eblen questions legitimacy of Costello van Steenis’ injury"},"content":{"rendered":"

July 4, 2026, 4:45 p.m. ET<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Johnny Eblen thinks Costello van Steenis could have made the walk at PFL Austin<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Eblen (17-1) was scheduled to run things back with van Steenis (18-3) in the July 18 main event from Moody Center in Austin, Texas (ESPN2), but van Steenis withdrew due to injury. Eblen will instead face Impa Kasanganay (20-6) for the interim title.<\/p>\n

Eblen was hoping to avenge his come-from-behind submission\u00a0loss to van Steenis at PFL Africa 1<\/a>\u00a0in July 2025.<\/p>\n

“I don’t really care, man,” Eblen told MMA Junkie Radio. “At the end of the day, I want to stay active and he didn’t want to fight July, he wanted to push it to later so, it is what it is. He’s being a b*tch so, Impa stepped up and I’m looking forward to running it back, fighting for an interim belt, and then after that, doing the unification bout and getting the undisputed PFL title. I guess he got hurt, but from what I heard, I just did an interview, the dude looked at his Instagram, I don’t pay attention to him to be honest, like I don’t care what they’re doing, but he said he was looking into what he’s been up to and I guess he’s been training.<\/p>\n

“So, whatever injury he had wasn’t serious. I think he just wants a little more time because at the end of the day, guys fight injured, but how bad of an injury is it? Is it something you can’t train with or fight with? And apparently he’s been training so, I think he just didn’t want to have a quick turnaround and it didn’t work for him, but he signed the contract which is kind of bullsh*t and then he decided to push the fight because he’s hurt. I have little injuries all the time that I train with and I fight with. Sean (Strickland) fought with a separated shoulder the week of the fight. Guys aren’t 100 percent healthy when show up in the ring.”<\/p>\n

Eblen holds a win over Kasanganay at PFL vs. Bellator: Champions in February 2024, where he survived a knockdown to earn the split decision victory<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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