Tag: Impa Kasanganay

Video: PFL vs. Bellator press conference faceoffs

Check out the faceoffs from the first press conference ahead of the inaugural PFL vs. Bellator event in South Florida.

The first PFL vs. Bellator press conference took place Wednesday, and afterward the fighters in attendance came face to face for the first time.

The first PFL vs. Bellator event since the acquisition takes place Feb. 24 at Boulevard Hall in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, with a main card that streams on ESPN+ and DAZN pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN+ and ESPNews. The entire card pits PFL fighters vs. Bellator fighters and is chalk full of current and former champions from each promotion.

In the main event, reigning PFL heavyweight champ [autotag]Renan Ferreira[/autotag] takes on Bellator heavyweight champ [autotag]Ryan Bader[/autotag]. The co-main event pits PFL light heavyweight champ [autotag]Impa Kasanganay[/autotag] moving back down to middleweight to face Bellator 185-pound champ [autotag]Johnny Eblen[/autotag]. A showdown between current featherweight champions, [autotag]Jesus Pinedo[/autotag] from the PFL and [autotag]Patricio Freire[/autotag] of Bellator, is also on tap.

In addition to the fights between current champions, a host of matchups between former champs and title challengers are also slated.

You can watch all of the faceoffs from the first PFL vs. Bellator press conference at the Seminole Hard Rock in Hollywood, Fla., in the video above.

Below is the complete PFL vs. Bellator lineup:

MAIN CARD (Pay-per-view, 3 p.m. ET)

  • Renan Ferreira vs. Ryan Bader
  • Impa Kasanganay vs. Johnny Eblen
  • Ray Cooper III vs. Jason Jackson
  • Jesus Pinedo vs. Patricio Freire
  • Bruno Cappelozza vs. Vadim Nemkov
  • Thiago Santos vs. Yoel Romero
  • Clay Collard vs. A.J. McKee

PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN+, ESPNews, 12:30 p.m. ET)

  • Gabriel Braga vs. Aaron Pico
  • Biaggio Ali Walsh vs. Chris Morris
  • Claressa Shields vs. Kelsey De Santis
  • Abdullah Al-Qahtani vs. Edukondal Rao
  • Malik Basahel vs. Vinicius Pereira

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for PFL vs. Bellator.

Matchup Roundup: New UFC, PFL, Bellator fights announced in the past week (Jan. 15-21)

Check out the UFC, PFL, and Bellator fights that were first reported or confirmed by MMA Junkie in the past week.

MMA fight announcements are hard to follow. With so many outlets and channels available, it’s nearly impossible to organize.

But here at MMA Junkie, we’ve got your back.

Each week, we’ll compile all the newly surfaced fights in one spot. Every Monday, expect a feature listing everything you might have missed from the UFC, PFL, and Bellator.

Here are the fight announcements that were broken or confirmed by MMA Junkie or officially announced by the promotions from Jan. 15-21.

PFL names its top 10 knockouts of the 2023 season

Relive the PFL’s best knockouts of the year with this video ranking the top 10.

Some nasty knockouts were on display this year in the PFL.

From [autotag]Sadibou Sy[/autotag]’s masterful spinning wheel kick in the playoffs to [autotag]Cedric Doumbe[/autotag]’s PFL debut, there were plenty of quality finishes in the smart cage. And now with the season over, the promotion ranked its best knockouts as the following:

1. Sadibou Sy def. Shane Mitchell
2. Cedric Doumbe def. Jordan Zebo
3. [autotag]Amber Leibrock[/autotag] def. Martina Jindrova
4. [autotag]Jesus Pinedo[/autotag] def. Brendan Loughnane
5. [autotag]Denis Goltsov[/autotag] def. Yorgan De Castro
6. [autotag]Renan Ferreira[/autotag] def. Maurice Greene
7. [autotag]Carlos Leal[/autotag] vs. Dilano Taylor
8. [autotag]Lewis McGrillen[/autotag] def. Salih Culucan
9. [autotag]Larissa Pacheco[/autotag] def. Olena Kolesnyk
10. [autotag]Impa Kasanganay[/autotag] def. Marthin Hamlet

You can watch the replay of the top 10 PFL knockouts in the video above.

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PFL champ Impa Kasanganay eyes two-promotion title status against Vadim Nemkov or Johnny Eblen

Impa Kasanganay is looking to add more gold to his collection after capturing the 2023 PFL light heavyweight championship.

