Despite batting .500 inside the octagon, two-time Dana White’s Contender Series winner Impa Kasanganay is no longer with the UFC.
The middleweight, and more recently welterweight fighter’s removal from the roster was first noted by UFC Roster Watch, which monitors additions and deletions from the promotion’s active line-up.
Kasanganay may best be remembered by UFC fans for being on the wrong end of the Knockout of the Year in 2020, which saw Joaquin Buckley land a two-touch spinning kick to floor “King Impa.” Despite being part of another fighter’s highlight reel, however, Kasanganay held his own on the big stage, picking up wins over Maki Pitolo and Sasha Palatnikov, the latter of which came in Impa’s welterweight debut.
In his most recent outing roughly three months ago, Kasanganay was finished via TKO by Carlston Harris. That appears to have been enough for Kasanganay to have been shown the door by the promotion.
Impa Kasanganay’s release is the latest in a number of roster cuts, necessitated at least in part by the record number of contracts handed out on the 2021 edition of the Contender Series, which wrapped up last month. In total, 39 Ultimate Fighting Championship contracts were handed out over 10 episodes this year.
Kevin Lee, Khama Worthy, Liviniha Souza, and others have been let go by the promotion of late, while both Gian Villante and Felicia Spencer retired over the past several weeks.
Update: Kasanganay told our own Alex Behunin that his contract was not renewed, and he’s looking at the PFL and Bellator MMA as potential destinations.
Just spoke with Impa Kasanganay, who confirmed his contact was up and wasn’t resigned.
He is looking at PFL or Bellator as options.“Very excited for what’s to come, the focus right now is to get better. I love fighting, hopefully I’ll fight soon.”
— Alex Behunin (@AlexBehunin) December 3, 2021
