In addition to van Steenis vs. Edwards, AJ McKee returned to action, at featherweight, taking on Hungarian standout Adam Borics in another clash of Bellator MMA veterans. Also on the card, Linton Vassell was back. Originally scheduled to face 2024 PFL Global heavyweight champ Denis Goltsov, Vassell instead drew replacement opponent Jose Augusto, known as Anthony “Rumble” Johnson’s final adversary in MMA.

Where to Watch PFL Madrid

PFL Madrid takes place on Friday, March 20, 2026 at the Palacio Vistalegre in Madrid, Spain. The event airs live in the U.S. on the ESPN App, Movistar Plus+ in Spain, and talkSPORT YouTube Boxing in the U.K. Full results from the card can be found below.

PFL Madrid: van Steenis vs. Edwards Results

Costello van Steenis (c) def. Fabian Edwards by knockout, Round 3, 1:48 – for the PFL middleweight championship
AJ McKee def. Adam Borics by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
Franco Tenaglia def. Yassin Najid by TKO (injury), Round 2, 5:00
Jacinta Austin def. Benita Van Rodij by knockout, Round 1, 2:40
Linton Vassell def. Jose Augusto by TKO (punches), Round 2, 2:48

Preliminary Card

Luciano Pereira def. Kevin Cordero by knockout (punch), Round 1, 2:10
Borja Garcia def. Rafael Calderon by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Gino van Steenis def. Mark Ewen by knockout (punch), Round 1, 2:43
Mattia Giordano def. Ernesto Schisano by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Claudio Pacella def. David Mora by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-26, 30-27)
Ignacio Campos def. Mathys Duragrin by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

The post PFL Madrid: van Steenis vs. Edwards Full Results appeared first on Cageside Press.

Costello van Steenis faces Fabian Edwards as the Professional Fighters League starts to ramp up its 2026. While they’ve already held their successful Road to Dubai card, the next couple of weeks features big shows in Madrid, Pittsburgh, and beyond.

Both middleweight champ van Steenis and Edwards made weight on Thursday, as did co-headliners AJ McKee, back at featherweight, and Adam Borics. Linton Vassell and short-notice replacement Jose Augusto were never in question for their heavyweight fight.

Mathys Duragrin and Kevin Cordero both missed weight for their preliminary card bouts.

PFL Madrid: van Steenis vs. Edwards Weigh-In Results

Main Card

Middleweight: Costello van Steenis (c) (184.7 lbs) vs. Fabian Edwards (184.7 lbs) – for the PFL middleweight championship
Featherweight: AJ McKee (145.4 lbs) vs. Adam Borics (145.9 lbs)
Welterweight: Franco Tenaglia (167.8 lbs) vs. Yassin Najid (169.8 lbs)
Women’s Strawweight: Jacinta Austin (115.7 lbs) vs. Benita Van Rodij (115.4 lbs)
Heavyweight: Linton Vassell (242.5 lbs) vs. Jose Augusto (261.5 lbs)

Preliminary Card

137-Pound Catchweight: Kevin Cordero (136.6 lbs)* vs. Luciano Pereira (134.5 lbs)
Flyweight: Borja Garcia (125.6 lbs) vs. Rafael Calderon (125.6 lbs)
Lightweight: Gino van Steenis (155.8 lbs) vs. Mark Ewen (155.3 lbs)
Bantamweight: Mattia Giordano (136 lbs) vs. Ernesto Schisano (135.6 lbs)
165-Pound Catchweight: David Mora (164.1 lbs) vs. Claudio Pacella (164.7 lbs)
147-Pound Catchweight: Ignacio Campos (146 lbs) vs. Mathys Duragrin (146.5 lbs)*

* missed weight

The post PFL Madrid: van Steenis vs. Edwards Weigh-In Results appeared first on Cageside Press.

Borics (20-3) defeated Jeremy Kennedy via unanimous decision, in a tournament alternate bout. Borics will only fight if needed come the final, of course, but regardless, it’s a step back in the right direction.

