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In combat sports we’re always building to the weekend, setting up a big a fight or event. The climax usually comes very late on a Saturday night (or early Sunday morning, depending where you are in the world). And once it’s done, it’s hard not to feel spent. Once the last hand has been raised all some of us want to do is sleep.
The MMA Hangover is for those who get wrung out by the late night and long events over the weekend and need to switch off on Sunday before getting back into the loop on Monday. Here you’ll find the most interesting stories that popped up between those fights ending and now as well as other things you might have missed at the tail end of last week.
In today’s edition (our first) we’ve got a new unlikely challenger for Francis Ngannou and two UFC champions with a lot to say about their divisional rivals.
Let’s get to it.
Impa Kasanganay wants to fight Francis Ngannou
Francis Ngannou is one of MMA (and perhaps boxing’s) most wanted men. The former UFC heavyweight champion was a big winner in October despite his loss to Tyson Fury. The defeat earned him a top 10 ranking with the WBC, respect from boxing aficionados and a fee that makes Conor McGregor’s purses look like pocket money. Ngannou now has a blank cheque in the boxing world, with opponents he could partner with for more massive paydays (including Deontay Wilder and Anthony Joshua).
But he’s still signed to PFL MMA. And the PFL still expect him to fight someone in their SmartCage.
Fantasy matchmaking for Ngannou in MMA sans UFC opponents, isn’t that exciting. Heavyweight isn’t exactly a deep division at the world’s premier MMA promotion. Outside the Octagon the weight-class which relies on very large and athletic men turning down the NFL for comparative chump change, is in dire shape.
Over the weekend, a man outside of the heavyweight ecosystem decided to speak Ngannou’s name and, respectively, ask for a fight.
That man was Impa Kasanganay, who had just been crowned PFL MMA’s light heavyweight million dollar season winner.
Kasanganay is unfairly best known for his highlight reel KO loss to Joaquin Buckley in the UFC APEX. However, that starching from a spinning kick might have been the best thing to ever happen to Kasanganay (for strictly fiscal reasons). It’s hard to imagine him (or 90% of other fighters in the UFC) banking seven figures for a year’s work.
And if he gets his Ngannou wish, he could out-earn even more UFC fighters. Ngannou’s ‘sweetheart deal‘ with the PFL (as our own John S. Nash calls it) includes a provision that nets any of Ngannou’s PFL opponents a minimum purse of $2 million.
Given that fact, I’m surprised Jesus Pineda and Larissa Pacheco didn’t call out The Predator, too!
Kasanganay spoke to MMA Junkie about his call out. He didn’t mention the bumper pay day it represented. Instead he sounded rather earnest in explaining that his desire to be the best is why he’d want to fight a man who is around 50 lbs heavier than him.
“I want him because he’s great,” he said. “I’m not here to test myself or just try it out. I’m here to claim a victory, too. If you really want to be the best to ever do it, you have to show it.”
“Yes, he’s a powerhouse and all that, but I don’t care,” continued Kasanganay. “I really, really want Francis because a lot of people run from him. He’s trying to find fights, I’ll go up to heavyweight. The biggest I’ve been is 245. I’ll beat him if I’m 215. I don’t care. I’m not here to play around. I trust the trainers I have. I trust the coaches I have, and I’m just going to keep running through somebody’s face over and over again until I claim that victory.
“PFL, you don’t have to look around, you know where to find me. You know I’m going to show up and say yes. Let’s do it on the inaugural PFL Africa card with us. Let’s set it off. … Let’s bring greatness back to the continent. I’m not here to play around. I respect Francis and I think he’s doing great work, and that’s where warriors go. They say the warrior’s greatest reward is the next battle, so that’s what I want.”
I appreciate Kasanganay’s moxie with this call out, but I don’t see it paying off for him. It might be interesting seeing him get his wish and watching what happens. But Ngannou needs to be promoting himself as the ‘baddest you know what on the planet’. Scoring a win over a 205 lber who we remember being slumped on the canvas more than we do with his hand raised at the PFL championships isn’t exactly a legacy builder.
And if Ngannou lost (stranger things have happened)… that’s game over, man.
In Other News
Sean O’Malley thinks Aljamain Sterling too ‘insecure’ to change divisions
The UFC dethroned one its least favourite champions in September after Sean O’Malley picked off a rushed Aljamain Sterling to lift the UFC bantamweight title. Sterling has said he wants a long break from competition now (something he was hoping for after beating Henry Cejudo four months before the O’Malley fight).
