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Impa Kasanganay refused to be outlined by a disappointing UFC run.
In 2020, Kasanganay signed with the promotion from Dana White’s Contender Collection with a 7-0 document following his second look on the present. Then 27, he was seen as a promising prospect, and he defeated Maki Pitolo in his UFC debut.
Kasanganay’s second UFC struggle proved to be memorable, however for all of the mistaken causes. Joaquin Buckley caught him with one of the most unbelievable kick knockouts in MMA history, a spotlight that was replayed numerous occasions. Two fights later, he was out of the UFC.
Quick ahead to immediately: Kasanganay is the PFL’s mild heavyweight champion and $1 million {dollars} richer after successful a 2023 league event. On The MMA Hour, he revealed that six months in the past, he was residing in his automobile and defined how that state of affairs got here to be.
“I bought distracted with life,” he mentioned. “I used to be within the UFC, thought I used to be going to be there for some time, three months later I get lower after the final struggle. I began working this govt safety job, and it was stable, I perceive they’re working an organization, however at first they mentioned, ‘You may struggle.’ That was the deal. Then they go, ‘It’s important to decide between us and combating,’ basically, and I used to be like, ‘OK, I’m going to decide on what God’s known as me to be.’
“MMA is my ministry. I really like what I get to do, and it got here right down to me saying I’m going to belief God’s plan for my life. I actually didn’t have any more cash. I spent every little thing shifting to Florida. Bought a cool residence, thought I used to be going to be within the UFC for the lengthy haul. It wasn’t in God’s plan.
“I’m so grateful the UFC lower me. It turned a blessing. Look the place we’re immediately.”
Within the UFC, Kasanganay failed to seek out his footing after the loss to Buckley. A drop right down to welterweight resulted in a win, a loss, and a parting of the way with the promotion, which was then adopted by a forgettable break up choice loss to Raimond Magomedaliev at an Eagle FC occasion.
Kasanganay bought again on observe with a win over Jared Gooden after which acquired the decision to compete on the PFL’s Challenger Collection. A knockout of Osama Elseady earned him a spot within the league’s upcoming mild heavyweight event, and 4 wins later, he was a champion and millionaire.
Contemplating the place he was 12 months in the past, the turnaround can solely be described as surreal.
“This time final yr I used to be residing on the farm, I had simply bought accomplished residing out of my automobile and my teammate’s sofa,” Kasanganay mentioned. “I used to be in my automobile for about six months, I used to be on my teammate’s sofa for a few month, after which I moved to a farm in Doral, just about going into the Everglades. That they had pythons, they got here on the property. That they had hen, cows, cattle, sheep, and peacocks that ran round all over the place for some purpose.
“I used to be residing on farm in a yurt within the forest. I had a trailer, however I wished to reside off the grid, hold issues easy. … I did that for nearly an entire yr, signed with PFL, and have a home now on Delray Seaside, however I began my yr out on the farm.”
Kasanganay by no means let his spirits sink too low, whilst he made the choice to maintain skilled struggles separate from private ones. The son of Congolese immigrants, he had a relentless work ethic and a robust sense of accountability drilled into him at a younger age.
When he discovered himself residing out of a automobile, he not solely made the many of the state of affairs, he even discovered himself relishing it.
“Once I bought to that automobile, it was the one place I might be peaceable, in that entrance seat,” Kasanganay mentioned. “I might Instacart stuff to the gymnasium, eat, nevertheless it was in all probability among the best occasions in my life, too. I’d get up at 5:30, get into the gymnasium by 6 a.m., I used to be within the parking zone, so no one might see me. Hop within the bathe, brush my enamel, and I might begin [figuring out] how can I reorganize myself. I began working in accounting once more, however I made positive I by no means missed coaching, and get to face earlier than you as a champion, I by no means overpassed the objective.
“It was simply being affected person. Being affected person and getting reorganized. That’s what bought me there, an absence of group, an absence of persistence, and now I’m at one of many higher factors of my life.”
Kasanganay was reluctant to ask associates, household and Kill Cliff FC teammates for assist, understanding they’d leap on the alternative to take action. He ultimately stayed with a teammate, however he refused the provide of a mattress in favor of sleeping on the sofa.
Had been it not for his struggles, Kasanganay doubts he’d have discovered success.
“It was as a consequence of that point and people folks in my life,” he mentioned. “If I bought a handout early on, I don’t suppose I’d ever be the place I’m immediately. In order that was it, that sofa I used the recliner, and I used to be fairly good. I might make it to follow, and that’s all I wanted.”
Kasanganay estimates that in his vagabond days, he was residing off of a few thousand {dollars} in his checking account at one of the best of occasions, and he sometimes dipped into the damaging. By all of it, he continued going to the gymnasium and labored odd jobs with the understanding that the lion’s share of any cash he earned throughout that point was earmarked for coaching.
At no level did Kasanganay think about quitting. It’s a mentality he attributes to a mom, father and sister, who confirmed him what it means work laborious.
“I owe it to them,” he mentioned. “I owe it to the children again in Congo, youngsters right here in the USA, around the globe, I can’t go give up. For what? As a result of my state of affairs’s laborious? I reside in a First World nation, I’m blessed, I’m grateful, there’s stuff happening, wars, youngsters getting killed, persecution, and I’m going to sit down right here and be, like, ‘Yeah, as a result of combating is difficult.’
“I selected to struggle. I might go and be a CPA, reside a snug life, no, when God calls you to do one thing you keep it up, irrespective of how you’re feeling.”
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