Impa Kasanganay had dreams of becoming a famous UFC fighter.
That dream was realized at the UFC Fight Island 5 MMA event, though probably not how “Tshilobo” envisioned it. Kasanganay suffered a second-round knockout loss to Joaquin Buckley, a spectacular finish that quickly went viral on social media and became one of the most replayed highlights of 2020.
“I didn’t know then why it happened,” Kasanganay told reporters at the PFL Finals media day. “I didn’t pray for that to happen, trust me. I was like, ‘Okay, cool. How do I rise from this?’ My dad always told me, ‘In order to know your glory, they first need to understand your story.’ When people ask me about it, I say, ‘Play that highlight as much as you want.’ It’s great, credit to him. But the day that I’m champion, play that highlight too. On November 24, I get to do that.”
Kasanganay (14-3) was released from UFC back in late 2021 and split a pair of fights on the regional circuit before signing with Professional Fighters League (PFL) in early 2023. Now competing at light heavyweight, the Kill Cliff FC product is the winner of four straight inside the promotion’s SmartCage with three nasty finishes.
He’s just one victory away from becoming PFL’s next million-dollar man.
But the opportunity to face Joshua Silveira in the PFL Finals on Nov. 24 in Washington D.C. would not have materialized without his UFC career coming to an end. That’s why “Tshilobo” embraces the Buckley loss as part of his journey, which in the end, will make the taste of victory that much sweeter.
“I remember being in the Bud Light room in Atlanta and I looked at my coach and said, ‘Thank God UFC cut me,’” Kasanganay said. “I was just so happy. Man, what a situation. It was challenging to get fights there. All my friends were doing well there, great. All the people who I knew in the organization … I love people there too, so nothing against them. I’m just happy for me because who knows when I would’ve gotten that $1 million fight.”
But he’s not there yet.
The once-beaten Silveira (12-1) signed with PFL back in early 2022 after tearing through the ranks of Legacy Fighting Alliance (LFA). “Coninha,” one year older than Kasanganay at 30, is the winner of three straight, including last August’s technical knockout victory over Ty Flores in the PFL co-main event in San Antonio.
Just don’t expect any pre-fight trash talk.
“There’s nothing bad to say about Josh, right? Whether I liked him or I hated him, I still have a job to do,” Kasanganay continued. “That’s how I look at it and I don’t try to get distracted by emotions or trash talk. Maybe right now Josh and I don’t talk, we never really hung out. I see him at every fight, so why do I need to make something up about him just to talk about something? I don’t need that motivation, I love to fight. I’ll fight my best friend. I think if you’re really best friends with somebody or you really love them, at the end of the day you’ll still be cool. My goal is to be champion, whoever is there.”
For much more on the upcoming PFL card on Nov. 24 click here.
This story originally appeared on MMA Mania
