Bouncing back from defeat is nothing unusual for Impa Kasanganay, the reigning 2023 PFL light heavyweight champion.
In February, Kasanganay (13-4 MMA, 5-1 PFL), who had put the organization on notice with five straight victories, suffered a highly contested decision loss to Bellator middleweight champion Johnny Eblen in Saudi Arabia. Less than two months later, Kasanganay looks to start his potential 2024 tour on the right foot against Alex Polizzi (10-3 MMA, 4-3 Bellator) in the second event of the PFL regular season on April 12 in Las Vegas, Nevada. .
For Kasanganay, fighting in Saudi Arabia, arguably the PFL's biggest event to date since the Bellator merger, was what he needed to introduce himself to the MMA co-leader's new fans. However, the 30-year-old said he has even bigger ambitions for the rest of his career.
“I want to go out and do my job,” Kasanganay said MMA KO. “For me, when I fight, I want to be remembered as the best. I want to be the one who said, 'Okay, this guy really came here. He challenged himself.' He dared to be great in everything he did.” And, in the end, I did it here. I did it in PFL. I did it differently. When I fight, I finish fights, I break records. I want to create new records. I want to break old records and long-standing records. I want to represent my team, my family and God well.
Achieving those goals starts with beating Polizzi, a veteran of the division and someone who Kasanganay believes should not be taken lightly.
“He fought Yoel Romero,” Kasanganay said. “He fought (Julius) Anglickas. He's fought some tough guys, so, you know, he comes to fight. (I’m) looking forward to getting this win. The goal is to get that first round, get the first points and start the season well. I am connected. I'm connected, that's for sure.
Staying focused on the task at hand is something Kasanganay, a devout Christian, does outside of the PFL SmartCage. Currently, and possibly after retirement, the North Carolina native wants people to make better financial decisions and invest in hobbies that keep them active, like riding bikes, he said.
Kasanganay documents his bike rides on his YouTube channel: “The Tshilobo trek“, which he created in February to present another side of the man nicknamed “Tshilobo”, which means “hero” in English. At press time, the Instagram account is quickly approaching 400 subscribers, while the TikTok page had only just started.
PFL champion Impa Kasanganay rides a bike.
(via Impa Kasanganay)
“I tell stories and just show my life in and outside of fighting,” Kasanganay said. “Motorcycle adventures and trips – after my next fight we will ship my truck to Las Vegas and the motorcycle. I plan to come back and continue on and off road. Camp along the way, capture this and document it.
Kasanganay's itinerary includes stops in Austin, Texas, California and the Carolinas. Its aim is to demonstrate that people can live fulfilling lives if they are willing to have confidence in themselves. Kasanganay describes it as a commitment to yourself and your “own adventure.”
Nonetheless, as the fight approaches, Kasanganay said he is excited about the comfort of competing in Las Vegas and expects 2024 to be his most important year yet – personally and professionally.
“I am full of gratitude,” Kasanganay said. “I thank God every day that I’m no longer where I was. And I have so much more to gain where I'm going, so it's great.
Kasaganay and Polizzi compete in the co-main event as the card kicks off from the Virgin Hotels Theater starting at 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT on ESPN+.
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