PFL Champions Series Africa Best Bets and Props: Eblen vs. van Steenis

If you crave violence, artistry, and competition in its purest form, mixed martial arts might be for you.

While most know the sport through the world-famous UFC promotion, a competitor is giving the juggernaut a run for their money -- quite literally. Boasting improved fighter pay, Professional Fight League, or "PFL", brings many of the top veterans and experienced fighters to battle in a different format.

In each weight class, the regular season decides seeding for a playoff bracket as fighters will battle throughout 2025 for a $500,000 grand prize.

There are plenty of ways to get in on the action. FanDuel Sportsbook provides MMA odds including moneylines, round totals, and prop bets for each fight.

Without further delay, here are a few best bets for Saturday's special PFL event, which features showcase bouts from Cape Town, South Africa.

PFL Africa 1 Betting Picks for July 19th, 2025

Corey Anderson vs. Dennis Goltsov

Anderson to Win (+140)
Anderson Wins Inside the Distance (+440)

For the first time in his MMA career, Corey Anderson will move up to heavyweight on Saturday.

"Overtime" probably saw the success of Ryan Bader, 3-1 in the division, and thought he might use his speed similarly considering he knocked out Bader in 2021. A former UFC staple, Anderson has wins over two former 205-pound champions in Glover Texeira and Jan Blachowicz. He's 5-1 in Bellator with a no-contest for a clash of heads.

Dennis Goltsov will absolutely have the size edge for what he lacks in speed. The natural heavyweight tipped the scales at 245.8 pounds to win last year's PFL heavyweight title, the $1 million prize, and a spot in this marquee bout.

The Russian's best work comes on the mat, so it's noteworthy that Anderson has never been subbed as a pro, and the underdog's takedown D in UFC was outstanding (83%).

I've mentioned the gap between Bellator and PFL in these previews historically, and none of Goltsov's wins rise to the level of Anderson's championship efforts with the now-extinct promotion. Getting plus money here is incredibly appealing.

AJ McKee Jr. vs. Akhmed Magomedov

McKee by Submission or Points (-145)

A 2023 bout with Bellator's Henry Corrales showed Akhmed Magomedov is as tough as a two-dollar steak.

The problem? He survived leg kicks and some massive shots to lose a convincing decision to a 36-year-old Corrales. For a long time, AJ McKee Jr. has been Bellator's gold standard at 145 or 155 pounds. This is a brutal task.

I'm glad to see "The Mercenary" return to featherweight for this bout after a younger, natural lightweight in Paul Hughes delivered a rude awakening to McKee last year. He survived but lost via a non-competitive decision, and the 5'11" fighter's conditioning has to be on point to make this weight class.

That length, speed, and submission danger (8-0 as a pro by submission) will be a problem for the smaller Russian. Magomedov going to a full decision with Gabriel Miranda (1-3 UFC) seems pretty problematic, as well.

Toughness is worth something when McKee hasn't won by knockout since 2019. I think McKee wins a lopsided decision but could also find a submission on a sloppy takedown entry as he did against Patricio Pitbull in 2021.

Dakota Ditcheva vs. Sumiko Inaba

Ditcheva in Round 1 (-145)
Ditcheva by Submission in Round 1 (+800)

PFL knows where its bread is buttered.

Kayla Harrison dominated its women's divisions for years before her undefeated run to UFC gold. There's been even more legitimacy to Dakota Ditcheva's rise given that she just knocked out a former UFC title challenger, Taila Santos, in Round 2 to win PFL's flyweight title last fall. I was a doubter on "Dangerous" Dakota's poor level of competition but have been reformed.

This showcase bout for Ditcheva is pretty shameless, but she'd have just smashed PFL's 125-pound roster again. Why not fight once for the same paycheck?

She's dropped or (T)KO'd all nine PFL opponents, and 34-year-old Sumiko Inaba, with just nine pro fights, isn't the strongest profile despite a 7-1 record in Bellator. Her durability just can't be assumed when Santos, not finished in 25 pro fights through a run to the UFC title, was helpless.

Ditcheva's power is next level, and this is such an uneven matchup that you can't rule out her showing off new submission skills on a wounded opponent. We've seen it before.

Johnny Eblen vs. Costello van Steenis

van Steenis to Win (+390)
van Steenis by Submission (+1200)

If one of these showcase spots goes a bit awry, I think it might be Johnny Eblen's.

Eblen was once seen as potentially the best middleweight in the world with a 16-0 record, but I'm a bit more skeptical of his legitimacy than Ditcheva's relative to challengers. After all, Eblen was hurt and nearly finished by Impa Kasanganay in 2024, and Kasanganay has gone on to lose two consecutive fights by (T)KO in PFL.

He's also lost his finishing touch taking on more dangerous foes, going the distance in six of his last seven fights. Costello van Steenis hasn't been finished as a pro, and he's a better striker than Eblen with nasty kicks and eight pro wins via submission, including weaponizing grappling advances for a sub with a Von Flue and D'Arce choke recently.

At 33, Eblen's wrestling-heavy style doesn't typically age with grace, and he's been getting quite the paycheck from PFL to fight once a year. I prefer a "point spread" sort of bet if available, but I do believe "The Spaniard" can pull this upset.

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