Subscribe
Follow Us
PFL World Championship: Olivier Aubin-Mercier vs. Clay Collard continues on the main card with a fight for the PFL Light Heavyweight Championship between Josh Silveira and Impa Kasanganay. Silveira came up short in his first bid to the PFL Championship last year but this year he has made up for it making his first appearance for his chance to become the next light heavyweight champion and $1 Million richer.
Meanwhile, Ksanganay was yet another UFC castaway but has made the most of his opportunities with the PFL as he is now making his first appearance in the PFL World Championships in his first-ever season. Therefore, check out our PFL odds series for our Silveira-Kasanganay prediction and pick.
Josh Silveria (12-1) looked like the dark horse to win it all in the 2022 PFL season but he lost in the semifinals against UFC veteran Omari Akhmedov. He has now strung together three straight wins during the PFL season and PFL playoffs en route to his first-ever PFL World Championship against newcomer and first-time finalist Impa Kasanganay.
Impa Kasanganay (14-3) has been on an absolute tear ever since stepping into the PFL SmartCage on the PFL Challenger Series. He is looking to go a perfect 5-0 in 2023 when he faces off against his stiffest competition to date since moving on up to the light heavyweight division when he takes on Josh Silveira on Friday night for a chance of winning a life-changing $1 Million.
Here are the PFL odds, courtesy of DraftKings
PFL World Championship Odds: Josh Silveira vs. Impa Kasanganay Odds
Josh Silveira: +170
Impa Kasanganay: -205
Over 2.5 rounds: -125
Under 2.5 rounds: -105
How to Watch Josh Silveira vs. Impa Kasanganay
Time: 8:00 pm ET/6:00 pm PT
TV: ESPN+ PPV
Stream: ESPN+ PPV
*Watch sports LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*
Why Josh Silveira Will Win
Josh Silveira came into his PFL debut as an undefeated professional who looked to be the next big thing but ultimately wasn't able to get to the finals during his first season. Fast forward a year later, he is back and now he is fighting for his first PFL World Championship.
He gets to take on former UFC welterweight contender Impa Kasanganay. During Kasanganay's time outside of the UFC, we saw him jump not one but two whole weight classes and has looked great in the light heavyweight division. This is a very dangerous fight for Silveira but one that he's up to the task. We've seen Silveira have very underrated striking skills and is a wizard on the mat. As long as Silveira doesn't get chin-checked on the feet like most of Kasanganay's opponents thus far he can take him into deep waters like no one else has and drown him with his grappling and maybe even get the submission victory.
Why Impa Kasanganay Will Win
Impa Kasanganay has looked like an absolute powerhouse since his move to the PFL to fight in their light heavyweight division. He is now 4-0 with the promotion with three of those four wins coming by finish. It's certainly been exciting to watch his rise in the PFL as he gets better and better after each fight putting exciting performance after exciting performance.
Kasanganay takes on his toughest test since his move to the light heavyweight division when he takes on American Top Team's Josh Silveira. Lucky for Kasanganay, Silveira isn't one of the biggest light heavyweights on the roster but he has the skills to be the most dangerous opposition he's faced thus far. Kasanganay's power is the equalizer in every single fight of his and it could certainly be here as well. If he can keep this fight standing and just let his hands go he could potentially find the chin and get Silveira out of there.
Final Josh Silveira-Impa Kasanganay Prediction & Pick
This is going to be a great scrap for however long it lasts between these light heavyweight contenders. Josh Silveira has looked the part ever since stepping foot inside the PFL SmartCage. Meanwhile, Impa Kasanganay has looked like the powerhouse we all knew he was back in the UFC during his short stint with his new promotion.
Even though Kasanganay is a sizable favorite in this fight, you can expect this fight to be fairly closely contested throughout if Kasanganay doesn't get the early knockout. Ultimately, Impa Kasanganay will be the one to come out aggressively first looking to throw heavy strikes right from the opening bell but Silveira will be calm and collected to stay out of the range eventually taking the fight to the mat where Silveira will have the advantage eventually sinking in the rear-naked choke to become the next PFL Light Heavyweight Champion.
Final Josh Silveira-Impa Kasanganay Prediction & Pick: Josh Silveira (+170), Under 2.5 Rounds (-105)
