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Updated 6/21/2026, 6:07:53 AMCompare ⇄
MMAhealthy
C
Netherlands · PFL

Costello van Steenis

"The Spaniard"

ArchetypeSubmission Hunter

Wins on the mat — every scramble is a trap.

MiddleweightOrthodoxAge 33
Record
18-3-0
Win %
86%
KO / TKO
6
Submissions
8
Finish Rate
78%
Height
185 cm
Reach
193 cm
Fights
21
Secret Weapon

Fight Plan: Costello van Steenis

A coach-ready game plan — historical weaknesses opponents have exploited and what to drill in camp.

Historical Weaknesses
  • Can be out-volumed by high-paced pressure strikers
  • Occasionally conservative output in three-round matches leading to split decisions
Camp Focus
  • Drill takedown defense and cage-wall scrambles
  • Constant lateral movement to break their rhythm
  • Stack southpaw sparring partners in camp
  • Underhook battles and posture work off the back
Blueprint Radar
BP 8.4/10

Fighter fingerprint

Six-axis profile — the shape tells you the style at a glance.

Aggression81Cardio85Wrestling82Fight IQ86Distance Control92Finishing78Costello van Steenis
Read the shape

Distance Control and Fight IQ are the standout edges; opponents should expect their game plan to lean on these.

  • Aggression81
  • Cardio85
  • Wrestling82
  • Fight IQ86
  • Distance Control92
  • Finishing78
Camp Prep ReportWhat to drill this week

Prep for camp: Costello van Steenis

Recommendations a coach can act on tomorrow — opponent tendencies, drills, and the sparring styles to stack against this fight.

Most Common Tendencies
Patterns to expect in the cage
  • Utilizes a high-level counter-striking game developed under mentor Gegard Mousasi
  • Threatens with heavy elbows in close quarters and from the clinch
  • Methodical top game focusing on control before advancing to submissions
Training Recommendations
Drill these specific looks
  • Drill reactive sprawls — bait the shot off your right hand
  • Pad work on cutting their right-side cage exits
  • Match their pace through round 2, then turn the screws in 3
  • Win exchanges with volume, not single shots — they walk through power
  • Posture and frame drills off bottom — never give up the back
Sparring Recommendations
Stack these styles in camp
  • Southpaw pressure striker
  • Chain-wrestling D1 partner
  • High-output kickboxer with heavy leg kicks
  • Black-belt grappler comfortable on bottom
Find Footage

See it on film

Every read above should be verifiable. Jump straight to the footage on the platforms that host it legally — official channels first, archive sites second.

Striking Tape

Distance, combinations, defensive movement

Wrestling / Grappling Tape

Entries, cage control, scrambles, submissions

Recent Fights

Last 3 performances, full rounds and post-fight breakdowns

Coaches: official clip embeds per fighter are coming next — for now, deep links open searches pre-filtered to Costello van Steenis.

Fighter Evolution

How Costello has changed

Trend lines across the last three years of tape.

2022
Aggression6.9
Wrestling7.1
Fight IQ7.5
2024
Aggression7.8
Wrestling7.5
Fight IQ7.9
2026
Aggression8.4
Wrestling8.2
Fight IQ8.6

Synthesized from recent fight tape · refresh to recompute

Similar Fighters

Stylistic neighbors

Closest matches across attributes, finish profile, and discipline — useful for sparring partner selection.

Status / Injuries

healthy

Last competed in March 2026.

Checked 6/21/2026

Recent Form

  • W
    vs Fabian Edwards
    KO (Elbows) · R1 · PFL Madrid
    2026-03-20
  • W
    vs Bolaji Oki
    Technical Submission (Brabo Choke) · R1 · Bellator Champions Series 2
    2024-05-17
  • W
    vs Kamil Oniszczuk
    Submission (D'Arce Choke) · R2 · Bellator 287
    2022-10-29
  • W
    vs Fabian Edwards
    Decision (Split) · R3 · Bellator 248
    2020-09-26
  • L
    vs John Salter
    Decision (Unanimous) · R3 · Bellator 233
    2019-11-23

Availability

active

Recently crowned PFL Middleweight World Champion as of March 2026.

Record

W-L-D
18-3-0
KO / TKO
6
Submissions
8
Win %
86%

Attribute Profile

Chin92
Cardio85
Fight IQ86
Striking84
Grappling88
Wrestling82

Scouting Summary

Costello van Steenis is a tactically disciplined middleweight and the inaugural PFL Middleweight World Champion. A protege of Gegard Mousasi, he blends a fundamental Dutch kickboxing base with a dangerous submission game and a relentless chin, having only lost via decision.

Primary source ↗

Tendencies

  • Utilizes a high-level counter-striking game developed under mentor Gegard Mousasi
  • Threatens with heavy elbows in close quarters and from the clinch
  • Methodical top game focusing on control before advancing to submissions
  • Highly durable fighter who has never been finished in professional competition

Signature Moves

  • Ground and pound elbows
  • D'Arce choke
  • Lead leg calf kicks
  • Snap jab counter

Weaknesses

  • Can be out-volumed by high-paced pressure strikers
  • Occasionally conservative output in three-round matches leading to split decisions