The 2023 PFL Challenger Series returns on Friday night with its seventh event of 2023. This week’s Challenger Series card will shine the spotlight on the light heavyweight division. The card, which will emanate from a sound stage at Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida, will see former UFC prospect Impa Kasanganay attempt to punch his ticket to the 2023 regular season when he takes on the ever-dangerous BRAVE CF veteran Osama Elsaidy.
Fight fans can catch the seventh week of this year’s PFL Challenger Series streaming live on Fubo TV beginning at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT.
Kasanganay vs. Elsaidy
Kasanganay broke onto the scene in a big way with back-to-back wins on Dana White’s Contender Series to eventually punch his ticket to the UFC. From there, he flashed tremendous potential in his power, athleticism and fight-to-fight improvements. However, his career met a setback when he found himself on the receiving end of a jumping spinning back kick knockout from Joaquin Buckley that became one of the most-viewed knockouts in UFC history. Since then, he has gone 2-2 in fights both inside and outside the UFC cage, picking up his most recent win against Jared Gooden, who is coincidentally making his UFC return later this weekend.
Elsaidy, meanwhile, has developed a reputation for his power and first-round finishing ability. He needed just 54 seconds to dispatch Mohamed Ali Sellam at BRAVE CF 67, his promotional debut. On Friday, he is set to debut for another promotion and could force his way into the stateside relevance with a win over a young, hungry fighter in Kasanganay who has plenty to prove in a new weight class.
Johnson vs. Williams
Taylor Johnson, an American Top Team Portland fighter, has fought for several different promotions throughout his seven-year career and boasts one of the most unique resumes at 205 pounds. He knocked out future UFC heavyweight Jamal Pogues in his pro debut, then took home first-round finishes in each of his next four fights to make it to DWCS, where he fell to ranked UFC middleweight Andre Muniz. He then traded wins and losses against Ed Ruth and future Bellator middleweight champion Johnny Eblen, and most recently fought on last year’s Challenger Series where he picked up a win.
His opponent, Trey Williams may be less proven despite having competed for a longer period of time, but will still present plenty of danger. Williams fought for the promotion back in its World Series of Fighting days, but fought just once between 2015 and 2021. Since returning in 2021, he has gone 2-2, having most recently competed at Cage Warriors 143 in San Diego.
Overvig vs. Elekana
Both Tristan Overvig and Billy Elekana may have similar professional records, but both of their careers have taken different trajectories. Overvig holds a 5-1 record at just 23-years-old, having lost just once since turning pro. He also turned in an impressive 9-1 amateur career and competed against world-renowned grappler Daniel Manasoiu at the Who’s Number One: Who’s Next Finale last summer. Elekena, meanwhile, is coming off a split decision defeat to Daniel Compton at LFA 137, the first of his career.
Ogbonna-Morrison vs. Dunlap
Talented 3-0 prospects will collide in the opening fight of the night when Monte Ogbonna-Morrison meets Roland Dunlap. The 29-year-old Nigerian Ogbonna-Morrison is an athletic freak, who trains out of American Top Team. His foundation style on his Tapology profile reads, “I Turn Strikers Into Wrestlers.” He’s scored stoppages in each of his three wins, and will look to add another against Dunlap, a former U.S. marine and NCAA wrestler at the University of Wisconsin – Whitewater.
PFL Challenger Series 6 Results
Full Card
Impa Kasanganay def. Osama Elsaidy via TKO (strikes) at 4:15 of Round 1
Taylor Johnson def. Trey Williams via TKO (strikes) at 1:20 of Round 1
Billy Elekana def. Tristan Overvig via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Roland Dunlap def. Monte Ogbonna-Morrison via Unanimous Decision (29-27, 29-27, 29-27)