O’Malley went on the MMA Hour on Thursday and said he hopes when Sterling does return, he doesn’t have to share a weight class with him.
“I like Aljo, he’s a good dude,” said O’Malley. “I really never said anything bad about him. I think if he goes up to [featherweight], it’d be super interesting. I think there’s a lot of interesting fights up there at ‘45.”
“I think his weight gets big enough for that. You know, I’m probably 160 right now, I probably [won’t] get over this. He’s probably 175. Like, it just doesn’t make sense to go back to ‘35, for his health, for his longevity. I think there’s certain match-ups at ‘45 that he could do good [with]. What about Aljo versus, like, Brian Ortega? That’s a sweet fight.”
Insert Onion headline about worst person you know with a good idea.
Despite making good points, and suggesting a killer fight, O’Malley said he doubts Sterling makes the leap up to 145 lbs.
“He’ll probably go back down to ‘35, just because he’s insecure and he wants to be stronger and bigger than these guys,” he said. “Why else would he not fight at ‘45? It’s not like his skills aren’t there. His skills, he’s good. Not as good as me, but he’s good. You know what I mean? He could go up to ‘45, I think he’d do fine up there.”
Tell me again how you never said anything bad about him, Sean?
Alex Pereira talks standing only fight with Jamahal Hill
If Sterling wants inspiration for moving up in weight he could look at Alex Pereira, who won the UFC light heavyweight title with a TKO over Jiri Prochazka at UFC 295 a few weeks ago.
Pereira, who is fast-tracking his UFC Hall of Fame campaign, is now a two weight champion, having beaten Israel Adesanya for the middleweight title last year (before losing it back to Adesanya immediately after).
Pereira is now on a collision course with Jamahal Hill, who vacated the light heavyweight title he won from Pereira’s mentor Glover Teixeira back in January due to an injury.
During an online Q&A Pereira talked about the notion that Hill would engage in a striking only bout with him when they meet for the title.
“Everybody saw that he was saying he will knock me out and he won’t wrestle me, he will stay in the striking and he will knock me out,” Pereira said (per MMA Fighting). “Sure, obviously every guy who could be the next [challenger] for the champion will start talking, but I think he’s a little bit [overconfident].
“I never said I will knock someone out or whatever because you are in a fight camp, you prepare yourself, you have to focus on the fight, and I always say I will give you guys a good fight and a good show, but predicting what happens is a little bit difficult and I think he’s a little bit [overconfident] with everything that he’s saying.”
Anyone else just roll their eyes when someone tries to sell an MMA fight by saying they won’t do MMA? Come on Jamahal, show us you’re the best at the thing we’re tuning in for.
Fighters’ Words
This is going to get a lot worse before it gets any better. With Conor McGregor’s act in MMA on its last legs he needs a new arena and audience, it seems.
When the PFL play works you look like the smartest guy in the room.
That being said there are some talents there who could give anyone a run for their money.
Michael Bisping talked up UFC 296 and some hot button topics yesterday.
In Case You Missed it
How David Benavidez overwhelmed Demetrius Andrade Lukasz Fenrych broke down one of the biggest fights from the weekend. (link)
How Katie Taylor avenged loss to Chantelle Cameron Check out Lukasz’s breakdown on the other big fight from the weekend. (link)
Canelo has to be next for David Benavidez Blaine Henry has no doubts over who Benavidez should fight next (link)
Like sumo? Check out all the results and analysis (and a ton of replays NHK don’t want me to share) from the 2023 Kyushu basho. (link)
Hangover Cure
If you’re still feeling hungover from all this MMA business, then why not switch things up? In this section you’ll find things which are far removed from professional face-punching. Even if you love the sport, it’s nice to take a break and try something else before coming back to it.
This week’s hangover cure is a book recommendation.
The best book I read this year is also one of the best books I’ve ever read. 1989’s The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro is the tale of a repressed master butler taking a drive into the countryside and unpacking his life’s work before almost realizing what it all meant.
It’s as startling as it is Spartan with characters that start sentences on the page and finish them in your mind. It’s an incredible work of art that, despite being complex, is still an easy, somewhat luxurious read. It’s the kind of book best read on dark nights with a cup of something warm. Can’t recommend it enough. Movie was alright, too.
Sound off
So what do you think of what we discussed here? Should Francis Ngannou fight a light heavyweight? Is Aljamain Sterling ‘insecure’ if he sticks at bantamweight? Who wins; Alex Pereira or Jamahal in a fight that doesn’t just involve striking?
Tell us in the comments below.