Either way, Johnny Eblen and Impa Kasanganay met at the Moody Center in a pivotal main event, the winner assured a shot at Costello van Steenis, the champ who had been forced off the card and out of his own rematch with Eblen.

Like Eblen and CVS, “Pressure” and Kasanganay had met once before, at the PFL vs. Bellator card a couple of years back. Eblen had come away with a decision win that night; he was looking for a more definitive outcome on Saturday.

The opening round of Eblen vs. Kasanganay 2 was a spirited one, both men landing, both men forcing the other back at times. A round that played out pretty much entirely on the feet, with both middleweights throwing hard. What might have been an even round, however, took a dramatic shift when Eblen knocked down his opponent in the dying seconds of the round.

Suddenly, the cadence of the fight had taken a significant shift up.

Round two opened with Kasanganay seemingly wanting to punch his way back into the fight, taking it to Eblen only for the former Bellator champ to give right back. American Top Team’s Eblen, known as he was for his wrestling prowess, appeared ready and willing to stand and bang with Kasanganay, a former PFL Global tournament winner who had pocketed the million dollars in prize money a few years back.

Kasanganay landed a couple of right hands about 90 seconds into the second frame that forced Eblen to clinch up. No question, Eblen wasn’t loving the damage he had taken from those. He fired a short elbow before the pair broke.

Later in the frame, Eblen would work the body in a clinch.

Things took another dramatic shift in the third round. More accurately, they came to a crashing halt. After more back-and-forth early, Eblen fired a knee, then popped off an elbow and a couple of punches. It was the elbow that dropped Impa Kasanganay really, with all but one final hammerfist glancing or missing. Either way, Impa was out, and Eblen had the win, celebrating while champ van Steenis sat cageside, belt draped over his shoulder.

They’d face off in the cage shortly after the smoke had cleared from the PFL Austin main event, setting the stage for their rematch to finally take place hopefully later in the year.

Official Result: Johnny Eblen def. Impa Kasanganay by knockout, Round 3, 2:39

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DDP was making his return after losing his title to Khamzat Chimaev last year. And after a bit of a feeling out process, South Africa’s Du Plessis stung Usman with a right hand about halfway through the opening round. That was followed by a combo that seemed to give Usman additional issues, then a kick. Usman landed a right hand in response; Du Plessis fired a jab, and later an uppercut that missed the mark.

A big kick by Du Plessis opened round two, but didn’t really put Usman in too much danger. A moment later, however, a DDP knee rocked Usman. A punch behind the ear compounded Usman’s problems. Usman was simply not adjusting well to the power of Du Plessis. A head kick, blocked though it was, had Usman moving back. Another knee connected as Usman moved in, and he was hanging onto a leg for dear life.

Usman would stay on Du Plessis for a bit, before they’d break and move back to striking range. There, the South African had a solid edge, and another right hand stumbled the former welterweight- though he drew a pause complaining of an eye poke on what was clearly a closed fist. After officials watched it back, they ordered the fight to continue, and Usman had not recovered. He was under fire, split open, briefly fell, and came up into a weak takedown attempt that Du Plessis shook off with ease. A head kick backed up Usman. He’d survive the round, but it wasn’t looking good.

Kamaru Usman opened round three with a kick, then another; game as he was, he was looking worse for the wear. And every punch landed by Du Plessis still seemed to wobble Usman. DDP, however, appeared to take his foot off the gas a bit in round three, in addition to slipping a couple of times. It took until the final minute, but Usman finally changed levels and landed a big double-leg takedown. While he couldn’t keep Du Plessis on the mat, it had to be a morale boost, especially in a much closer frame.

Round four opened similar to the third, with Usman back in the fight, but a high kick by DDP that was blocked still wobbled Kamaru. Du Plessis went back on the hunt, firing that kick twice more. Usman survived, fired a leg kick, but ate a massive right hand. He closed the distance for the takedown, but DDP fought that off, and Usman was again, as in rounds one and two, in a heap of trouble. The kicks, and the right hand, were adding up. And Usman’s takedown attempts were becoming slower, more telegraphed.