LAS VEGAS – [autotag]Impa Kasanganay[/autotag] is looking to add more gold to his collection after capturing the 2023 PFL light heavyweight championship.

Kasanganay (15-3) defeated Josh Silveira by unanimous decision at 2023 PFL Championships earlier this month, giving him the $1 million season prize and setting him up for a marquee fight next.

Prior to the event, it was announced PFL had purchased rival promotion Bellator, with plans to set up a champion-vs-champion event in the first quarter of 2024. PFL does not have a middleweight class, however, and given Kasanganay has fluctuated between 205 pounds and 185 pounds during his career, it positions him to take on two potential Bellator titleholders.

Kasanganay, 29, is uncertain of exactly who it could be between light heavyweight champ Vadim Nemkov (16-2) and middleweight kingpin Johnny Eblen (14-0), but he welcomes either option.

“Nemkov or Eblen: It could be both – I’ll fight both of them in one night,” Kasanganay told MMA Junkie on the red carpet of the 15th Annual World MMA Awards. “Whatever’s best. It would be great to be a double champ in two organizations.

“Nemkov, he’s a light heavyweight champion and I’ve been hearing some things about what he wants to do. He might go up (to heavyweight), or what he’s going to do. So I’m just going to see what that matchups going to be.”

For now, Kasanganay is still riding high on the biggest accomplishment of his MMA career. He said he’s not allowing the career-altering prize that comes with winning a PFL season, however, and is committed to keeping grounded after receiving new financial fortune.

“I want to be smart, save my money, live wealthy and live life and do what I want to do,” Kasanganay said. “Put the money in the right place and take care of my family. … Nothing crazy. I just want to be smart with my money.”

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Video: Which 2024 PFL matchup is most intriguing?

PFL has a few interesting matchups ahead in 2024, but which one are we looking forward to the most?

The PFL is going big early in 2024 with an event that will see its champions take on Bellator’s titleholders.

The champion vs. champion event is expected to take place in Q1 2024, with a date and venue to be determined soon. The premise is interesting because it does answer a question that often arises in conversation: Which promotion has the best champion?

We get to answer that question next year between PFL and Bellator, but which matchup is the most intriguing?

[autotag]Patricio Freire[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Jesus Pinedo[/autotag], [autotag]Vadim Nemkov[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Impa Kasanganay[/autotag], and [autotag]Cris Cyborg[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Larissa Pacheco[/autotag] are all possibilities for the event. But the matchups don’t stop there. There’s more fights to be made between the two rosters, and other PFL bouts to be made, including [autotag]Francis Ngannou[/autotag]’s return.

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Our “Spinning Back Clique” of panelists Mike Bohn, Danny Segura and Brian Garcia and host George Garcia discuss which potential fight for 2024 excites them the most.

Watch the video above to see the discussion, or check out the entire episode of “Spinning Back Clique” below on YouTube or in podcast form.

Impa Kasanganay serious about Francis Ngannou callout: ‘He’s a powerhouse and all that, but I don’t care’

Impa Kasanganay is not kidding about wanting to fight Francis Ngannou.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – [autotag]Francis Ngannou[/autotag] has received several callouts for an MMA fight, but perhaps the most surprising one happened this past Friday.

At the 2023 PFL Championship, [autotag]Impa Kasanganay[/autotag] called out Ngannou after winning the 2023 PFL light heavyweight title in his dominant decision win over Josh Silveira (12-2). It was a call out that few saw coming, given there’s no history between the two and the fact that they’re in different weight classes.

While many might’ve taken the callout as a way to grab headlines, Kasanganay (15-3) assures that he’s dead serious about his desire to fight the former UFC heavyweight champion.

“I don’t just say things to say things,” Kasanganay told MMA Junkie. “I want him because he’s great. I’m not here to test myself or just try it out. I’m here to claim a victory, too. If you really want to be the best to ever do it, you have to show it.

“Yes, he’s a powerhouse and all that, but I don’t care. I really, really want Francis because a lot of people run from him. He’s trying to find fights, I’ll go up to heavyweight. The biggest I’ve been is 245 (pounds). I’ll beat him if I’m 215. I don’t care. I’m not here to play around. I trust the trainers I have. I trust the coaches I have, and I’m just going to keep running through somebody’s face over and over again until I claim that victory.”

