Johnny Eblen is not feeling even a hint of worry in facing Impa Kasanganay at the PFL vs. Bellator Champs event next week.
Even before the event was announced by the PFL, Eblen was already considering Kasanganay as his next opponent. Fortunately, the promotion heard him. Now, the Bellator middleweight champion will be facing Kasanganay, who, despite now fighting under the light heavyweight division of PFL, had an impressive journey at 185 pounds in UFC.
While “Tshilobo” would be making the adjustments to fight him in middleweight, it is undeniable that the PFL talent could be a dangerous foe. Ebelen, nonetheless, is certain that he will win this match and end it with a finish.
“I could foresee a (finish) or where it’s so one-sided, like it’s no question,” Eblen told MMA Junkie on YouTube. “That’s usually how my fights go. Even when the cards are kind of close, I always tend to out-strike guys because of my wrestling, the way I mix things up, my footwork, and my distance. I don’t think it’s going to go to the judges, but if it does, it’s going to be one-sided.”
For “The Human Cheat Code,” this win is not impossible. Despite having to face another fighter from a different promotion brand, Eblen believes he has already met bigger and tougher opponents compared to Kasanganay.
“I think I’ve encountered everything that Impa is going to be able to throw at me,” Eblen explained. “He’s a durable guy who likes to box and move forward, and he’s an athlete, he’s well put together. That’s nothing that I haven’t run into before.
“I actually feel like I’ve fought tougher opponents, (and) that’s not to say that I’m looking down on him, or I think I’m just going to walk through this guy. He’s a tough fight and I treat every fight the same – like it’s the best guy I’ve ever fought. So when I go in there, I’m going to make him pay for signing the dotted line. I’m just a different animal.”