Despite having got himself back in the fight, Kamaru Usman headed to the fifth frame likely trailing and in need of a finish. His corner told him as much between rounds to underscore the point.

It was Du Plessis, however, landing another kick to the body in round five. Usman stayed in front of him; DDP fired a jab, forcing him back. Two minutes in, a low blow by DDP landed, glancing from leg to cup, with Usman needing a moment to recover. On the restart, Du Plessis uncorked another head kick, then another. The second hurt Usman again. A third followed. Usman was under fire! Punches, a fourth kick. Usman would survive, and DDP actually shot a takedown of his own that was stuffed. Du Plessis might have emptied the tank chasing that finish.

With the final minute of the fight fast approaching, Usman went on the attack. DDP was sucking air. A right hand connected for Usman, but there was just 45 seconds left. Du Plessis wasn’t hurt, even if he was tiring. Usman needed to do damage, and quick. He’d unload in the final 10 seconds with DDP retreating and covering up, but Kamaru just didn’t have enough time left.

Dricus Du Plessis came away with a clear decision win, Usman taking only one round with two of the judges.

Calling Usman a warrior he’d respect for the rest of his life, Du Plessis criticized “guys laying on top of other guys” to win decisions, then exclaimed that it was time to get his belt back. Currently, Sean Strickland is expected to rematch Khamzat Chimaev for middleweight gold, though the bout has not been officially announced.

Official Result: Dricus Du Plessis def. Kamaru Usman by unanimous decision (50-45, 49-46, 49-46)

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Since losing to Gregory “Robocop” Rodrigues in 2024, CLD had won four straight, earning him a crack at Cannonier, still holding the division’s #10 ranking coming in to Satuday night’s event at the Paycom Center.

Duncan came out with a kick to start the action on Saturday, and was the much more active fighter earlier, especially with his kicking attacks. He showed some awkward movement and angles, but Cannonier nevertheless took him to the fence, pursuing a single leg. CLD tried to land a jumping knee to defend that, but Cannonier was okay, and stayed on Duncan.

It was Duncan, however, who would end up in the driver’s seat. While Cannonier would break free, CLD chased him, firing knees, punches, landing several, and having “The Killa Gorilla” in survival mode until the Brit got a little too aggressive. Cannonier landed one or two of his own, slowing the action and surviving the round.

Round two had Cannonier down, off a CLD kick that more put him off-balance, early, with Duncan immediately firing a jumping knee that was borderline illegal. It didn’t land, at least not clean, which probably saved Duncan a point. Cannonier, meanwhile, made it back up, but still had to contend with the knee strikes, not to mention hands, of Christian Leroy Duncan. Cannonier had slowed, and was covering up as much as he was fighting back. CLD landed a spinning elbow that staggered Cannonier.

Late in the frame, with Cannonier on his knees, Duncan piled on with some punches to the side of the head. Cannonier grabbed the fence at least twice, but managed to avoid a point deduction.

Duncan was right back on the attack in round three, while Cannonier took a deep breath and looked for a way inside. Cannonier, however, wasn’t out of it just yet. He walked CLD to the fence, getting underhooks and controlling the longer man. They’d end up fighting to the final horn, with no surprise as to the winner. A big win for Christian Leroy Duncan over a veteran title challenger. He now has five straight wins as he pushes into the top 10.

Official Result: Christian Leroy Duncan def. Jared Cannonier by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)

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After weathering an aggressive start from Ramirez at UFC Oklahoma City, Hooper wasted little time turning the fight into his world. Once the fight hit the canvas, the talented grappler methodically worked through every position, taking the back, locking in a body triangle, and patiently hunting for the finish before sinking in a suffocating rear-naked choke.

Round 1 – Ramirez came out aggressively, marching Hooper down and forcing him onto the back foot early. That striking battle didn’t last long, however, as Hooper did what he does best, changing levels, dragging the fight to the mat, and immediately taking Ramirez’s back. Ramirez desperately tried to scramble free, but Hooper stayed glued to him, briefly advancing to mount before seamlessly transitioning back to back control and locking in a body triangle.