“I’m happy to be back. It wasn’t the fight I wanted, but it’s hard to fight against somebody who doesn’t want to fight, just wants to grapple and hold you down,” Hungary’s Borics said following the bout, speaking with Cageside Press and other media outlets. “But I’m happy, I’m back on a win streak, and yeah.”

As the scores were being read, Borics didn’t have much cause for concern.

“I was pretty confident because in the first round I tried to finish him, I knocked him down and I tried to submit him. I was pretty close,” noted Borics, who could hear how close Kennedy was to going out. “Little bit I burned out my arms, and when he took my back I was like ‘okay I’ll give the second round, I don’t want to risk it, and I got to win the third round.’ So I was pretty sure it was 1-1, and it was.”

Should his services not be required at the end of the single-elimination PFL World Tournament, Adam Borics would prefer to fight later in the year. And he teased a move to lightweight as well.

“If they call me for the final, maybe but I would rest a little bit, because making weight two times in three, four months is pretty hard for me. I’m a pretty big 145’er, maybe in future I’ll move to 155. So if I get a choice, I would just fight end of the year.”

Watch the full PFL Nashville post-fight appearance by Adam Borics above.

The post PFL Nashville: Adam Borics Teases Lightweight Move in Future appeared first on Cageside Press.

The differences are subtle yet important: prize money is cut in half, but comes on top of each fighter’s regular purse. Gone is the rather convoluted points system that saw finishes worth more than decisions; instead, it’s a win or go home grand prix, and the bracket is clear from the outset.

Speaking with Cageside Press ahead of this year’s PFL 1 card in Orlando, FL, Borics (19-2) explained what took him out of action in 2024.

“I just fractured my ankle doing my wrestling, my partner did some stupid movement, but it is what it is,” he stated. “After that, I really wanted to fight again one more time that year, because it was just like, two months, three, four, it wasn’t like a serious injury. I couldn’t fight because it was a fractured ankle, but it was good after two months. It took me a year to go fight again, so I’m super-excited.”

Borics had tried to get on one of the Bellator cards in the fall, but unfortunately, several of those wound up postponed/cancelled (the promotion has since been folded into the PFL). “Maybe that’s why I couldn’t fight.”

The change in format isn’t something that really has Adam Borics approaching the PFL World Tournament any differently. “For me, the last season was the same. It was like, win or go home,” he stated. “I’m not thinking about the next fight, or what if I get this fight after that. I go for the semifinal now, I’m just focused on Jesus Pinedo now.”

Borics’ unwillingness to look ahead stems from his past, in fact. Though the bracket is set, he’s laser-focused on PFL 1 opponent Jesus Pinedo for good reason.

“I was in the Bellator grand prix back then [in 2020], and when I was facing [off] against Darrion Caldwell, I was already on A.J. McKee in my mind. And I got my first loss in my life. I’m never going to do that mistake again.”

Breaking down Pinedo, Borics admitted that the Brazilian is “a tough dude. He was a former champ, and I respect him.” However, he added, “he’s just another step in front of me.”

Borics did admit that he’s worried about his opponent making weight. Pinedo missed the mark for a 2023 fight with Bubba Jenkins, and last year saw a fight with Jeremy Kennedy cancelled when he again missed the mark. “He has to just make weight, that’s it. That’s what I care about, because he had some issues in the last couple of years, and if I make weight, I really want to fight.”

Watch our full interview with 2025 PFL 1’s Adam Borics above. The event takes place on Thursday, April 3, 2025 in Orlando, FL.

The post 2025 PFL 1: Adam Borics Hoping Jesus Pinedo Makes Weight appeared first on Cageside Press.

In a press release as well as an announcement on social media, league officials revealed the eight fighters (and two alternates) that would comprise the 145lb ranks. The PFL’s World Tournament, which takes over from its traditional season format and features a win and move on grand prix, kicks off in April.

Among the featherweight ranks will be former Bellator featherweight title challengers Adam Borics and Jeremy Kennedy, both of whom were defeated by Patricio Pitbull in their bid for gold. Pitbull was recently granted his release by the PFL, after sitting out most of 2024 and voicing his displeasure with the promotion.

