IMPA KASANGANAY was on the receiving finish of probably the most viral KO in MMA historical past – but it surely was the BEST factor to ever occur to him.
Kasanganay had fought his manner into the UFC by way of Dana White’s contender sequence when he confronted Joaquin Buckley in October 2020.
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And the bout would go down in historical past after the spinning again kick Buckley landed in spherical two was one of the crucial seen of all time.
The beautiful knockout grew to become the UFC’s most-watched Instagram video ever with over 17.8 million views.
Kasanganay was minimize by the UFC two fights and one yr later – falling on onerous instances afterwards.
He determined to reside out of his motor within the automotive park of his gymnasium in Deerfield Seashore, Florida – but it surely was there the place he plotted a sensational comeback.
As final yr, Kasanganay would win the Skilled Fighters League season to develop into light-heavyweight champion and a $1million winner.
However greater than something, it meant the American saved a promise he made to his father within the ambulance simply moments after the viral KO.
He instructed SunSport: “I believe, ‘Thank God that occurred to me.’ As a result of it actually propelled me like a slingshot. I believe it’s important to personal these moments.
“I’ve had folks come as much as me and so they say they’d by no means struggle once more if that occurred to them, how they would not have the ability to cope with it.
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“I’ve had fighters inform me, ‘How do you watch that and simply look previous it?’ But it surely was how I used to be raised. I might have left the failure personal me however I owned the failure.
“If you happen to personal the failure, you personal the success. I instructed my dad within the ambulance, ‘Watch, I will win my subsequent struggle.’ And I did. I stated I would find yourself world champion, too.
“I might’ve let nobody see me, I might’ve gone again to work as an accountant, I might’ve modified my title. I might’ve achieved a number of issues possibly different folks would do.
“However for what? I’ve a little bit brother and a little bit sister, in the event that they noticed me stop then to me it will give them the excuse to.”
Kasanganay opted towards shifting again to his mother and father in North Carolina after changing into homeless.
He as an alternative lived out of his automotive to coach day and evening on the Kill Cliff FC gymnasium, the place he was led to the PFL title and $1m prize final November.
Kasanganay, 30, stated: “There’s moments the place I bear in mind sitting within the automotive, journaling.
“Utilizing the resort wifi throughout the road, waking up early within the morning to hit the gymnasium, having a shower earlier than the staff obtained in.
Once I look on it, I am like, ‘Hey, you was sleeping in your automotive and now you are world champion.’ I received the $1million.
Impa Kasanganay
“They’re all moments in my life the place I am like, thank God I caught with it. And I did not transfer again to North Carolina the place my mother and father are.
“Any time I’ve a problem in life now I at all times recognise that I have been by way of it earlier than and I can overcome something.
“Once I look on it, I am like, ‘Hey, you was sleeping in your automotive and now you are world champion.’ I received the $1million.
“It retains me grounded and it actually makes me recognize issues.”
Kasanganay received his two qualifying PFL bouts in 2023 earlier than triumphing within the semis and closing phases.
Now he finds himself in the very same spot, difficult for his second $1m PFL prize.
Kasanganay faces Dovletdzhan Yagshimuradov on Friday in Saudi Arabia in a bid to retain his 205lb throne.
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