From there, it was only a matter of time. Hooper patiently worked his arm under Ramirez’s chin, adjusting his grip with every defensive movement. As he tightened the choke, Ramirez’s face turned bright red while desperately trying to peel Hooper’s hands apart.

Ramirez made one final attempt to roll out of danger, but Hooper had every escape covered. The rear-naked choke was fully locked in, forcing the tap and giving Hooper yet another submission victory inside the cage.

It was another reminder of why Hooper is one of the most dangerous submission artists in the lightweight division. The moment the fight hit the canvas, the outcome felt almost inevitable. It was a flawless, methodical performance from Chase Hooper, who made another talented opponent look completely out of answers.

Official Result: Chase Hooper def. Mitch Ramirez via R1 SUB (RNC), 2:15

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Given Ricci had stepped into the fight about a month out, it wasn’t super short notice, but it was an upgrade for Kline, given Ricci’s #8 ranking was higher than Ribas.

Kline had the height and reach advantage in the fight, and worked from the outside early, using her jab and showing some impressive speed. Ricci did punch her way in to close the distance, but quickly bailed when Kline defended her first takedown attempt.

When Ricci did secure a takedown, care of a trip at center, Kline quickly reversed, getting in control. Ricci was able to scramble to the fence and work her way up, getting her hands going again, but with a minute left in the opening frame Fatima Kline landed another takedown, getting a hook in, peppering her opponent with punches and likely securing the first five minutes in terms of the scorecards.

Round two saw Ricci grab a Kline kick about a minute in, looking to take the fight down. Instead, she was reversed, with Kline taking her back along the fence. Ricci would eventually escape, but she was soon at risk of letting the round slip away. With that in mind, “Baby Shark” seemed to turn up the heat in the final two minutes, firing off punches in bunches, plus a high kick. Kline, meanwhile, missed a head kick of her own. The pair would clinch up in the final minute, Kline controlling Ricci against the fence and landing another key takedown, eventually getting back control with a single hook in.

Ricci more than likely needed to find a finish in the third round, but it was Kline coming out and landing hard early. Ricci was right there, answering back, but Kline ducked under and landed one highlight reel suplex, then another. Suplex city from Fatima Kline. Demoralizing for Ricci. The pair would go back to the feet, where things were a little more even.

In the final minute, Ricci landed an easy takedown, with Kline basically accepting it. Too little, too late however, and Kline scrambled free soon enough anyway.

Official Result: Fatima Kline def. Tabatha Ricci by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

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The undefeated prospect fought like a man who had somewhere else to be Saturday night at UFC Oklahoma City, overwhelming Montes with a relentless pace that never let up. From the opening bell, McMillen marched forward behind nonstop pressure, brutal body work, and combinations that seemed to come in waves.

Round 1 – McMillen came out like he was trying to end the fight in the opening minute, storming across the cage and unloading combinations that immediately backed Montes to the fence. Montes fired back with counters, but McMillen never took his foot off the gas, keeping a blistering pace and refusing to give his opponent any room to breathe.

Montes eventually fought his way off the cage and found a few openings in the pocket, but during one of the exchanges McMillen changed levels, scored a takedown, and settled into top position inside Montes’ guard. He mixed in heavy ground-and-pound before standing back up to blast away with kicks. Montes made it back to his feet, only to eat another clean shot for his efforts.

Looking to swing the momentum, Montes pressed forward, but McMillen welcomed the firefight. While he dialed the pace back just enough to stay composed, the pressure never stopped. Every time Montes tried to get something going, McMillen answered with another combination.

Montes finally found a moment of success, catching McMillen off balance and sending him to the canvas with a well-timed shot. It hardly mattered. McMillen bounced right back to his feet, jawing at Montes the entire time as he marched forward looking for more violence. Montes tried to pick his spots, but McMillen refused to give him any space, constantly forcing him backward and pinning him against the fence.

