MMA Knockout

PFL Las Vegas: Impa Kasanganay Talks Repeating As Champion, Legacy, ‘Own Adventure’

Impa Kasanganay recently spoke to MMA Knockout's Zain Bando ahead of PFL Las Vegas.

Zain Bando

Impa Kasanganay celebrates a win inside the PFL SmartCage.
Impa Kasanganay celebrates a win inside the PFL SmartCage. / (via PFL MMA)

Bouncing back from defeat is nothing unusual for Impa Kasanganay, the defending 2023 PFL light heavyweight champion.

In February, Kasanganay (13-4 MMA, 5-1 PFL), who had put the organization on notice with five straight wins, suffered a closely contested decision loss to Bellator middleweight champion Johnny Eblen in Saudi Arabia. Less than two months later, Kasanganay attempts to begin his 2024 potential repeat tour on the right foot against Alex Polizzi (10-3 MMA, 4-3 Bellator) during PFL’s second regular-season event April 12 In Las Vegas, Nev.

For Kasanganay, fighting in Saudi Arabia, arguably the PFL’s most significant event to date since the Bellator merger took shape, was what he needed to showcase himself to newer fans of the co-leader in MMA. However, the 30-year-old said he has even bigger ambitions for the remainder of his run.

“I want to go out and do my job,” Kasanganay told MMA Knockout. “How I look at it is that 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, when it’s all said and done, I did it here. I did it in PFL. I did it differently. When I’m fighting, I’m finishing fights, breaking 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 begins with beating Polizzi, a division veteran and someone Kasanganay said shouldn’t be taken lightly.

“He’s fought Yoel Romero,” Kasanganay said. “He’s fought [Julius] Anglickas. He’s fought some tough guys, so, you know, he’s coming to fight. [I’m] looking forward to claiming this victory. The focus is to get that first-round finish, get the early points, and start the season off right. I’m dialed in. I’m dialed in for sure.”

Staying focused on the task at hand is something Kasanganay, a devout Christian, does outside the PFL SmartCage. Currently, and eventually post-retirement, the North Carolina native wants people to make better financial decisions and invest in hobbies that keep them active, such as bike riding, he said.

Kasanganay documents his bike treks on his YouTube channel, “Tshilobo's Trek,” which he established in February to showcase a different side of the man dubbed ‘Tshilobo,’ which means “hero” in English. At press time, the Instagram account is rapidly approaching 400 followers, while the TikTok page had just begun.

PFL champion Impa Kasanganay goes bike riding.
PFL champion Impa Kasanganay goes bike riding. / (via Impa Kasanganay)

“I’m telling stories and just showing my life in and outside of fighting,” Kasanganay said. “Motorcycle adventures and trips—after my next fight, we’ll get my truck shipped to Las Vegas and the motorcycle. I plan to ride back and go on and off-road. Camp along the way, capture that, and document it.”

Kasanganay’s route includes stops in Austin, Tex., California, and the Carolinas. Its goal is to demonstrate that people can live fulfilling lives if they desire to put trust in themselves. Kasanganay describes it as a commitment to yourself and your “own adventure.”

Nevertheless, with the bout approaching, Kasanganay said he is excited about the comforts of competing in Las Vegas and anticipates 2024 to be his most important year yet—personally and professionally.

“I’m full of gratitude,” Kasanganay said. “I thank God every day that I’m not where I once was. And I have so much more to gain to where I’m going, so it’s great.”

Kasaganay and Polizzi compete in the co-main event as the card gets underway from The Theater at Virgin Hotels beginning at 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT on ESPN+.

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Zain Bando

ZAIN BANDO

Zain Bando is a writer for MMA Knockout, part of Fan Nation and the Sports Illustrated/The Arena Group umbrella. He has covered combat sports since 2019 for notable outlets BJPenn.com and FanSided MMA.  He also co-hosts a podcast called "The MMA Outsiders," part of the Empty The Bench Podcast Network, which airs Tuesday nights at 7:00 p.m. ET/4:00 p.m. PT.  A Chicago suburban native, Bando has been enthralled with MMA since 2006 and has been fortunate to attend some of the most high-profile events in the sport's history, both as a fan and media member, including UFC 264, Bellator 297 and Kayla Harrison's PFL MMA debut. He is excited to take the next step in his combat sports writing journey and looks forward to continuing his following of the fight game for years to come. Bando can be reached via email at zainbando99@gmail.com or by social media @zainbando99.