Impa Kasanganay enters 2025 PFL World Tournament 3 with perspective, positivity
Of course Impa Kasanganay would love to make $1 million like he did in 2023 when he won the PFL light heavyweight championship, but he's not complaining about the promotion's new tournament format this year.
Kasanganay (18-5) makes his 2025 debut Friday at PFL World Tournament 1 from Universal Studios Orlando, where he meets former Bellator title challenger Fabian Edwards (13-4) in the first round of the middleweight competition. Unlike his previous two years with the promotion, there is no regular season and having to win to earn points in hopes of making it to the playoffs.
And he relishes the straight-to-tournament format.
'For me, it's like, I've got a job to do,' Kasanganay told MMA Junkie Radio. 'I like the format because it's one and done. … It's win, and you move forward, solid. It makes it simple.'
In previous years, fighters had to fight four times in a span of roughly seven months to claim the $1 million grand prize. Now an eight-man tournament, it means only three fights – and more importantly one less weight cut – in that same timeframe, which Kasanganay certainly welcomes.
The fact that the PFL reduced the grand prize to $500,000 isn't an issue for Kasanganay, whose grateful for the opportunity to make money with each fight the longer he lasts.
'I'm stoked,' Kasanganay said. 'You get to stay active. That's what's cool about the PFL is you get to stay active and keep working and provide for yourself and your family.'
Kasanganay, 31, is 7-2 in the PFL since coming to the promotion in 2023. After claiming the 2023 title, he was runner up in 2024. This year, he returns to middleweight with a sound perspective on both the tournament and his career.
'It's just one fight at a time,' Kasanganay said. 'You don't get to fight forever. So I just look at it like I get this time right now, and I need to make the most of it.'
He continued, 'All the focus is on this fight. I've been through this before. Of course you always have your eyes on the rise, and you're grateful for what you could do, all the other bonuses that come with it. But I really do live my life day to day. You're never promised tomorrow, and you don't get to fight forever. One day these interviews won't happen, so I'm just enjoying today for today. I know on fight day, I'm preparing for the victory. That's what I'm looking forward to, but I'm literally just enjoying every single day.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Yahoo
Fans Rip Patchy Mix After Loss to Mario Bautista at UFC 316
Fans Rip Patchy Mix After Loss to Mario Bautista at UFC 316 originally appeared on Athlon Sports. UFC 316 is in the books, and while the card delivered a mix of highlights and hard-fought moments, held at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, on June 7, one fighter's performance stood out — for all the wrong reasons. Despite a stacked resume and plenty of hype heading into the event, fans were left underwhelmed by a newcomer who failed to live up to expectations. The fighter in question? A seasoned champion finally making his Octagon debut — with bold words to match. Advertisement Former Bellator bantamweight champion Patchy Mix, 31, made his long-awaited UFC debut on short notice against Mario Bautista. The signing of Mix in May was met with excitement. Many expected the three-time world champion to shake up the division. Mix certainly didn't hold back pre-fight, making bold statements during an episode of UFC Embedded, confidently stating: 'I'm a three‑time world champion… This guy's a journeyman fighter. I'll submit him' and 'I plan to run him over.' Dana WhiteGettyImages But when the cage door closed, it was Bautista who dictated the action. Mix struggled to find rhythm and ultimately dropped a unanimous decision. Fans and analysts pointed out his lack of head movement and footwork, with some calling his stance stiff and his offensive output flat. Patchy MixGetty Images Following the loss, Mix shared an Instagram story captured by Kevin on X: 'Took the fight on 3 weeks notice against a guy who's on an 8 fight win streak in the UFC. I don't hang my head.' Fans, however, didn't let up: 'Guy talked so much sh*t just to say 'took the fight on 3 week's notice'... Come on guy.' 'He was talking so much before the fight about how he was gonna finish all the Bantamweights, dudes a joke.' 'That still doesn't explain how terrible he looked, short notice fights don't prevent you from using head movement and moving as stiff as a board. Didn't even attempt a takedown or anything.' Advertisement Following the event, UFC President Dana White was asked about Mix's debut in a video shared by Crazy MMA on YouTube and said: 'We've seen it happen before when you come from smaller shows and get to the UFC. Some people shine and some people have a rough time. It's not easy.' Now, the pressure is already building. With deep competition at 135 pounds, Mix may have to earn back fan confidence quickly — or risk becoming just another name on the roster. Related: Dana White Slams Door Shut on Former Heavyweight Star's Return Related: 'Leave If You're Not Ready to Defend' – Dricus Du Plessis Slammed Over Refusal to Face Backup Opponent This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 8, 2025, where it first appeared.
