PFL Madrid: Van Steenis vs. Edwards 2 — Play-by-play, Results & Round Scoring

Lead: On Friday, March 20 in Madrid, PFL staged its first major card in Spain, headlined by a rematch for the middleweight title between Costello van Steenis and Fabian Edwards. Van Steenis retained the belt with a third-round stoppage by elbows at 1:48, while the card produced multiple decisive finishes and several unanimous decisions across early prelims and the main card. Local fighters featured prominently, and the event served as both a showcase for European talent and a stepping stone toward PFL’s upcoming Pittsburgh show. Judges’ round scoring, methods of victory and two weight misses shaped the evening’s narratives.

Key Takeaways

• Costello van Steenis retained the PFL Middleweight Title, defeating Fabian Edwards via KO (elbows) at 3R 1:48.
• A.J. McKee beat Adam Borics by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28) in the co-main; McKee controlled pace with leg kicks and wrestling.
• Linton Vassell (age 42) finished Jose Augusto by TKO (punches and elbows) in R2 at 2:48, earning a clear stoppage win.
• Jacinta Austin registered the card’s most emphatic finish, stopping Benita van Rooij by TKO (punches) in R1 at 2:40—the first KO of her career.
• Several unanimous decisions filled the undercard: Claudio Pacella over David Mora (30-27s), Mattia Giordano over Ernesto Schisano (29-28s), Borja Garcia Heres over Rafael Calderon (29-28s), and Nacho Campos over Mathys Duragrin (29-28s).
• Two fighters missed weight: Mathys Duragrin came in at 146.5 for a featherweight bout and David Mora’s opponent measurements were on contract; Kevin Cordero missed bantamweight at 136.6 and the contest proceeded at catchweight.
• Notable finishes included Luciano Pereira KO of Kevin Cordero at 2:10 R1 and Gino van Steenis’s 2:43 R1 KO of Mark Ewen.

Background

PFL’s Madrid card marked the promotion’s first large-scale event on Spanish soil, an expansion milestone occurring March 20 as the organization continues to broaden its international reach. The show was built around a high-stakes middleweight title fight: van Steenis, who captured PFL gold last July by submitting Johnny Eblen, returned to defend against Fabian Edwards in a rematch of a meeting from their Bellator days more than five years ago. The rematch carried narrative weight—van Steenis had taken the earlier bout by split decision—and both men arrived with recent winning runs in the PFL.

The card leaned into regional interest by stacking Spanish and Europe-based fighters throughout the undercard and prelims, giving local fans multiple athletes to support. That structure produced tense domestic matchups and highlighted the depth of European MMA, while several international names—A.J. McKee, Adam Borics, Linton Vassell—added global credibility. Weight management became a subplot: at least two fighters missed the contracted limit, forcing catchweight rulings and financial penalties that slightly altered bout conditions.

Main Event: Van Steenis vs. Edwards 2 (Play-by-play)

Round 1: The champion opened by targeting Edwards’ legs with inside calf kicks and pushed a measured tempo that mixed kicks and clinch work. Edwards answered with front kicks and combinations, and a clash opened a small cut near van Steenis’s left eye. Van Steenis repeatedly threatened with guillotine attempts and a late arm-triangle sequence as the round closed; three ringside scorers gave the frame to van Steenis, 10-9.

Round 2: Van Steenis continued to employ leg attacks and showed effective top pressure when Edwards secured brief takedowns and guard time. Edwards attempted transitions and a kimura attempt during scrambles, but van Steenis landed heavy right hands and controlled position for long stretches, earning another 10-9 from all three judges.

Round 3: The third round began with reciprocal calf kicks. Edwards committed to a low-level shot but left his head exposed; van Steenis seized the moment, locking a power guillotine sequence and then unloading a barrage of elbows to the temple and side of the head. With Edwards visibly compromised, referee Blake Grice halted the contest at 1:48 of round three, awarding van Steenis a KO (elbows). The stoppage followed earlier accumulations of positional control and well-timed finishing strikes.

Analysis & Implications

Van Steenis’s victory cements him as the PFL middleweight standard and validates his July title run as more than a one-off. The finish—grounded in both scramble control and strike precision—shows his ability to turn clinch exchanges into fight-ending opportunities, a dangerous trait for the 185-pound division. For Edwards, the loss is a setback but not a career end; he remains a top-caliber middleweight with avenues for a rebound, especially if he tightens takedown setups and avoids extended clinch vulnerability.

From a promotion standpoint, PFL’s Madrid event demonstrated the league’s capacity to hold major cards outside North America and to cultivate region-specific interest. The card’s mixture of local names and international stars produced both decisive stoppages and competitive decisions that should help drive local fan engagement and ticket sales for future European dates. The two weight misses (Duragrin at featherweight and Cordero at bantamweight) highlight ongoing weight-cut management issues—a recurring concern across the sport with implications for scheduling, purse penalties and fighter health policy.

Sporting-wise, McKee’s unanimous decision over Borics positions him closer to title contention in the featherweight tournament picture, while Linton Vassell’s impressive stoppage at 42 underscores the value of experience and physical conditioning in the heavyweight-to-light-heavyweight corridors. Several Spanish athletes leaving Madrid with wins gives the PFL a stronger roster narrative in Europe ahead of Pittsburgh’s next slate of matchups.

Comparison & Data

The table isolates headline outcomes and shows a mixed card: multiple early-round KOs/TKOs combined with classic three-round decisions. Several finishes (including van Steenis’s elbow KO and Pereira’s early knockout) were the difference-makers in the promotion’s scoring and momentum-building for the fighters involved.

Reactions & Quotes

“He’s out, he’s out,”

Ringside crowd reaction (during van Steenis stoppage)

“Franco!”

Fan chant (during Tenaglia vs Najid)

“I want the next challenges—I’m ready for more,”

Costello van Steenis (post-fight, paraphrased)

Unconfirmed

• The long-term extent of Yassin Najid’s shoulder injury and whether it will require surgery remains unconfirmed pending medical reports.
• Exact purse fines or percentage forfeitures for Kevin Cordero and Mathys Duragrin’s weight misses were not disclosed publicly at the time of reporting.
• Any immediate rematch clauses or guaranteed next opponents for defeated contenders (beyond van Steenis expressing interest) are subject to PFL’s official matchmaking decisions.

Bottom Line

PFL Madrid delivered a milestone event for the promotion’s European ambitions, crowned by Costello van Steenis’s emphatic title defense and an evening that combined local heroes with international stars. The card reinforced van Steenis’s legitimacy at middleweight and gave McKee, Vassell and others momentum moving into the PFL calendar’s next phases.

Operationally, the event spotlighted recurring industry issues—weight management and late replacements—while also demonstrating that PFL can stage marketable, competitive cards outside the U.S. Fans should watch Pittsburgh next week where winners from Madrid and other shows will influence tournament trajectories and title picture matchups across multiple divisions.

Sources

• Sherdog — event live play-by-play and results (independent MMA journalism)
• PFL Official Site — promotion event and athlete information (official)