PFL Cape Town Main Event Preview: Johnny Eblen
Eblen will make the walk as the champion, but this will be his first official title defense as the PFL champion. Eblen had won the Bellator title back in 2022 with a dominant win over Gegard Mousasi. He then defended it twice with big wins over Anatoly Tokov and Fabian Edwards. He then won a split decision over Impa Kasanganay at the PFL vs. Bellator event. His last fight was last October where he defeated Fabian Edwards by decision in a rematch.
Standing across from the champion is Costello Van Steenis. Van Steenis earns this title shot off two straight finishes. Overall, he's 4-1 in his last five fights with the lone loss being a decision loss to Douglas Lima back in 2023. His last fight came back in November when he knocked out Joao Vitor Dantas with a head kick in the first round.
Johnny Eblen is the big betting favorite for good reason, however, he hasn't looked incredible in his last few fights. The Johnny Eblen we've seen in the PFL has not been the same as the guy we saw in Bellator. Whether it's motivation or lack of activity, something seems off and perhaps that could create an opening for Van Steenis.
However, at the end of the day, the wrestling of Eblen should be able to carry him in this matchup. I truly think that if he's fully prepared and he took this fight seriously, he should be able to impose his will throughout this matchup on his way to winning a decision.
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Another part has been by reducing the time he spends on his phone, instead using it to try things like learning a musical instrument and 'reading more about topics in life,' like the philosophy of Stoicism. And another is by considering: 'Who do I allow in my life?' 'I'm the fastest person to block people now (on social media) … just being part of each other's life is a great honor,' he told CNN Sports. Although 2023 was tough and he considered quitting swimming, he threw himself into his training and won the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) title in the men's 50m freestyle. In 2023, he left Louisville and swam for the University of Notre Dame, but after graduating, he began working full-time at a non-profit that helps college athletes break into the world of work, giving himself something to focus on beside his training. 'I got so stuck on the idea that I need to win, not because I want to win, I need to win because, if I win, I'm going to make this amount of money; if I win, I'm going to get seen by this amount of investors or sponsors,' he said. 'And it took away from the beauty and the love I have for the sport.' Last year, he was 'ready to quit' after failing to qualify for the Egyptian Olympic team. He didn't have a coach. Notre Dame's swim team was suspended for a year due to 'possible misconduct' and gambling violations and Elaraby says he was not seen as a training priority; he had 'every reason' to stop. Only a passing comment made by an Egyptian entrepreneur while she was interviewing him persuaded Elaraby to continue swimming. 'You should go back to swimming, but not because you want to achieve things, it's because this is what you love,' he recalled her saying. So he returned to the pool and trained three or four times a week. 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