Bryan Battle says divorce, UFC exit hurt preparation before PFL debut

Bryan Battle said personal issues affected his Professional Fighters League debut, providing context for his March loss and upcoming return. In an interview with Ariel Helwani, Battle cited a divorce and his UFC exit for leaving him unfocused entering his PFL debut in Pittsburgh against Johnny Eblen. He was submitted by face crank in the opening round after repeated takedowns, and said the lesson was that "this game demands everything you got." Battle (12-3) won The Ultimate Fighter 29 middleweight bracket in 2021 but was released last year after repeated weight misses despite a 7-1 record. He is scheduled to face Dalton Rosta on Aug. 7 in Charlotte, North Carolina.