McMillen went to work with a vicious mix of body and head shots, digging hooks downstairs before bringing the attack upstairs. A crushing body shot visibly hurt Montes, prompting McMillen to empty the tank with wave after wave of combinations. Punches to the ribs, hooks to the head, and straight shots down the middle all found their mark. Another body shot folded Montes momentarily, but the Brazilian answered with a huge counter that briefly rocked McMillen.

McMillen recovered almost instantly and closed the round the same way he started it—marching forward, throwing everything he had until the final horn sounded.

Round 2 – McMillen came out for the second round exactly how he finished the first—marching Montes down without a hint of hesitation. Montes landed a clean right hand early, but it did nothing to slow the American’s relentless forward pressure. Before long, Montes found himself backed up against the fence once again as McMillen continued to pour on the offense.

To Montes’ credit, he found his rhythm and had success landing solid counters throughout the round. The problem was volume. Every clean shot Montes landed was answered by three or four from McMillen, who simply refused to let him dictate the pace.

The second frame turned into an all-out firefight, albeit at a slightly slower tempo than the chaotic opening round. McMillen was the busier fighter, piling up combinations and consistently touching Montes with volume, while Montes looked to make every punch count with heavier counters. With 30 seconds remaining, McMillen emptied the tank, unleashing another furious barrage of punches that forced Montes into survival mode. The Brazilian did just enough to weather the storm and make it to the third round.

Round 3 – McMillen wasted no time picking up where he left off, storming forward and cracking Montes with a vicious uppercut before digging brutal shots to the body. The combination folded Montes, sending him crashing to the canvas.

Somehow, Montes beat the count and got back to his feet, but the fight had completely swung in McMillen’s favor. McMillen smelled blood and never let up, unloading combination after combination while Montes showed unbelievable toughness. Despite absorbing crushing body shots, uppercuts, and hooks, the Brazilian simply refused to go away.

The confidence was overflowing from McMillen. After landing a clean shot, he even flipped Montes the bird before immediately jumping back into another barrage of punches, putting an exclamation point on his complete control of the fight.

McMillen looked like a man possessed, blasting Montes with another crushing combination that sent him stumbling backward. Still, Montes somehow stayed on his feet, refusing to quit despite the mounting damage.

With just over 90 seconds remaining, the referee finally stepped in, waving off the contest after watching McMillen dish out an overwhelming amount of unanswered punishment.

Tommy McMillen remained undefeated in spectacular fashion, delivering a violent, relentless performance that announced him as a prospect every UFC fan should have on their radar.

Official Result: Tommy McMillen def. Alberto Montes via R3 TKO, 3:29

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Delgado stayed composed when it mattered most. Every time Bashi looked ready to seize control, Delgado answered with cleaner striking and timely defense, grinding out a unanimous decision victory and getting his win streak to two.

Round 1 – Delgado came out looking to be the aggressor, immediately taking the center of the Octagon and forcing Bashi onto the back foot. Bashi answered with a couple of sharp jabs before detonating a huge punch that sent Delgado crashing to the canvas.

Smelling an opportunity, Bashi shot in and drove Delgado to the fence, but the position didn’t last long. Once back at range, Delgado looked to make the most of his reach advantage while Bashi remained committed to turning the fight into a grappling battle, repeatedly locking up the body and pressing his opponent against the cage.

Delgado initially stuffed the takedown attempts and got back to striking, but Bashi showed no hesitation exchanging hands. The young prospect uncorked a wild combination after they separated, landing another big shot that rocked Delgado and opened the door for another takedown. Delgado defended well at first, but Bashi eventually muscled him off the mat with a lift and slam.

As the round wore on, Delgado found success digging hooks to the body and ripping hard body kicks. Bashi continued winging heavy shots upstairs, sometimes recklessly, and it cost him. Delgado cracked him with a clean punch that dropped Bashi, forcing the grappler to desperately shoot for another takedown. Delgado stuffed it and punished him with punches as Bashi tried to recover.

