Category: Grappling

9/6/2025 0 Comments

247 Fighting Champions at the Venue 2 results: Shawn Livingston ready to move up quickly

Shawn Livingston, right, takes down Andreas Angiolelli during the first round of their amateur fight Saturday night at Sunny Days Arena. Livington won by first-round submission. Josh Rizzo/Pittsburgh Preps and Colleges

NORTH VERSAILLES - Shawn Livingston is ready to move up to the advanced amateur division of MMA. It's hard to say that Livingston, who trains out of Stout PGH and is billed as being from Steubenville, Ohio, shouldn't be in line for the challenge of stiffer competition.

Livingston, a welterweight, has three wins since April, including two by decision. During the 247 Fighting Championships at the Venue 2 card, Livingston scored a well-timed takedown off a kick attempt by his opponent Andreas Angiolelli. Livingston used the sequence to sink in a rear-naked choke.

"Unfortunately, I couldn't use ground-and-pound," Livingston said. "With me going into advanced amateur, you're going to see some of that."

Here are the other results from the card:

Amateur MMA bantamweight: Jess Hankin win by submission (arm triangle) over Travis Frye, Round 1 1:04
Amateur MMA lightweight: Hunter Ferber win by submission (guillotine choke) over Ernie Switzer, Round 1 :34
Grappling super fight: Stellan Mochan win by submission (calf slicer) over Icee Brown
Grappling super fight: Tyler Tinsman win by submission (rear-naked choke) over Josh Hogans
Professional MMA: Julian Flenory win by unanimous decision over Jeremy Riley, 30-27 (x3)

Julian Flenory lands a straight shot to the top of the head of Jeremy Riley Saturday night at Sunny Days Arena. Josh Rizzo/Pittsburgh Preps and Colleges

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9/6/2025 0 Comments

South Fayette graduate Johnny trinkala wins second 247 grappling superfight in seven days at sunny Days Arena

South Fayette graduate Johnny Trinkala works to submit Joseph Naviglia Saturday night at Sunny Days Arena in North Versailles. Josh Rizzo/Pittsburgh Preps and Colleges

NORTH VERSAILLES - Given the option of studying for the CPA exam or getting punched in the face, South Fayette graduate Johnny Trinkala would opt for the latter.

Trinkala isn’t just talk. He competed in his second grappling super fight in a seven-day span Saturday night at Sunny Days Arena.

Trinkala, 24, won via armbar over Joseph Naviglia.

“I enjoy getting punched more,” said Trinkala, who trains at Stout Pittsburgh. “Because I like doing MMA as well. I’m hoping to be back here in November for my first MMA amateur fight. I will say studying for the CPA exam is definitely worse. I won’t hate working, but getting this test out of the way is important. MMA is the only thing keeping me sane right now.”

Naviglia, who trains out of The Mat Factory, is a police officer in New Kensington. Trinkala, who graduated from West Virginia University and is a Pitt grad student, enjoys the range of people he interacts with in martial arts.

“That’s the beautiful thing about martial arts in general, you know?” Trinkala said. “When you go to a MMA gym you’ll meet polar opposite people all the time.”

Trinkala initially got involved in MMA thanks to influence from his dad. Once he made it to high school, he was playing for a few hockey teams and moved away from the sport. Trinkala started doing competitive grappling again about three years ago.

He has 25 wins, including 14 by submission.

Getting back into the sport was no picnic.

“I got humbled really quickly the first day,” Trinkala said. “I got humbled for a good couple months after that. It’s just about sticking with it.”

Trinkala ended up getting Naviglia down to the mat soon after the fight started. He was able to work to a mounted triangle, but couldn’t find a way to pull apart Naviglia’s hands, which were gripped together tightly.

Trinkala had to spend several seconds thinking on where to go next.

“You have to zone in your brain on what your coach is saying and what you have to do,” Trinkala said. “I gotta ask (Naviglia) how tight it was, but from my view it definitely looked tight. His grip was strong.”

Trinkala was able to wrap up an armbar to grab the win. He’s eager to find his next distraction in the cage.

“In my head, I was thinking of position over submission for now,” Trinkala said. “I just wanted to stay on top because it’s more my game. Especially due to how big he is. If I rolled over and didn’t finish him, then I allowed him on top and it could allow a lot of other stuff to happen."

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

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247 Fighting Champions at the Venue 2 results: Shawn Livingston ready to move up quickly

South Fayette graduate Johnny trinkala wins second 247 grappling superfight in seven days at sunny Days Arena

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