Bryan Battle: Me with PFL title belt 'a match made in heaven'

Bryan Battle is looking to bring some star power into the PFL. Battle (12-2) makes his promotional debut against former middleweight champion Johnny Eblen (16-1) in Saturday's PFL Pittsburgh (ESPN+) main event at UPMC Events Center. Known to rile up a crowd in his post-fight interviews, Battle's popularity increased during his UFC tenure, which saw him exit with a five-fight unbeaten streak.

If he can get past Eblen, he can't imagine PFL wouldn't insert him in the title picture. "I've been promised nothing, but what makes sense? We're talking about good business, me fighting for the title – even if I skipped fighting Eblen and I fought for the title off the rip, that's good business," Battle told MMA Junkie.

"I whoop Eblen, that's a no-brainer. "You want 'The Butcher' holding your belt. It's mutually beneficial.

It boosts me up, I boost it up. Me with the belt is a match made in heaven. So I think I whoop Eblen, that's a no-brainer, but that's out of my hands.