HOLLYWOOD, Fla. – Often times fights settle the differences between fighters, but that wasn’t the case in Impa Kasanganay’s most recent outing.
The 2023 PFL light heavyweight champion defeated Josh Silveira this past Friday in the main event of 2024 PFL Playoffs 2. This was a rematch between the two, as they had fought in November ins the 2023 PFL final for the 205-pound belt and the $1 million prize. Kasanganay (18-4) and Silveira (13-4) had a few heated moments in the buildup to the fight, and now that Kasanganay has the win in hand, he had a few tings to say to the American Top Team fighter.
“Like I said before the fight, ‘How does a fish get caught?’ A fish gets caught, gets killed on that hook,” Kasanganay told MMA Junkie and other media at the 2024 PFL Playoffs 2 post-fight interview. “He opened his mouth and got hit with the hook. Go back and watch it. He’s lacking focus.
“To me, respectfully, it’s an insult to his dad and his team. You’re sitting in front of your dad, who I really respect, and you’re taking it as a joke. You’re better than that, and I challenge him for that. … For Josh to show up the way he is and just play around too much, and just not be the fighter that he is, I’m disgusted by that. You’re in a fight, and you think it’s a joke to change your family’s life?”
Kasanganay, who now moves to the 2024 PFL final, doesn’t think Silveira improved since they last fought. He thinks Silveira did perform better, but overall was still the same fighter.
“I think he made a choice to go for it more so than showing he’s a better fighter,” Kasanganay said. “If he just sat down on some punches, he probably could’ve gotten better shots in. He committed to things – that was good. But it’s like going for broke every time. He still lost focus screaming in there. …
“Josh himself, to say he got better is like for something that he’s done for so long, I expect more out of him. I think his standard changed. The first fight, he finished Sadibou (Sy), Sadibou got hurt. In Salt Lake City, he was talking to Rob (Wilkinson) through the TV, ‘Let’s go mother-this.’ Josh, just focus on who you are. This fight, he’s talking to me and staring me down, and I’m like, ‘You’re so lacking focus.’ He has such a good dad and team, and he’s insulting them by that. So that’s my message to him.”
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for 2024 PFL Playoffs 2.