Also in the mix at featherweight in 2025 is Gabriel Braga, a 2023 PFL finalist, who defeated Kennedy this past November. 2021 PFL tournament champ Movlid Khaybulaev is also in the mix, as is 2023 champ Jesus Pinedo.

The full featherweight roster looks as follows:

• Jesus Pinedo (23-6-1) of Peru
• Gabriel Braga (15-2) of Brazil
• Adam Borics (19-2) of Hungary
• Movlid Khaybulaev (21-0-1, 1 NC) of Russia
• Jeremy Kennedy (19-5) of Canada
• Yves Landu (21-9) of France
• Nathan Kelly (11-3) of Ireland
• Tae Kyun Kim (10-1) of South Korea
• Alternate – Frederick Dupras (8-1) of Canada
• Alternate – Nathan Ghareeb (10-3) of the United States

The PFL has also announced the welterweight alternates for 2025, after revealing the eight-man roster for the 170lb division yesterday. Dmitrii Hrytsenko (9-1) of Ukraine and Joseph Luciano (10-2) of Australia will serve as potential replacements in that weight class.

“The PFL World Tournament is the toughest test in MMA, where fighters have one shot to win and advance,” said PFL CEO Peter Murray, quoted in Wednesday’s press release. “Our Welterweight and Featherweight divisions are stacked with world-class talent, each athlete facing a high-stakes, single-elimination path to greatness. Fans across the globe can experience the action live through our premier distribution partners, including ESPN in the U.S., internationally on DAZN, and other premium media partners. The First Round starts this April.”

Correction 2PM ET: PFL has issued a correction to their original press release as Tae Kyun Kim, not Sang Won Kim, is taking part in this year’s featherweight World Tournament. Our apologies for any confusion. Article has been updated to reflect.

The post Featherweight Roster for PFL World Tournament Includes Braga, Borics appeared first on Cageside Press.

“That was my comeback fight. I had ACL surgery right after the (Patricio) Pitbull fight,” Borics told Cageside Press at his post-fight scrum.

“Most of the people they don’t know I fought without ACL against Pitbull.”

Borics (19-2) ended up having to wait 18 months for another chance to fight in the cage.

“I couldn’t wait to get back in the cage and perform. It wasn’t my best performance, but I fought hard. Enrique is a really tough guy. The cage was so slippery I couldn’t kick, but I am happy I am back. Excited about my new chapter in my career. It’s the second part of my career,” Borics said.

Borics is one of the many fighters that made the move to PFL following the merger with Bellator in 2023. He’s fought for the Bellator featherweight title before and now enters a different kind of tournament with $1 million prize attached to it.

“I’m really thankful for PFL. I had a long layoff so I want to be active and this tournament is perfect for me,” he said.

“I’m excited about this new chapter.”

Watch the entire post-fight scrum with Adam Borics above.

The post Adam Borics Details Long Layoff Due To ACL Surgery appeared first on Cageside Press.

After back-to-back fights that saw the pair swap the belt back-and-forth, Pitbull took on Hungary’s Adam Borics on Saturday — fresh blood as a title challenger.

Borcis and Pitbull found themselves in a feeling out process early, a stark contrast from the co-main event (McKee vs. Spike Carlyle), which had started at a breakneck pace. Perhaps that was what had the fans voicing their disapproval, unhappy with the lack of action in the opening minute and a half.

A jump knee by Borics, however, was costly just past the 90 second mark. Pitbull managed to land a counter to the jaw as Borics was mid-flight, stunning the challenger. Pitbull went after the fallen Borics, but Borics made it back up.

It wasn’t later before they were on the mat again, however, Borics on his back. Pitbull couldn’t make too much happen from top position, however, with the pair making it back up in the final minute. Pitbull would finish the frame landing a solid right hand, while Borics was relegated to leg kicks and trying to avoid the champ’s power.