Rather than follow him to the mat, Delgado allowed Bashi back to his feet and immediately fired a head kick. When Bashi changed levels once more, he ran straight into a devastating flying knee that dropped him again. Delgado pounced, threatening to take the back before advancing to full mount with just over 30 seconds remaining.

In the closing moments, Delgado secured Bashi’s back, locked in a body triangle, and closed out the round with relentless ground-and-pound, putting an emphatic stamp on a wildly entertaining five minutes.

Round 2 – Delgado came out for round two with the same game plan, marching Bashi down and forcing another takedown attempt. This time, Delgado defended beautifully, turning Bashi into the fence before creating space with punches as they broke apart.

Bashi looked much more composed after surviving the rough opening round and quickly returned to his wrestling. He managed to drag Delgado to the mat and briefly established top position, but Delgado wasted little time scrambling back to his feet.

Delgado ripped a body kick that Bashi caught, but the Australian could only use it to pin him against the fence while hunting for a single-leg takedown. Delgado continued to make Bashi work for every inch, frustrating most of the grappling exchanges.

In the closing seconds of the round, however, Bashi finally broke through, securing a takedown just before the horn to end the frame on a strong note.

Round 3 – Bashi opened the final round throwing a variety of kicks, attacking the body before whipping one up high. He quickly changed levels for another takedown, but this time Delgado reversed the sequence beautifully, scoring a trip takedown of his own. Once they returned to the feet, Delgado snapped Bashi’s head back with a crisp left hand and followed it with a sharp combination.

As the round wore on, Bashi’s gas tank appeared to be fading while Delgado continued to land the cleaner, more effective strikes. Delgado even mixed in his own single-leg takedown, but Bashi immediately snatched up a guillotine and used the submission attempt to sweep into mount. Delgado stayed composed, recovering half guard before Bashi could capitalize on the dominant position.

Bashi landed a handful of punches from the top, but he couldn’t generate enough offense to find the finish. Delgado’s resilience allowed him to survive the late grappling exchanges and hear the final horn after an action-packed three-round battle.

Jose Delgado got the nod and scored his second consecutive UFC victory.

Official Result: Jose Delgado def. Austin Bashi via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)

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Ko was a 2024 DWCS grad, while Lebosnoyani competed in 2025, with both winning contracts and neither having lost under the UFC banner to date. That was set to change following Saturday’s welterweight showdown.

The welterweights met in the center to open the first round, with Ko getting an early start on his kicking game. The two quickly engaged in a wild exchange after Lebosnoyani threw his first strike of the fight, but the pace soon slowed as Ko attempted a judo throw that was defended by Lebosnoyani. Jean-Paul Lebosnoyani capitalized on the opportunity, securing a takedown of his own, but Ko impressively worked his way back to his feet as the two resumed striking. Back at range, South Korea’s Ko began landing the heavier shots, though perhaps the biggest moment of the opening round came when Lebosnoyani threatened a tight guillotine before swinging for the fences in the closing seconds.

Jean-Paul Lebosnoyani pushed forward to begin the second round, using explosive bursts to close the distance on Ko. Seok-Heyon Ko attempted to halt the American’s momentum with a perfectly timed level change, but Lebosnoyani immediately threatened another guillotine in response. Ko remained composed, slipping free of the choke to secure top control, though the momentum appeared to be shifting in Lebosnoyani’s favor. Finding success behind his jab while mixing in his offensive wrestling, the American looked to be pulling away before the South Korean fought his way back to his feet, closing the round at striking range.

With the fight closely contested through two rounds, the welterweights showed mutual respect by meeting in the center and embracing before the final five minutes began. Ko established his jab once again in the third, while Lebosnoyani looked to force another chaotic exchange. Ko was able to time a sharp elbow as the American entered the pocket, the South Korean’s power beginning to overwhelm his opponent. Lebosnoyani, however, refused to go away quietly, forcing the action once more and landing one final takedown. Ko quickly escaped danger, and the two traded strikes until the final horn.

