needed just 58 seconds to destroy Impa Kasangany and win the light heavyweight title .
The Bellator veteran showed no fear when Kasanganay put his foot down to start the fight as he acted aggressively and looked to set the tone early. But it was Yagshimuradov who answered during a heated exchange against the cage, as a right hand slipped through and forced Kasanganay to hold him back.
This punch completely changed the dynamic of the fight as Kasanganay faltered and Yagshimuradov charged forward with a barrage of punches. Several hard throws followed, including a couple of devastating uppercuts that eventually brought Kasanganay down, while the referee intervened in the opening round and stopped the fight just before the one-minute mark.
“I feel good,” Yagshimuradov said of the win. “I am very happy. Here is my family. I'm champion this year! This support means a lot to me. That's why we do this.
“I can tell you: Impa is a very good fighter, but today I was better than him.”
The win caps a phenomenal year for Yagshimuradov after he moved from Bellator to the PFL and now extended his overall win streak to seven in a row.
Yagshimuradov had a difficult start to his Bellator career, drawing the former champion on his debut and then suffered another defeat on his second appearance with promotion. He has since changed things in dramatic fashion, especially after defeating the former PFL champion to buy his ticket to the final.
Now he can add Kasanganay to his resume after a rapid first-round knockout sent the Saudi Arabia crowd into a frenzy and Yagshimuradov proved he will be a tough opponent for anyone at 205 pounds.
