Impa Kasanganay’s Dominating Victory Over Josh Silveira at 205 Crown, Challenges Nemkov and Ngannou

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The PFL has its eyes set on its next $1 million light heavyweight champion.

The top-seeded Josh Silveira (12-1) will face off against the third-ranked Impa Kasanganay (14-3) in the 205-pound season championship at The Anthem in Washington, D.C.

Dive into the showdown below, exploring the history, the build-up, and the fight itself, with detailed stats, photos, preview videos, highlights, quotes, recaps, and more.

Stay tuned for live updates during the event and the fight.

What Led to This Showdown

Silveira made it to the top as he submitted Sam Kei and secured a first-round injury stoppage finish over Delan Monte, earning 12 points and the top seed. Then in the semifinals, he took down Ty Flores with a first-round TKO.

Kasanganay made his way through by hitting a first-round knockout at the PFL’s Challenger Series, followed by outworking Cory Hendricks and submitting Tim Caron in the regular season. In the semifinals, he secured a first-round knockout over Marthin Hamlet, marking his fifth consecutive win.

Josh Silveira vs. Impa Kasanganay: Weigh-ins

Fight Day Messages

https://www.instagram.com/stories/impak5/3243462651235615493

https://www.instagram.com/stories/jmdasilv/3242871062315314259

Final Betting Odds

Kasanganay closed as the favorite with odds of about -200; Silveira had a comeback with +165.

Josh Silveira vs. Impa Kasanganay: The Fight

Records: Silveira (12-1), Kasanganay (14-3)
Round 1: Kasanganay dominated early, maintaining pressure throughout the round. Despite a few exciting scrambles, Kasanganay seemed to be the clear favorite.
Round 2: Kasanganay remained quick and nimble, never showing signs of fatigue, while Silveira appeared to struggle with heavy breathing after the first five minutes.
Round 3: Kasanganay continued to dominate the fight, with Silveira managing to stay in the battle despite likely being down 3-0.
Round 4: Kasanganay displayed his form after the 15-minute mark, maintaining a dominant performance.
Round 5: Silveira’s father and coach emphasized the need for a finish between rounds. Silveira showed improvement midway through the final round, but it was too little, too late.

The Aftermath

Following PFL’s acquisition of Bellator, the winner will have the opportunity for a potential fight against Bellator’s 205-pound titleholder Vadim Nemkov.

Winner Post-Fight Interview

Fight Stats

Story originally appeared on MMA Junkie