Borics fired his jab early in the second, while Pitbull fired a number of leg kicks. The champ connected with a 1-2, the ride hand landing with considerable emphasis. Borics fired a low kick; Pitbull answered with his own. Borics was soon leaking, a cut having opened up on the side of his forehead.

Pitbull, meanwhile, was walking the challenger down. Borics was soon stymied, unable to close the distance, waiting and watching the champ a little too often. Borics finally opted to fire a kick to the body, landing that with a thud. The Hungarian would fire an inside leg kick moments later, but the action had slowed towards the end of the second, and the crowd let the pair know it. In the final minute, Pitbull secured a takedown off a caught kick, planting Borics on his back and working from half-guard until the clock ran out.

Another jumping attack by Borics backfired in the third, with Pitbull instead landing a takedown, getting on top — and 90 seconds into the stanza, he passed guard to mount. The initial sequence was a thing of beauty, with Pitbull essentially catching Borics in mid air, turning, and landing the takedown in one smooth motion.

well that was flashy #Bellator286 pic.twitter.com/petOWdrncH

— Spinnin Backfist (@SpinninBackfist) October 2, 2022

Coming early in the round, that gave the champ lots of time to work from mount, while Borics tried to buck Pitbull off. Borics would survive the round, even making it back to his feet, but Pibtull was all over him in the grappling department.

Borics was no doubt down heading into the championship rounds. He needed to make something happen — and through the first several minutes of round four, simply couldn’t. Instead, near the midway mark, a Pitbull leg kick had Borics stumbling; the champ followed that up by catching Borics upstairs. Borics worked his jab, occasionally, and fired a leg kick. Little if anything was being put together by the challenger however. And when Borics did let a combination go, Pitbull was more often than not nowhere to be found.

They’d come together in the final seconds, Pitbull getting the better of a grappling exchange before heading to the fifth and final frame. That found Borics pressing forward, firing a combination. Pitbull backed up — a rare sight through the first twenty minutes — but fired a counter. It was Borics on the hot seat, however. He fired another combination— but yet another jump knee failed, with Borics going too high, and Pitbull throwing him over the top. Pitbull then took the back, getting both hooks in as Borics got to his feet.

The challenger now had to carry Pitbull’s weight, with seconds, precious seconds, ticking away. Borics backed Pitbull up to the fence, two minutes remaining in the fight. Pitbull slipped off the back, but still had a hook in, keeping Borics tied up along the fence. Borics reversed and landed a takedown, his first in the bout. The fifth was plainly his best round — but coming after four that Pitbull ran away with, it was a moral victory at best. Pitbull would escape regardless, try for a late submission attempt, and finish the fight on top.

Official Result: Patricio Pitbull def. Adam Borics by unanimous decision (48-47, 49-46, 50-45)

The post Bellator 286: Patricio Pitbull Turns Back Adam Borics with Apparent Ease appeared first on Cageside Press.

Many had expected Pitbull’s next title defense to be a trilogy fight with A.J. McKee. And McKee was in fact on the Bellator 286 card, which went down in his back yard of Long Beach, California. But it was not Patricio Freire McKee was facing, but rather former UFC and LFA fighter Spike Carlyle, in a long awaited move to 155lbs.

Pitbull vs. Borics. McKee vs. Carlyle. Not a bad one-two punch, but the Bellator 286 card had more to offer. In another big featherweight fight, Aaron Pico was paired up with UFC and PFL veteran Jeremy Kennedy. The fight hadn’t been officially announced as such, but it could certainly be seen as a title eliminator — especially in the case that Pico won.

Juan Archuleta and Enrique Barzola also faced off in a promising catchweight affair that would see the victor return to the win column.

Bellator 286 takes place Saturday, October 1, 2022 at the Long Beach Arena in Long Beach, California. The preliminary card gets underway at 7PM ET, with the main card commencing at 10PM. Prelim action can be streamed above; where available, the main card is available to view below. Full results can also be found below.

