Tag: Impa Kasanganay

PFL finalist Impa Kasanganay not a fan of Josh Silveira’s approach: ‘An insult to his dad and his team’

Impa Kasanganay goes off on Josh Silvera and his attitude both before and during their PFL semifinal fight.

HOLLYWOOD, Fla. – Often times fights settle the differences between fighters, but that wasn’t the case in [autotag]Impa Kasanganay[/autotag]’s most recent outing.

The 2023 PFL light heavyweight champion defeated [autotag]Josh Silveira[/autotag] this past Friday in the main event of 2024 PFL Playoffs 2. This was a rematch between the two, as they had fought in November ins the 2023 PFL final for the 205-pound belt and the $1 million prize. Kasanganay (18-4) and Silveira (13-4) had a few heated moments in the buildup to the fight, and now that Kasanganay has the win in hand, he had a few tings to say to the American Top Team fighter.

“Like I said before the fight, ‘How does a fish get caught?’ A fish gets caught, gets killed on that hook,” Kasanganay told MMA Junkie and other media at the 2024 PFL Playoffs 2 post-fight interview. “He opened his mouth and got hit with the hook. Go back and watch it. He’s lacking focus.

“To me, respectfully, it’s an insult to his dad and his team. You’re sitting in front of your dad, who I really respect, and you’re taking it as a joke. You’re better than that, and I challenge him for that. … For Josh to show up the way he is and just play around too much, and just not be the fighter that he is, I’m disgusted by that. You’re in a fight, and you think it’s a joke to change your family’s life?”

Kasanganay, who now moves to the 2024 PFL final, doesn’t think Silveira improved since they last fought. He thinks Silveira did perform better, but overall was still the same fighter.

“I think he made a choice to go for it more so than showing he’s a better fighter,” Kasanganay said. “If he just sat down on some punches, he probably could’ve gotten better shots in. He committed to things – that was good. But it’s like going for broke every time. He still lost focus screaming in there. …

“Josh himself, to say he got better is like for something that he’s done for so long, I expect more out of him. I think his standard changed. The first fight, he finished Sadibou (Sy), Sadibou got hurt. In Salt Lake City, he was talking to Rob (Wilkinson) through the TV, ‘Let’s go mother-this.’ Josh, just focus on who you are. This fight, he’s talking to me and staring me down, and I’m like, ‘You’re so lacking focus.’ He has such a good dad and team, and he’s insulting them by that. So that’s my message to him.”

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for 2024 PFL Playoffs 2.

After ‘missing the hunt’ last year, Impa Kasanganay plans on finishing Josh Silveira at 2024 PFL Playoffs 2

Impa Kasanganay has a job to finish with Josh Silveira at 2024 PFL Playoffs 2.

[autotag]Impa Kasanganay[/autotag]’s goal is to beat [autotag]Josh Silveira[/autotag] in more emphatic fashion at 2024 PFL Playoffs 2.

Kasanganay (17-4) runs things back with Silveira (13-3) in Friday’s main event (ESPN/ESPN+) at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood, Fla. Kasanganay meets the man he dominated to claim the 2023 PFL light heavyweight title last November. Kasanganay wasn’t able to finish Silveira but hopes he can close their chapter by keeping the judges out of it.

“My faith and my confidence, they’re dialed in,” Kasanganay told MMA Junkie Radio. “I know what I’m here to do. I’m here to claim victory. I respect Josh, for sure. Nothing disrespectful to say about the guy. Last year I missed the hunt. I know Josh is better than he was last year, and so am I.

“I’m going to show that I’m going to dominate. I have a job to do, I have to finish that, and no matter if I fought the guy 10 times or if I fought the guy twice or once or never before, my focus is dominate, claim this victory and move forward and finish this guy.”

Kasanganay finished Alex Polizzi and Jakob Nedoh to kick off his 2024 PFL campaign. He aims to keep his finishing rate intact by becoming the first fighter to stop Silveira.

“I don’t see it as a continuation of the last fight,” Kasanganay said. “More so I consider it the continuation of the same hunt. Last year I missed the hunt. He’s wounded, he’s hurt, I beat him up, all those good things. We claimed the victory. I didn’t finish him. This year I get to finish. This year I claim that victory. This year I move forward with my team. It’s the third finish in a row this year and then get the finish in the title fight.”

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for 2024 PFL Playoffs 2.

2024 PFL 5 video: Impa Kasanganay barrage batters Jakob Nedoh to complete comeback

Impa Kasanganay didn’t have it easy at 2024 PFL 5, but he eventually blitzed Jakob Nedoh, which led to the stoppage.

[autotag]Impa Kasanganay[/autotag] was down but not out. Adversity appeared, but he did not fold. Instead, he rallied for a memorable and important finish at 2024 PFL 5.

After an early knockdown, Kasnaganay (17-4) quickly recovered to turn the tables and stop 2023 PFL light heavyweight champion [autotag]Jakob Nedoh[/autotag] (8-2) by doctor stoppage between the second and third rounds.

The stoppage came seconds after Nedoh appeared to be saved by the bell. An exciting, fast-paced second round ended with him on the retreat as Kasanganay unloaded strikes. The referee showed great leniency by not saving a rubber-legged Nedoh, but the doctor had a different opinion and advised the fight be stopped.

Kasanganay advances to the playoffs as the No. 1 seed. He’ll face Josh Silveira in the first round of the playoffs as he looks to capture the promotion’s 2024 light heavyweight championship for the second straight year.

Nedoh loses for the second time in as many fights since his 2023 European championship.

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The up-to-the-minute 2024 PFL 5 results include:

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for PFL 2024, Week 5.

