Impa Kasanganay Willing to Move to Heavyweight to Face Francis Ngannou in PFL

A lot has changed for Impa Kasanganay since he was released from the Ultimate Fighting Championship two years ago.

Until recently, Kasanganay was best known for his viral knockout loss to Joaquin Buckley at UFC Fight Night 179 in 2020. While he bounced back with a submission win over Sasha Palatnikov, Kasanganay was released following a subsequent loss to Carlston Harris.

“Tshilobo” fought twice on the regional circuit before signing with the Professional Fighters League, where he went on a six-fight winning streak that culminated in a light heavyweight title win over Joshua Silveira at the PFL World Championships on Friday.

Following his unanimous decision victory against Silveira, Kasanganay proceeded to call out Francis Ngannou. While some dismissed Kasanganay's callout as a publicity stunt due to the difference in weight classes, “Tshilobo” claims he is serious.

“I don’t just say things to say things,” Kasanganay told MMAjunkie.com. “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.”

Ngannou was also made the chairman of PFL Africa while signing with the promotion. Born to Congolese immigrants, Kasanganay wants to return to his roots to face Ngannou in PFL’s Africa debut, which won’t be a reality until 2025, according to PFL chairman Donn Davis.

“PFL, you don’t have to look around, you know where to find me,” he said. “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.”