Ultimately, it was Jean-Paul Lebosnoyani who earned the decision over Seok-Heyon Ko in a closely contested welterweight matchup. Lebosnoyani improves to 11-2 as a professional, extending his undefeated UFC run, while Ko falls to 13-3, suffering his first loss with the promotion.

Official Result: Jean-Paul Lebosnoyani def. Seok Hyeon Ko by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

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Franco was 0-1 in the UFC; Rodrigues had seen his Contender Series victory last season overturned after testing positive for steroids, specifically Nandrolone metabolites.

The fight started with Rodrigues pushing forward and making it clear he was the faster fighter. Franco landed a good jab early, and both men landed heavy in an exchange. It was likely Rodrigues who got the better of it, as Franco immediately shot for a takedown. Franco nearly completed it, but Rodrigues showed a strong whizzer to stay upright and escape.

Franco landed a solid right hand that Rodrigues took clean, but he continued to come forward and stunned Franco with a clubbing left. Rodrigues tried to swarm him, but Franco responded with a flying knee before transitioning into a takedown. With a little over a minute left in the round, Rodrigues found himself on his back. Franco advanced to mount with around 30 seconds remaining and landed several huge elbows, though Rodrigues was able to survive to the bell.

Round two started with a stiff jab from Franco that seemed to hurt Rodrigues again. Instead of chasing the finish on the feet, Franco shot for a takedown, and it paid off immediately as he moved straight into mount. Rodrigues tried to simply sit up and explode out, but Franco stayed heavy on top and landed punishing shots. He turned up the pressure until the referee stepped in and called a stop to the fight.

Official Result: Felipe Franco def. Levi Rodrigues Jr by TKO (ground n’ pound), Round 2, 1:40

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The featherweight fight saw both men enter undefeated, meaning someone’s 0 was going to go. An interesting booking given both men had less than eight fights of professional experience to start the night, and with both skipping the Contender Series.

Elliott missed weight for the bout, but it didn’t appear to hurt him much when all was said and done. In fact, per the UFC broadcast, he actually set a takedown record (12) in the wrestling-heavy affair that unfolded.

The fight started with a feeling-out process over the first minute. Anderson was doing well at range while Elliott was the one applying pressure. They clashed heads during an exchange, and from there the pace picked up. Elliott immediately started attacking the takedown. Anderson was difficult to bring down at first, but Elliott stayed on him, securing a mat return before taking the back. Anderson stayed composed, cleared the hooks, and worked back to his feet. Elliott returned him to the mat again, but Anderson rolled for a leg to create a scramble and stand back up. Elliott was relentless, constantly chaining together takedown attempts. Anderson used a kimura to create some space, but Elliott never let up. Right before the bell, Anderson jumped on a guillotine, but it was never close.

Round two saw Anderson come out as the aggressor. Elliott shot from a little too far out, but he circled to the back and finished another takedown. Anderson rolled to his knees, got back to his feet, and landed a nasty elbow. Elliott kept pushing the pace and chained together another takedown. Anderson was getting taken down, but he never accepted bottom position, always looking to scramble back up. The issue was breaking Elliott’s grip and getting off the cage. Anderson kept rolling and using kimura attempts to create scrambles, but Elliott stayed glued to him. Elliott also attacked the kimura several times, going for it on four different occasions. Anderson defended the submission attempts well through the end of the round, but he clearly needed a finish heading into the third.

The final round started with Anderson coming forward, though he wasn’t throwing much. Elliott waited for his opportunity, and even though Anderson sprawled on the shot, he couldn’t shake him off. Elliott completed another takedown and briefly threatened an arm-triangle, but the squeeze was never there, and his top control wasn’t enough to keep Anderson down. Anderson got back to his feet, but he remained stuck against the cage and was taken down a few more times. With just under a minute remaining, Anderson finally turned into Elliott and got off the fence, but he wasn’t able to create any meaningful offense before the final bell.

Official Result: Ezra Elliott def. Damien Anderson by unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)

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