分类: Albert Gallatin

12/21/2025 0 Comments

Albert Gallatin graduate karli jo thomas falls to 2-1 as professional mma fighter after first-round submission loss at CFFC 149

Karli Jo Thomas' third fight with the Cage Fury Fighting Championships didn't go quite as she planned. The Waynesburg women's wrestling coach and Albert Gallatin graduate lost to Paige Wilcox by submission in a strawweight bout at Cage Fury Fighting Championship 149 Saturday night in Atlantic City.

Thomas had a busy last eight months of 2025. She made her professional debut with CFFC in May, submitting Lateesha Mohl in the first round. Thomas followed that up with a third-round win by rear-naked choke in August. This time around, Thomas got caught in the first round by a debuting Wilcox.

Josh Rizzo is the editor and publisher of Pittsburgh Preps and Colleges. Story ideas can be submitted to [email protected] or on X @J_oshRizzo.

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8/30/2025 0 Comments

Karli Jo Thomas, Justin Patton pick up wins at Cage Fury Fighting Championships

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Two Pittsburgh-area fighters had a good night at the Cage Fury Fight Championships event at the Hard Rock Casino & Hotel in Atlantic City. Justin Patton made his debut with the organization by picking up a unanimous decision win over Frank Wells. Patton, a Plum graduate, improved to 9-4 on his career.

Patton was coming off a loss during his last fight to Chuka Willis in April. Karli Jo Thomas, an Albert Gallatin graduate, picked up her second win as a professional. Thomas won by submission in the third round by locking up a rear-naked choke on Annabel Kelly.

Both Patton and Thomas train out of The Mat Factory in Lower Burrell.

Josh Rizzo is the editor and publisher of Pittsburgh Preps and Colleges. Story ideas can be submitted to [email protected] or on X @J_oshRizzo.

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8/27/2025 0 Comments

Momma knows best: Karli Jo Thomas' love affair with mma started with mandatory self-defense classes

Karli jo Thomas, an Albert Gallatin graduate, will compete in her second professional fight this weekend in Atlantic City. Photo courtesy of Andrew Palla

“She has some mixed emotions about it. She made it clear that she would like it if I did something else. She understands I do it because I love it. It’s where I feel like I have purpose.”
- Karli Jo Thomas on her mom's thoughts on her MMA career

Karli Jo Thomas’ introduction to combat sports started as a plan for self defense at the request of her mom, Tonya. Karli Jo and her sister were taken to an MMA-style gym at age 10 to learn how to protect themselves.

Once the now 25-year-old Karli Jo started taking classes at the since shut down Uniontown-basd gym she no longer remembers the name of, she quickly fell in love with the training. Her love of the sport distracted from other questions she may have asked.

Why did they need to learn this intense style of combat?

“Honestly, I’m not really sure,” said Karli Jo, an Albert Gallatin graduate. “She always worries and more so that she knows the world is a little bit crazy. Things can happen and it’s better to have some understanding of how to fight if we have to rather than not.”

Karli Jo more than understands the process now. She will be searching for her second consecutive professional win this Saturday at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Atlantic City on the undercard of the Cage Fury Fighting Championships 145 event.

Karli Jo, who is 1-0 as a professional, will take on Annabel Kelly, who is 3-0 with two knockouts in a strawweight bout.

Isaac Greeley, who is the owner of the Mat Factory in Lower Burrell where Karli Jo trains, believes this is a good opportunity for her to build her profile.

“They really liked her pro debut,” Greeley said. “They want her to be a part of the organization. If she can win this fight, she can be set to take off in a big way.”

Mom watches, reluctantly
Karli Jo's early fighting experience wasn't like the typical kid who does a karate class. The first gym they attended allowed younger members to give everything a go.

“We did the punching, kicking and everything they do there,” Karli Jo said. “We worked on grappling, wrestling and jiu jitsu.”

As Karli Jo got more involved with the sport, she ended up at the Uniontown Fight Club -- which also no longer exists -- where she met Josh Fremd, who went on to fight in the UFC, and Nick Browne, who fought in Bellator and the Legacy Fighting Alliance.

Karli Jo, who wrestled one season in high school and now coaches the Waynesburg women’s wrestling team, was all in on fighting. It wasn’t exactly what her mom intended.

But Tonya still attends the fights.

“She has some mixed emotions about it,” Karli Jo said. “She made it clear that she would like it if I did something else. She understands I do it because I love it. It’s where I feel like I have purpose.”

Let’s make a weekend out of it
Karli Jo will have plenty of support in Atlantic City. In addition to her coaches, she will be joined by her boyfriend, Justin Patton, who also trains at the Mat Factory. Patton, who is 8-4 as a professional, is a Plum graduate.

Patton will fight Frank Wells in a featherweight bout in the bout before Karli Jo’s. This is the fourth time they’ve been on the same card together.

“What’s funny is I’ll be fighting after him,” Karli Jo said. “I’m guessing it’s because I’ve fought for them once already. Usually he goes before me because he sells tickets and is more popular. It’s definitely stressful watching someone you care about fight like that.”

Greeley said he is excited to see them both compete.

“They both represent what we stress as the Mat Factory,” Greeley said. “They represent that to the fullest.”

Up for the challenge

Karli Jo is hoping to take another step up in the MMA world. She turned professional last May after spending four years on the amateur circuit.

Greeley said he has seen a large improvement in her skillset. Karli Jo cut her teeth in the Ohio Combat Legue and 247 Fighting Championships as an amateur.

“She’s an amazing fighter,” Greeley said. “She’s probably the toughest fighter we have. She is a gritty, tough girl and she’s getting really technical.”

Karli Jo submitted Lateesha Mohl in the first round with a guillotine in her debut. She isn’t trying to make any promises for her upcoming fight.

“From the first fight to the second fight, it doesn’t feel too much better,” Karli Jo said. “It doesn’t feel much better than being an amateur. It’s about learning how to handle the five-minute rounds and pacing myself.”

Josh Rizzo is the editor and publisher of Pittsburgh Preps and Colleges. Story ideas can be submitted to [email protected] or on X @J_oshRizzo.

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Albert Gallatin graduate karli jo thomas falls to 2-1 as professional mma fighter after first-round submission loss at CFFC 149

Karli Jo Thomas, Justin Patton pick up wins at Cage Fury Fighting Championships

Momma knows best: Karli Jo Thomas' love affair with mma started with mandatory self-defense classes

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