USA Today
12 hours ago
- USA Today
Mario Bautista unfazed Patchy Mix's pre-UFC 316 hype, trash talk: 'Words mean nothing'
Mario Bautista unfazed Patchy Mix's pre-UFC 316 hype, trash talk: 'Words mean nothing' Mario Bautista remained confident amid Patchy Mix's hype pre UFC 316. Show Caption Hide Caption UFC 316: Mario Bautista post-fight interview UFC 316 winner Mario Bautista spoke to MMA Junkie and reporters post-fight after his unanimous decision victory over Patchy Mix. NEWARK, N.J. – A lot was said in the lead-up to Mario Bautista's clash against former Bellator champion Patchy Mix, and most of it was not favorable for Bautista. Mix (20-2 MMA, 0-1 UFC), who debuted for the UFC this past Saturday at UFC 316 at Prudential Center in Newark, N.J., had tons of hype entering the fight against Bautista (16-2 MMA, 10-2 UFC), as some thought he was already the best bantamweight on the planet. Being the last Bellator bantamweight champion and having arguably the best resume outside the UFC, there were high expectations for Mix. The betting odds reflected that chatter and hype, as Bautista entered as a sizable underdog despite being the UFC veteran. Mix also had plenty to say, already angling a championship fight and saying he was "looking through" Bautista. There was a lot of noise, but Bautista kept grounded. "He was saying he was looking through me, but the whole time I was thinking, 'Well, I'm going to run through you,'" Bautista said at the uFC 316 post-fight press conference. "So I don't know. I can't pay attention to that stuff. At the end of the day, we get in the cage and the words mean nothing. I trained hard for this fight, and that was pretty much it. I won." Bautista shut down Mix over the course of 15 minutes and ended up taking home a unanimous decision win, while extending his winning streak to eight in a row. The MMA Lab product thinks it's time he gets a step-up given his body of work and wants a five-round fight against a title contender. "I definitely want a top-five (opponent)," Bautista said. "I think if Patchy would've won this fight, they would've shot him all the way to the top, so I think I took his spot and all that hype. I definitely deserve a top-five. I'm on an eight fight win streak, and there is no one else above me with a streak like that except for the champion."
Yahoo
12 hours ago
- Yahoo
Former UFC fighter Ben Askren hospitalized with severe pneumonia
The Brief Ben Askren is hospitalized with severe pneumonia and is currently unresponsive, according to his wife. Amy Askren asked for prayers and requested privacy, especially regarding their children. Askren is a former MMA champion and now focuses on wrestling coaching and podcasting. Former UFC star Ben Askren is currently hospitalized with severe pneumonia "unable to respond" to treatment, according to his wife. What they're saying "You may have heard that my husband Ben is going through something," Amy Askren posted on Facebook. "He developed severe pneumonia which came on very suddenly." "He's currently in the hospital and unable to respond to anything at this time," she continued. What you can do Amy said she's asking for prayers for healing and peace. She also asks people to refrain from discussing the matter with their children. The backstory According to FOX Sports, Askren, 40, is from Wisconsin. According to MMA Fighting, at his peak, Askren was seen as one of the best welterweight fighters after winning championships in both Bellator and ONE Championship. He later joined the UFC in a rare deal where ONE traded him for Demetrious Johnson. Askren's UFC career ended with a 1-2 record, including a debut win over Robbie Lawler followed by losses to Jorge Masvidal and Demian Maia. A few weeks after the Maia fight, he announced his retirement from MMA but later returned for a boxing match against Jake Paul, which ended in a first-round knockout loss—his only boxing appearance. Since then, Askren has mainly focused on coaching wrestling in his home state of Wisconsin while also staying involved in MMA coverage, including co-hosting a podcast with UFC Hall of Famer Daniel Cormier, according to the outlet. The Source The information in this story comes from a Facebook post by Ben Askren's wife, Amy Askren, who shared an update on his health, stating he is hospitalized with severe pneumonia and currently unresponsive. Additional background details about Askren's career were reported by FOX Sports and MMA Fighting, which highlighted his achievements in Bellator and ONE Championship, his brief UFC tenure, and his post-fighting career in coaching and media. This story was reported from Los Angeles.
