Why Bryan Battle beats Johnny Eblen at PFL Pittsburgh

"The Ultimate Fighter" Season 29 winner Battle is set for his first post-UFC appearance, headlining against former Bellator MMA champion Johnny Eblen on Saturday at the UPMC Events Center in western Pennsylvania.The bout is his Professional Fighters League debut at PFL Pittsburgh opposite Johnny Eblen, with Battle entering as a significant underdog.His initial hurdle is the weigh-in after consecutive UFC weight misses, including a cancellation.Battle went 7-1 with one no contest in the UFC and scored knockouts over Takashi Saito, Gabriel Green, and Kevin Joussett.Since a 2022 loss to Rinat Fakhretdinov, he has improved takedown defense; Eblen brings NCAA-caliber wrestling from the University of Missouri.