Bellator 286: Pitbull vs. Borics Results

Main card

Patrício Pitbull (c) def. Ádám Borics by unanimous decision (48-47, 49-46, 50-45) – for the Bellator MMA featherweight world championship
A. J. McKee def. Spike Carlyle by unanimous decision (29–26, 30–26, 30–27)
Jeremy Kennedy def. Aaron Pico by TKO (injury), Round 1, 5:00
Juan Archuleta def. Enrique Barzola by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

Preliminary card

Bobby Seronio III def. Miguel Peimbert by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Islam Mamedov def. Nick Browne by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Jay Jay Wilson def. Vladimir Tokov by split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
Khalid Murtazaliev def. Khadzhimurat Bestaev by TKO, Round 2, 3:02
Sumiko Inaba def. Nadine Mandiau by unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)
Weber Almeida def. Ryan Lilley by split decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28)
Lance Gibson Jr. def. Dominic Clark by submission (triangle choke), Round 1, 1:49
Cee Jay Hamilton def. Richard Palencia by TKO (injury — broken leg), Round 2, 2:12
Mike Hamel vs. Max Rohskopf – Fight cancelled after Rohskopf not cleared to compete

Post-Liminary Card

Keoni Diggs def. Ricardo Seixas by unanimous decision (29–28, 30–27, 30–27)

The post Bellator 286: Pitbull vs. Borics Live Stream and Results appeared first on Cageside Press.

The night "Pitbull" became a legend. 👀@PatricioPitbull defends the Featherweight World Title against @AdamBorics on Saturday, October 1️⃣st.#Bellator286 pic.twitter.com/LQaJhnRh1x

— Bellator MMA (@BellatorMMA) August 30, 2022

It all came together beautifully last April for Patricio “Pitbull” Freire.  Having been stopped in dominant fashion a year prior by the sport’s most exciting and talented young prospect, Freire returned in an immediate rematch to outlast AJ McKee in a 25 minute fight and regain the Bellator featherweight championship that he held for several years.  The victory for Freire, at 34 year-old, was a seminal one and stands in high regard amongst his victories over the likes of Michael Chandler, Pedro Carvalho, Juan Archuleta, and Emmanuel Sanchez.

The fight showed that Freire remains not only amongst the elite in Bellator, but reasserted his place as arguably the best fighter to have never competed in the UFC.  But it also raised questions as to what could be next for the long-time champion.  His upcoming opponent is the latest behind McKee as part of the next generation of contenders, but he has already stood head and shoulders above the old guard during his title reign.  There are others coming, of course, in the form of Aaron Pico, Mads Burnell, Cody Law, and others.  But they are the ones with more to gain, and it remains to be seen if free agency (whether for Freire or a fighter outside of Bellator) will bring about the next big fight to add to Freire’s career.

Will "The Kid" get his moment? ☀️

Since debuting in Bellator 4️⃣ years ago, @AdamBorics has earned the right to fight @PatricioPitbull for the Featherweight title! #Bellator286 tickets go on sale next week! pic.twitter.com/8WqnXcpG4t

— Bellator MMA (@BellatorMMA) August 5, 2022

Ádám “The Kid” Borics has long established himself as the third super prospect in Bellator’s featherweight division behind AJ McKee and Aaron Pico, but Saturday night will be his opportunity to establish himself as a top talent in the entire sport.  A professional since 2014, the contender from Hungary is unique from his aforementioned peers in that he began his career outside of the promotion and built up a 9-0 record before making his Bellator debut back in 2017.  Without skipping a beat, he racked up five more victories including a knockout of Pico and a victory over former champion Pat Curran.

In 2020, he hit his first setback against former champion Darrion Caldwell in the quarterfinals of the featherweight Grand Prix.   Rather than be derailed by the bout, Borics returned to form with a four fight win-streak over that includes names like Mads Burnell and Jeremy Kennedy.  Similar to McKee in his first fight with Freire, age is on the side of Borics as he has the opportunity to see if the time is ripe to catch the longtime veteran.  If there is a difference in his attempt compared to McKee’s, it is that the loss Freire experienced is expected to make the champion more focused as to not repeat history and thus create a bigger challenge for Borics.