Clay Collard vs. Mads Burnell headlines 2024 PFL 5 in Salt Lake City

Lightweights and light heavyweights are on tap when the PFL regular season touches down in Salt Lake City.

Lightweights and light heavyweights are on deck as regular season continues for 2024 PFL 5 in Utah.

PFL makes it’s debut in Salt Lake City, Utah on June 21 at Huntsman Center. The card will be headlined by a lightweight showdown between [autotag]Clay Collard[/autotag] and [autotag]Mads Burnell[/autotag], promotion officials announced Monday morning.

Utah’s own Collard (25-12-1) is No. 2 in the lightweight standings after finishing Patricky Freire by Round 2 TKO at 2024 PFL 2. Meanwhile, Burnell (18-6) will look to rebound after a second-round submission loss to Michael Dufort, who sits in the No. 1 spot.

In the co-main event, 2023 PFL light heavyweight champion [autotag]Impa Kasanganay[/autotag] (16-4) faces Slovenia’s [autotag]Jakob Nedoh[/autotag] (8-2). Despite finishing Alex Polizzi in the first round at 2024 PFL 2, Kasanganay finds himself at No. 4 in points, after Dovletdzhan Yagshimuradov (third), Josh Silveira (second), and Rob Wilkinson (first) all notched faster finishes on the same night. Nedoh was knocked out by Yagshimuradov in his first regular season matchup.

The PFL Week 5 lineup includes:

  • Mads Burnell vs. Clay Collard
  • Impa Kasanganay vs. Jakob Nedoh
  • Bruno Miranda vs. Patricky Pitbull
  • Josh Silveira vs. Rob Wilkinson
  • Simon Biyong vs. Dovlet Yagshimuradov
  • Antonio Carlos Jr. vs. Alex Polizzi
  • Brent Primus vs. Solomon Renfro
  • Tom Breese vs. Sadibou Sy
  • Elvin Espinoza vs. Gadzhi Rabadanov
  • Michael Dufort vs. Adam Piccolotti
  • Sergio Cossio vs. Anthony Romero
  • Karl Albrektsson vs. Laurynas Urbonavicius
  • Brayhan Zurcher vs. TBA

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for PFL 2024, Week 5.

‘Dark horse seed’ Alex Polizzi ready to play spoiler vs. Impa Kasanganay at PFL 2

Alex Polizzi is drawing PFL’s most recent light heavyweight champion in his debut.

LAS VEGAS – [autotag]Alex Polizzi[/autotag] is drawing PFL’s most recent light heavyweight champion in his debut.

Polizzi (10-3) meets 2023 PFL light heavyweight champion [autotag]Impa Kasanganay[/autotag] (15-4) in the PFL 2 co-main event at The Theater at Virgin Hotels in Las Vegas.

Polizzi faces a stern test for his first regular season fight, but isn’t fazed.

“I told my manager right off the bat: We got the dark horse seed,” Polizzi told reporters during a media scrum at Xtreme Couture. “It’s a chance for me to go in, my debut in the PFL, to show them what ‘Easy Polizzi’ is all about. Whether we win, lose or draw, like I always say, it’s going to be a good time.”

Polizzi finds himself in unfamiliar territory having lost back to-back to Yoel Romero and Karl Moore. While the aim is to snap his two-fight losing skid, Polizzi also guarantees to entertain. Eight of his 10 professional wins have come by finish.

“I don’t want to make it seem like, ‘Oh, if you’ve seen one Alex fight, you’ve seen them all,'” Polizzi said. “The thing is, I’m always bringing a certain amount of organized chaos.

“So make sure you’re tuning in because I’m going to do some weird stuff. I’m going to have a lot of fun doing it, and like I say all the time, if you guys are having half as much fun watching me as I’m getting out of it, that’s worth the price of admission.”

MMA Junkie’s Fight of the Month for February: Middleweight contenders net another bonus

With another action-packed month of MMA in the books, MMA Junkie looks at the best fights from February 2024.

With another action-packed month of MMA in the books, MMA Junkie looks at the best fights from February 2024: Here are the five nominees, listed in chronological order, and winner of MMA Junkie’s Fight of the Month award for February.

At the bottom of the post, let us know if we got it right by voting on your choice.

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Nominees

Johnny Eblen def. Impa Kasanganay at PFL vs. Bellator: Champions: Best photos

Check out these photos from Johnny Eblen vs. Impa Kasanganay at PFL vs. Bellator: Champions in Saudi Arabia.

Check out these photos from [autotag]Johnny Eblen[/autotag]’s split decision victory over Impa Kasanganay at PFL vs. Bellator: Champions, which took place at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (Photos courtesy of PFL)

PFL vs. Bellator: Champions live and official results

Check out the full results of PFL vs. Bellator: Champions which takes place at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

PFL vs. Bellator: Champions took place Saturday and MMA Junkie provided coverage of live and official results throughout the entire card.

The event featured PFL fighters vs. Bellator fighters at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Champions of both promotions clashed in the main and co-main bouts. The main event was a heavyweight bout between PFL’s [autotag]Renan Ferreira[/autotag] and Bellator’s [autotag]Ryan Bader[/autotag]. Middleweights battled in the co-feature as PFL’s [autotag]Impa Kasanganay[/autotag] took on Bellator’s [autotag]Johnny Eblen[/autotag].

The 11-fight event featured several notable names including [autotag]Yoel Romero[/autotag], [autotag]A.J. McKee[/autotag], [autotag]Aaron Pico[/autotag], [autotag]Claressa Shields[/autotag], and the pro debut of Muhammad Ali’s grandson [autotag]Biaggio Ali Walsh[/autotag].

Check out the official results, details and highlight clips from each bout below.