Kasanganay would love to be the first person to fight Ngannou under the PFL banner. He even suggested that their fight could be over in Africa, a place PFL plans to eventually start hosting events.

“PFL, you don’t have to look around, you know where to find me,” Kasanganay said making his case to be next for Ngannou. “You know I’m going to show up and say yes. Let’s do it on the inaugural PFL Africa card with us. Let’s set it off. … Let’s bring greatness back to the continent. I’m not here to play around. I respect Francis and I think he’s doing great work, and that’s where warriors go. They say the warrior’s greatest reward is the next battle, so that’s what I want.”

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for 2023 PFL Championship.

Impa Kasanganay def. Josh Silveira at 2023 PFL Championship: Best photos

Check out these photos from Impa Kasanganay vs. Josh Silveira at 2023 PFL Championship for the light heavyweight title.

Check out these photos from [autotag]Impa Kasanganay[/autotag]’s light heavyweight title victory over Josh Silveira at 2023 PFL Championship at The Anthem in Washington, D.C. (Photos by Cooper Neill, PFL MMA)

Impa Kasanganay dominates Josh Silveira for 205 crown, calls out Nemkov and Ngannou | 2023 PFL Championship Fight Night HQ

No. 1 seed Josh Silveira meets No. 3 Impa Kasanganay in the PFL’s 205-pound season championship.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The PFL crowned its newest $1 million light heavyweight winner Friday.

No. 1 seed [autotag]Josh Silveira[/autotag] (12-1) met No. 3 [autotag]Impa Kasanganay[/autotag] (14-3) in the 205-pound season championship at The Anthem in Washington, D.C.

Go inside the matchup below, from the backstory and the buildup through the end of the fight itself, with stats, photos, preview videos, highlight videos, quotes, recaps and more.

The story will update throughout the fight and event.

UFC veterans in MMA action Nov. 23-24

Check out which veterans of the UFC are competing in combat sports across the globe this weekend.

This week, the UFC is idle during Thanksgiving week.

Elsewhere, many other combat sports events are taking place that feature a number of familiar names that have competed under the UFC banner.

Check out which veterans of the global MMA leader are competing Nov. 23-24.

Scroll below to see how the UFC veterans fared last week, and see the names and details of this weekend’s competitors.

Upcoming event information from Tapology.

‘Gold belt mentality’: PFL finalist Josh Silveira explains why title would mean more than $1 million

A second generation fighter, PFL finalist Josh Silveira was born with a martial artist’s mentality that he still carries today.

Money is cool, but [autotag]Josh Silveira[/autotag] is looking for something a bit more meaningful to his sense of martial arts accomplishment.

For the second straight year, Silveira (12-1 MMA, 5-1 PFL) is on the verge of a $1 million prize. He faces former UFC fighter [autotag]Impa Kasanganay[/autotag] (14-3 MMA, 4-0 PFL) in a light heavyweight final at 2023 PFL Championship. The event takes place Nov. 24 at The Anthem in Washington, D.C., and streams on ESPN+.

“I would say the belt (means more than money),” Silveira recently told MMA Junkie Radio. “The belt drives me the most. Being champion, having that title, being part of a good organization and really cementing my name. The sport is growing. I think I have a good personality. I think I fight well. I think the money is going to come in all shapes and sizes.

“But I think the gold belt, especially for my father, and (it’ll) place a good stepping stone, a key moment into my great career. This is just the beginning. I think the gold belt for sure is the type of mentality you should have. The money is going to come and go but we really want to cement ourselves in that championship category, for sure.”

Perhaps Silveira’s preference for pride over dollars was handed down to him by his father, Conan, a former UFC fighter and longtime American Top Team coach. Silveira is a second-generation fighter. He’s been around an MMA gym for as long as he can remember.

“I think the PFL season format can kind of be tough,” Silveira said. “You need good coaching to understand that, ‘Hey, we’re going for our fourth fight. You’re more than ready. We’ve just got to sharpen up these little tools, do a couple of adjustments, get you ready for two more rounds, and that’s it.’ To be honest, the work feels good. The work feels done already. I feel like I’ve just been fighting all year long. It’s no problem with that. I feel great. My dad is just a guy who does a couple of adjustments, sometimes when he sees me getting too antsy. It is for a world championship fight. His goal is to keep me calm and collected and let’s go really cap this thing off and win this thing.”

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for 2023 PFL Championship.