Just six days after the sports world's attention turned to Arizona for this year's NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Final Four and National Championship, the West Coast will host another high-profile weekend. After the conclusion of the Masters at Georgia's Augusta National Golf Course on Friday night, all eyes will be on Las Vegas for what could be the biggest weekend in mixed martial arts history.
Last week, the PFL kicked off its sixth season, with a heavyweight and women's flyweight battle for PFL 1 taking place in San Antonio for the first time since the acquisition of Bellator MMA was completed last year. Friday from Texas to Nevada for PFL 2.
PFL 2 begins at The Theater at Virgin Hotels 24 hours before UFC 300 takes place at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Friday's card features the first regular season bout between lightweight and light heavyweight.
Live coverage begins at 6:30pm ET/3:30pm PT on ESPN+ and continues at 9pm ET/6pm PT on ESPN2. After all, barring any cancellations between now and the weekend, a full 12-game card will be played.
Kasanganay faces Polizzi in 2024 PFL 2 Main Event
At the top of the list is an interesting bout at 205 pounds. Former UFC fighter and 2023 PFL Light Heavyweight Champion Impa Kasanganay (15-4 MMA, 0-0 PFL 2024, 0 points in the standings) will face Bellator crossover Alex Polizzi (10-3 MMA, 0 MMA) They are about to face a sudden turn of events as they prepare for the match against (0 losses). PFL 2024, 0 points in the standings) PFL 2 Main Event.
Until the semi-finals, all PFL matches, including Friday's headliner, will be played for a maximum of three rounds, with each round lasting five minutes.
Challenger ➡️ PFL World Champion
Impa Kasanganay's journey to PFL world title makes history
[ Friday, April 12th | 6:30ET on ESPN+ | 9pm ET on ESPN 2 | #PFLRegularSeason ] pic.twitter.com/vzE0dhAECm
— PFL (@PFLMMA) April 9, 2024
2024 PFL 2 Main Event Fighter Comparison and Betting Odds
Heading into the main event of PFL 2 on Friday night, Alex Polizzi stands as the tallest man at 6 feet tall compared to Impa Kasanganay's 5 feet 11 inches frame. Last season's champion has a 3-inch reach advantage over Polizzi (75 inches to 72 inches).
Kasanganay also has a leg reach of 42 inches. Polizzi did not have access to such information at press time. Oddsmakers currently have Impa Kasanganay as a -550 favorite on the prize line, while Alex Polizzi faces as a +400 underdog. If you plan to bet on this match or any other match this weekend, please do so responsibly.
Will Impa Kasanganai recover quickly?
Impa Kasanganay enters the main event of PFL 2 with a 4-1 record in their past five matches. Most recently, the 2023 titleholder had his six-fight win streak dating back to the summer of 2022 snapped at the hands of Johnny Eblen (15-0 MMA, 10-0 Bellator) in PFL vs. Bellator in late February. Stopped.
Before that game, he talked about how the $1 million check he won over Thanksgiving weekend was beneficial to him.
“My life has changed a lot,” Kasanganay said. “It helped my family, I was able to help the people I love the most, and it inspired me to be better. It challenged me to not become complacent. I'm looking at the moment my life is over, so now I don't just want to be known as the guy who once won a million dollars, I don't want to be known as the guy who once got the belt. ”
Kasanganay hasn't played in less than two months, so he needs a win on Friday to stay within eight balls heading into the second regular-season game in June. Will he be able to emerge victorious in the main event of PFL 2?
Alex Polizzi looking to end two-game skid
In the other corner, Alex Polizzi has a record of 3 wins and 2 losses in his last five races, but has been having trouble lately. Coming into the main event of PFL 2, he was eliminated in two consecutive matches.
Polizzi is at the other end of the spectrum when it comes to vacations. This will be Kasanganay's second fight in less than two months, but his opponent hasn't stepped inside the cage in nearly 10 months. Last June, he defeated Carl Moore (12-3 MMA, 4-1 Bellator) by unanimous decision at Bellator 297.
Polizzi recently spoke with Hyun Ko. all star He compared the PFL's season format to wrestling.
“It's been a long time, but for those of you who aren't used to wrestling season, it's every weekend,” Polizzi recalled. You can't do big, long hikes like this. I can't leave the camp, and I don't have time to get sick. I have a cheat day on Monday, get bigger, have some fun, and then go back to work. You get something similar with PFL. This season is my first one and I haven't been in it yet, so it's hard to speak about it exactly, but from what I've seen and heard: [from] A few other people are doing it, but it's similar. That's a little more difficult. ”
Can he get back in the win column? only time will tell.
analysis, film research, predictions
Friday's PFL 2 main event is shaping up to be a hotly contested affair. Both men can bring the other to their knees.
Kasanganay can work quickly.
Of Impa Kasanganay's seven career stoppage wins, four have been by submission, including a 2021 welterweight bout vs. Sasha Palatnikov. In the second of a scheduled three rounds, Kasanganay dropped Palatnikov, immediately grabbing his opponent by the neck and applying a rear-naked choke in just 26 seconds.
If Kasanganay can defeat Polizzi once, he will start the season with a win.
Polizzi's great ground game
In the other corner, Alex Polizzi's ground game is equally impressive. Watch the video of the fight with Jose Augusto.
In the third round, Polizzi, who had been nearly stopped by Augusto with ground and pound in the previous round, attempted a takedown, then sprawled out, took back mount, and almost immediately applied a rear-naked choke.
If Polizzi finds himself on the receiving end of a takedown, he can improve his own cause.
final thoughts
At the heart of Friday's PFL 2 Main Event is the story of two fighters on the same path. Who among them will take the first step towards the championship?
Prediction: Imps Kasanganay via second round submission.
