MMA Knockout

(Exclusive) Impa Kasanganay Targets Francis Ngannou after 2024 PFL Championships

Kasanganay will fight for PFL gold once again on November 29.

Drew Beaupre

(Cooper Neill/PFL)

Impa Kasanganay has an opportunity to win back-to-back PFL light heavyweight tournaments when he competes at the 2024 PFL Championships on November 29, and the 30-year-old recently spoke with MMA KO’s Drew Beaupré ahead of his matchup with Dovlet Yagshimuradov.

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Yagshimuradov is currently on a six-fight winning streak between the PFL and Bellator, and Kasanganay is excited to test himself against a fighter that’s competing in the PFL’s light heavyweight tournament for the very first time.

“I really respect Dovlet Yagshimuradov, he’s a solid opponent, he comes from a great system," Kasanganay explained when asked about the matchup. "I believe that when it’s all said and done, [I'm] focused on being the best to ever do it, and he’s an awesome fighter on that path to being there...I’ve [won the tournament], been undefeated since, I’m gonna claim this victory too. I think sometimes, you know – words, titles, names, are just like part of a natural procedure. But we say these things ‘cause it’s great for media and life, but you know who you are, right? And so you never have to stress it. So like I know who I am, I’m grateful…Whether I’m in PFL or not, I know me being part of PFL, being champion, whether it’s the undisputed this or not, I know who I am and what I bring to the table and the value that I bring. And I’m just very grateful, so like – and then that attracts these fights, right?"

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“Wolfhound” scored a minor upset in his playoff matchup with 2022 PFL Light Heavyweight Champion Rob Wilkinson to book his spot in this year’s finals, and while Kasanganay missed out on the chance to meet Wilkinson he does have another matchup with an American Top Team-trained opponent.

“I thought Rob [Wilkinson] and I would fight, I’ve been looking forward to that one. Never did, and to see Dovlet take out a PFL Europe champion, take out a former champion in Rob Wilkinson, you know he’s been doing very well, and I’m proud of him from the fighter-to-fighter perspective. And I’m honored from an opponent-to-opponent perspective. Those are the guys you want, the guys who earn their way to the top...I think he presents different challenges as far as he has a lot of skills, he has a strong skillset as far as in all aspects, from the grappling to the standup to the craftiness of the way he strikes. He’s trained with many people that I’ve trained for before, right? Being at American Top Team, I feel like it’s Impa vs. American Top Team for the past few years, and that’s fun."

"I’m in a position and a place in my life where these fighters and people, they’re all blank canvases...He has a skillset, he has what he does well, but he’s a man with two hands and two feet. And I’m prepared, I’m disciplined, I’m focused on doing what I need to do. I love his overall skillset, I love the way he fights, and I really respect it…I had a coach who said once, ‘The best way to respect your opponent is to beat them as badly as they can be beaten by.' In MMA, without the ref – the ref is not there for a fair sport, the ref is there to save somebody’s life. So, if we’re honest about it, you go with the intent to kill. You’ve gotta focus and respect them, and I also respect that they do the same. And for me, fighting a guy like Dovlet Yagshimuradov is a testimony to what my trainers and people put me in a place to be.”

Returning To Riyadh

The 2024 PFL Championships will mark the promotion’s third visit to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia in 2024, and after competing at the first PFL vs. Bellator event there earlier this year Kasanganay looks forward to being part of another chapter in the city’s continued efforts to become one of the true fight capitals of the world.

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“What Riyadh Season’s doing with Riyadh itself and the royal family – their interest in sport and interest in mixed martial arts specifically, it’s amazing. We had an open workout at this gym, and these kids – you can tell they train – kids are trying to choke me out...Coming from this gym, coming from the United States, coming to another country. I have a different faith, it’s a Muslim-based country, and they still respect it. People wanted to know about my family and my life, and they were telling me facts about my life that I didn’t even know that I knew...The way they treat you, the way they respect you, but the way they really honor and the way they are eager to learn without an arrogance is why I see it growing. They’re like – if there’s a line in the sand, they’re blurring and it. They’re saying ‘We want the best to fight the best,’ and they’re providing that. And that’s what it should be about, so I’m very, very happy about that, and looking forward to it becoming one of the other fight capitals of the world – and to be a part of that history, I always consider it an honor.”

