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Gianatasio Looks to Shock At Fury Challenger Series 8
John Gianatasio Brings 18 Years Of Experience To The Fury FC Cage When He Meets Penn State Superstar Wrestler Turned Mixed Martial Artist At Fury Challenger Series 8
John Gianatasio is an MMA prospect that looks to make headlines and give fight fans an amazing show in his next fight against Anthony Cassar.
At 37 years old, Gianatasio isn’t your average rising star. He’s a seasoned mixed martial artist who hasn’t let anything, including age, stop him from following his MMA dreams.
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Gianatasio’s first venture into martial arts came over 18 years ago when he dipped his toe into both kickboxing and jiu-jitsu. Early in his MMA career, he would move to Huntley, Illinois, near Northern Illinois University. and train under Team USA kickboxing legend Rob Zbilski, leading to his first amateur fight in 2008.
“I’ve done jiu-jitsu for almost 18 years,” Gianatasio said. “I started training with Team USA kickboxing at 20 and I’ve been really just focusing on my boxing over the past five years.”
After suffering multiple ACL injuries, Gianatasio took an indefinite break from MMA. Time and health may have been against him, but it wasn’t long before Gianatasio needed to scratch the MMA itch.
“I had hit a point in my life where I really needed martial arts back in my life and started going back to the gym,” Gianatasio said. “Since I got hurt, I have more focus on my career.”
Gianatasio had a handful of amateur fights and simply enjoyed the process of training until a coach got in his ear and guided him into the professional ranks.
“My first coach ever, he had told me when I started again back in 2020, ‘If I were you, I would take one more fight and go pro.’ I took a fight in Mississippi for my professional debut last October against Terry Wilson. He was about 3-0, and it was a heavyweight.”
His professional debut wasn’t what he was hoping for, as he lost by doctor stoppage. Gianatasio explained that he missed the mark in the first round which proved to be a decision-altering mistake.
“I had him hurt multiple times and I made one mistake in the second round took some cuts and the doctor stopped it between the second and the third round,” Gianatasio said.
After learning from his mistakes, both in the moment and after the fight, the Fury FC prospect believes he took some effective lessons out of his pro debut and looks to use them for his next fight against Penn State National Champion Anthony Cassar.
With 18 years of martial arts under his belt, Gianatasio not only has the tools to put away the hyped up and comer, but he has had them for almost two decades.
It's been a long road to his second professional bout, but it’s led him straight to the top of the heap.
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