Jul 10, 2023 4 min read

A familiar face from the area is back to doing what he loves: competing in a combat sport.

Former Jefferson-Morgan High School wrestler Gavin Teasdale, who compiled a career record of 162-2 from 2015-2018, has turned his attention to mixed martial arts.

Teasdale, who has a 1-1 record in MMA, will compete in a six-minute bout July 14 at the Monroeville Convention Center.

Teasdale’s match is one of 22 bouts at “247 FC: Sprawl in the Burgh,” which is being run by 247 Fighting Championships. The promotion showcases fighters in Western Pennsylvania under general manager Hunter Homistek. The doors for the event open at 5:30 p.m. and action begins at 6:30.

“They reached out to me and I am excited to have a grappling match,” Teasdale said. “I am an MMA fighter, too, but I put all my eggs in one basket. I always wanted to compete in combat sports, and that goes back to when I was wrestling in high school, but I feel more free now and I am relaxed.”

The former four-time state wrestling champion will battle Freddie Rodriguez at 140 pounds. This is the first time the two have met in a grappling match, which involves takedowns, throws, trips, sweeps and submission holds, but does not allow kicks or punches, which is a key aspect in MMA attractions.

Teasdale’s first fight with Rodriguez was an MMA bout on Aug. 19, 2022, in Niagara Falls, N.Y., on the main card of Legacy Fight Alliance’s LFA 139 event. Rodriguez earned a unanimous decision, which Teasdale attributes to a slow start for himself.

“He is a tough guy and a solid wrestler, but I wasn’t able to do any real damage in our first fight until it was too late,” Teasdale said. “In wrestling, you do what you can to get the match over as quickly as possible, and in the fight game, you never want to leave it in the judges’ hands. I will be looking to get a finish so that doesn’t come into play.”

Teasdale will come into the bout with Rodriguez about 15 pounds heavier than their MMA fight, but it is not because he has out of shape. Teasdale has been working with Taylor Cahill, who is another up-and-coming MMA fighter who was a NCAA Division I wrestler.

“I was way too small in the last fight,” Teasdale said. “I just didn’t have the strength, but people develop and mature at different times. I have been training 4 or 5 hours a day and am doing all this for fighting. I will look to get back into MMA fights, but I am excited to show what I can do.”

Rodriguez has a 4-1 record as a professional in MMA and wrestled in college. He is roughly six years older than Teasdale.

While Rodriguez has a wrestling background, Teasdale’s resume on the mat needs no explanation, and he is in a good place right now.

“We were in Florida sweating our butts off to get ready for this grappling match,” Teasdale said. “There is so much adrenaline when it comes to any kind of combat sport and guys beat themselves before they step foot on the mat or in the cage. You have to relax and follow the game plan. This is something for me and I love it.”

Teasdale made his MMA debut Feb. 5, 2022, at the Monroeville Convention Center, where he defeated Tyler Fry by unanimous decision.

Teasdale still receives plenty of support from the wrestling community, and he expects to see many familiar faces in the crowd.

“People from the wrestling community still support me, and that is what’s so great about them,” Teasdale said. “They still follow me after all these years, and I am grateful for the support. I hope I can put on a good show and make them proud.”

The Jefferson-Morgan product still has social media but admits to not using at as much as other fighters.

“I know it is important to promote yourself, but I try and stay away from posting all the time on social media,” Teasdale said. “I will put something up about a fight, but I am not going to get into a war of words and all that other stuff that goes on with it. I will let my performance on the mat, in the ring or the cage do the talking.”

Tickets for the event are available at https://www.247fighting.com/ and steamed at https://www.stream247live.com