Stylistically, the speed and shot-selection of Freire will need another special night as he once again gives up multiple physical advantages to a young challenger.  Picking his spots to get in-and-out, while targeting the calves and body should he struggle to find the mark early, is expected to be the champion’s strategy.  For Borics, using his range and forcing the fight to the mat where he can neutralize Freire’s offense on the feet will be key to cutting away at the Brazilian’s proven gas tank and getting onto the most efficient route to victory.

#AndStill or #AndNew? 🎆@PatricioPitbull defends his Featherweight World Title against @AdamBorics this Saturday!#Bellator286 | 1️⃣0️⃣/1️⃣ | 10pm ET/7pm PT | @SHOSports pic.twitter.com/IEBNavKEO0

— Bellator MMA (@BellatorMMA) September 30, 2022

Top-contender Aaron Pico is expected to be the next challenge for the winner. should he triumph over Jeremy Kennedy on the undercard.  The bout would make for a multitude of scenarios considering Pico’s longtime pursuit of Freire goes back to when he was teammates with AJ McKee or a rematch with Borics after he was en route to a victory before suffering a knockout.  Considering McKee is also competing on the undercard, the possibility of making a trilogy with Freire at lightweight is also an option should the promotion and champion choose to go in another direction.

The post Bellator 286: Upstart Borics Looks to End Pitbull’s Dominant Title Reign appeared first on Cageside Press.

But for the first time in a year, the pair were not scheduled to fight each other. Instead, Pitbull, who had won his title back from McKee in their last meeting, was set to defend Bellator’s 145lb strap against Adam Borics.

McKee, meanwhile, was making the long-awaited move to lightweight, where he was paired up with Spike Carlyle. Also on the card, former bantamweight champ Juan Archuleta looked to get back in the win column against Enrique Barzola, and Jeremy Kennedy was paired up with Aaron Pico.

Weigh-ins for Bellator 286 take place Friday morning in Long Beach — full results can be found below.

Two fighters missed the mark on Friday — most notably co-main event lightweight Spike Carlyle. Carlyle came in a pound heavy, and took the additional hour to attempt to make weight. On his second attempt, Carlyle remained 0.6lbs over the lightweight limit. Dominic Clark also missed weight for his bout with Lance Gibson Jr.

Bellator 286: Pitbull vs. Borics Weigh-In Results

Main card

Featherweight: Patrício Pitbull (c) (144.6) vs. Ádám Borics (145) – for the Bellator MMA featherweight championship
Lightweight: A. J. McKee (155.8) vs. Spike Carlyle (156.6)**
Featherweight: Aaron Pico (144.6) vs. Jeremy Kennedy (145)
Catchweight (141lbs): Juan Archuleta (141) vs. Enrique Barzola (137.4)

Preliminary card

Lightweight: Jay Jay Wilson (156) vs. Vladimir Tokov (154.6)
Lightweight: Mike Hamel (155.6) vs. Max Rohskopf (155.4)
Lightweight: Nick Browne (156) vs. Islam Mamedov (155.2)
Lightweight: Keoni Diggs (155.6) vs. Ricardo Seixas (156)
Bantamweight: Richard Palencia (136) vs. Cee Jay Hamilton (135.2)
Middleweight: Khadzhimurat Bestaev (185.2) vs. Khalid Murtazaliev (186)
Women’s Flyweight: Sumiko Inaba (124.8) vs. Nadine Mandiau (125.8)
Lightweight: Lance Gibson Jr. (155.4) vs. Dominic Clark (158.2)*
Bantamweight: Bobby Seronio III (136) vs. Miguel Peimbert (131.8)
Featherweight: Weber Almeida (144.6) vs. Ryan Lilley (144)

* Clark missed the lightweight non-title limit by 2.2lbs

** Carlyle missed the lightweight non-title limit by 1lb, and had one hour to make weight. He weight in a second time at 156.6, missing weight by 0.6lbs

The post Bellator 286: Pitbull vs. Borics Weigh-In Results appeared first on Cageside Press.