PFL continued its 2026 schedule Friday with PFL Madrid from Palacio Vistalegre in Spain (ESPN+).
A middleweight championship fight took center stage at the event. Spain’s own Costello van Steenis (17-3) defended middleweight gold on home soil against Fabian Edwards (16-4), who entered off a 2025 Knockout of the Year contender.
MMA Junkie had complete coverage of the event, which you can follow below.
PFL Madrid results:
MAIN CARD (4 p.m. ET, ESPN+)
- Costello van Steenis def. Fabian Edwards via knockout (elbows) –Round 3, 1:48, to retain middleweight title
- A.J. McKee def. Adam Borics via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
- Franco Tenaglia def. Yassin Najid via TKO (doctor’s stoppage) – Round 2, 5:00
- Jacinta Austin def. Benita van Rooij via TKO (punch, hammerfists) – Round 1, 2:40
- Linton Vassell def. Jose Augusto via TKO (ground-and-pound) – Round 2, 2:48
PRELIMINARY CARD (4 p.m. ET, ESPN+)
- Luciano Pereira def. Kevin Cordero via knockout (punch) – Round 1, 2:10
- Borja Garcia def. Rafael Calderon via unanimous decision (29-28-29-28-29-28)
- Gino van Steenis def. Mark Ewen via knockout (punch) – Round 1, 2:43
- Mattia Giordano def.. Ernesto Schisano via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
- Claudio Pacella def. David Mora via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-26, 30-27)
- Ignacio Campos def. Mathys Duragrin via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
PFL Madrid play-by-play: Costello van Steenis vs. Fabian Edwards
Round 1 –The first minute takes place on the feet until van Steenis tries for a takedown, resulting in a clinch against the fence. It’s a long stalemate mostly until they separate with 2:45 remaining. Big head kick from van Steenis is blocked by Edwards. Nice right hand on the follow, though. Van Steenis is bleeding from the cotrner of his left eye, not sure how. Perhaps a head butt? Edwards shoots in for a takedown, but again they’re stuck against the cage with Edwards in a headlock. Nothing doing, so they separate with 50 seconds left, but Edwards shoots in quickly and ends up on his back. Bad move by him. Don’t understand Edwards trying to wrestle. This goes 10-9 van Steenis.
Round 2 – Strong leg kick by van Steenis early on drops Edwards to the canvas, but he pops up quickly. Edwards again with a takedown attempt, up against the cage, clinching. Boo birds come out, they separate with about 3:!5 left, and van Steenis mistake is kicking himself off balance. Edwards jumps on him and is on top. Van Steenis gives up his back, but Edwards is too high, and van Steenis shucks him off. Now it’s van Steenis in control of Edwards’ back. He’s going between short punches and attempting an RNC. Referee twice warns Edwards about his finger in the glove. Van Steenis makes a mistake in the final 10 seconds, scooting away on a submission atempt and losing his position, so the round ends with Edwards punching hard and repeatedly against the fence. Close round, but probably 10-9 van Steenis.
Round 3 – Fast action in the opening moments, with van Steenis kicking to the body and Edwards throwing punches. But here we go again with Edwards clinching against the cage again. Van Steenis reverses and locks in a standing guillotine, that makes Edwards back out. But he doesn’t think twice about wrestling and shoots again, and van Steenis makes him pay against the fence with short elbows to the side of the head, knocks out Edwards, and it’s over just like that! What in the world? You REALLY have to question why Edwards kept trying to wrestle.
PFL Madrid play-by-play: A.J. McKee vs. Adam Borics
Round 1 – Step side kick from McKee right away, and a few more kicks to follow. McKee’s speed looks like a difference maker already. McKee makes a mistake, though, throwing a high kick that gets caught. He falls to the mat, but Borics doesn’t engage, so they’re on the feet again with 3:40 remaining. McKee is doing good work with his lead leg, Nice takedown defense by Borics stuffing a doube keg at the 2:30 mark. Borics is taking a good number of kicks and stomps to his lead leg. Entertaining but technical first round goes to McKee 10-9. He was just too good with his lead leg.
Round 2 – Borics comes out and has McKee on his backfoot, which is a good thing for Borics. It’s clear that he’s a step slower and needs to stay close with pressure and not let McKee work from the outside. Nice left hand by McKee is answered with a nice two-punch combo. Big swing and miss by Borics at the 2:50 mark. Borics finishes a combo with a nice right hand. McKee responds with a strong lead punch and follows up with continued attack to the lead leg. For as much as this has been a better round for Borics, it’s also been a better round for McKee with 90 seconds left. McKee takedown attempt leads to a clinch against the cage in the final minute. Stalemate at the end, but overall another McKee round 10-9.
Round 3 – First significant strike is a hard body kick from McKee. Borics not pressuring like he did in Round 2. McKee just does a great job sticking and moving. Then with about 2:15 left, McKee gets his first takedown. This could seal the win for him unless Borics pulls something off. Borics pops up after a struggle, but he eats a combo on separation. They stand for the final minute and trade exchanges. Borics swinging big from the outside now, but he can’t find the range McKee gets some good shots in before the round ends. Should be another 10-9 for McKee and 30-27 overall for the former Bellator champion.
PFL Madrid play-by-play: Yassin Najid vs. Franco Tenaglia
Round 1 – Kind of a wild start with Tenaglia closing distance and surprisingly looking to grapple? Najid gets it to the mat from the clinch and almost locks in a D’Arce choke, but Tenaglia is out and up. Najid with another takedown attempt, and he’s fighting to get Tenaglia back down. This is exhausting work. To his credit, Najid sticks with it for the rest of round and does a great job grappling, transitioning, and picking his spots to ground and pound. 10-9 Najid easy.
Round 2 – Tenaglia coming from BKFC and continuing to grapple is not what we thought would happen, but that continues in Round 2, only this time Tenaglia is in control. They both look tired with about 2 minutes left, but Tenaglia is on top and throwing punches as Najid doesn’t even really try to get back up. Good rebound for Tenaglia, who easily takes it 10-9. Both these guys are GASSED ahead of Round 3.
Oh, well, the fight is over! Najid appears to have dislocated his shoulder, and the fight has been stopped.
PFL Madrid play-by-play: Jacinta Austin vs. Benita van Rooij
Round 1 – An action first round doesn’t last too long after Austin lands a beautiful combination to drop van Rooij and then finish her with hammerfists. Nice win for Austin, who didn’t let the frenetic pace get the best of her.
PFL Madrid play-by-play: Jose Augusto vs. Linton Vassell
Round 1 – Vassell comes out as the aggressor, but Augusto lands the first big punch of the fight just 30 seconds in, a nice right hand. This looks like a heavyweight fight, all right, through 2 minutes with little footwork and each guy closing in and coming out. Vassell is taking advantage of Augusto’s very upright stance, landing kicks and punches to the body. Augusto lands a nice uppercut with about 1:40 remaining, but Vassell eats it well. Augusto landed the two or three best punches of the round, but Vassell landed many more significant strikes overall. … Vassell 10-9.
Round 2 – A little more aggression from Vassell to start gets a response from Augusto, so Vassell level changes for a double-leg takedown in the first 20 seconds. Vassell gets to full mount pretty quickly and drops elbows on Augusto, who doesn’t have an answer. Augusto is in trouble, so he gives up his back, but Vassell still has the body lock. More ground and pound, and that’s it. Very methodical finish for Vassell, who gets the TKO win. That was a mismatch.
PFL Madrid highlight: Luciano Pereira faceplants opponent with knockout punch
PFL Madrid highlight: Gino van Steenis wins by cold knockout