Rematch With Johnny Eblen

Kasangany’s previous visit to Riyadh saw the PFL star come up short against Bellator Middleweight Champion Johnny Eblen via controversial split decision, and while “Tshilobo” does want another crack at Eblen he also has another opponent in mind for next year – Francis Ngannou, who made his long-awaited PFL debut last month and scored a knockout-win against Renan Ferreira.

“I claim that victory, I know it," Kasanganay said when asked about Eblen. "What I really do respect about Johnny is he called me out, like he knows. But it’s not like a negative ‘He knows’. It’s more like, he knows 'cause he’s like – he’s a man too, and he wants to do it the right way. The fact that it's even been able to be set up to be a part of that, I consider that a blessing. And yeah, so you know when I claim this victory on the 29th, I do my due diligence post-fight, thank God, move forward, put the belt up, be focused on the next one. Whether that fight is Johnny or whoever – next two names I want to see on the contract are Johnny Eblen and Francis Ngannou. Everybody else – I’ve won the season twice, I’ve claimed these victories, I’ve done what I needed to do. I’ve respected it...So I definitely want that one, and I want him back and better. I would love it to be in Riyadh, make it a main event, make it a five-round fight. Whatever the case may be, but I know when that times comes – you’ll see.”

"I Want Francis Ngannou At Heavyweight"

A potential matchup with Ngannou would see Kasanganay move up to heavyweight for the first time after previously competing as low as welterweight during his career, but that’s exactly the type of challenge that the 30-year-old is hunting for as a professional fighter.

“100%, Francis Ngannou. I want Francis Ngannou and Johnny Eblen, and that’s it. Whether it’s fight Francis or Johnny in the beginning of the year, and then after that then you fast forward, they say 'You have to wait,' or whatever. 'He has to do his boxing matches,' I take him out. I’ll go up. I want the challenge where they’re at. When you’re hunting – which is what I see it as – you’re hunting in the Arctic, you bring the proper gear…I don’t want Johnny to come up to 205, I want to meet him at 185 in the division where they say he won the fight. I want Francis Ngannou at heavyweight, I don’t want him to suck any weight. I want to take them out where they’re at, ‘cause that’s where the challenge is.”

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“He lost his son, so condolences to him,' Kasanganay said regarding Ngannou's PFL debut. "Being another African, being somebody like him – he made fun of me once, and I said that’s why I called him out. Because I really respect him, but he says ‘You’re not a real African, you don’t speak French. And I said ‘Oh yeah? Wait ‘till I see you one day, I’m gonna beat you up.’ With what he did with Renan, he fought smart. Renan can smoke people as you’ve seen, and he’s super athletic and everything. The fact that he did that now, I highly, highly respect what he’s done, the way he finished the fight, his intent to kill. And when I get that fight, I’ll show what I can do too. So beautiful debut, brought a lot of eyes to it, cool to see Cristiano Ronaldo there, obviously there’s another place in the market for MMA to grow as PFL, and Francis has been leading that. So proud of him, proud and I respect him and like him for what he’s went through, some people may have never even stepped in the cage again. And he did it great.”

Kasangany’s matchup with Yagshimuradov will feature as just one of a staggering ten title bouts scheduled for the 2024 PFL Championships, which will take place at The Mayadeen in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on November 29.

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Drew Beaupre
DREW BEAUPRE

Drew is an MMA writer that regularly watches regional events in addition to major promotions such as the UFC, PFL, Bellator, and ONE Championship. He joined MMA Knockout when it was founded in 2023.

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