Sometimes you see a person on the outside and you make a bunch of assumptions. I think we all do it. When I got opportunity to actually meet PJ Mastrangelo, I saw what everyone sees on the outside. Good looking kid, tattoos, muscles.

Then you have the opportunity to interact. PJ’s a little on the quiet side, reserved. Not shy by any means, but he’s not loud and obnoxious like some people I know :-) (me).

Growing up in Monaca, PJ played just about every sport he could until middle school, including football, basketball and baseball. Then in 8th grade he found the sport that he was passionate about… wrestling!

His training led him to be somewhat of a local folk here in Monaca… Living right next to the high school, PJ Mastrangelo used to be known as the kid who carried a tree on his shoulders – something he learned from the movie Vision Quest.

PJ has a solid HS wrestling career… so much so that he was recruited to wrestle by Penn State Beaver! That all came to a sudden halt, however, when the wrestling program was cut by the school shortly thereafter.

PJ’s drive led him to continue to pursue competition in combat sports. That is when he met Lou Armezzani about a year ago. If you know him, to meet Lou is to like Lou. And he’s been mentoring PJ for the past year, getting him up to speed in his BJJ and overall MMA training.

This is where the story gets tough. You see, the title is “PJ Mastrangelo – Fighting For a Purpose”.

PJ is fighting someone else’s battle. Bullying is real and bullying is tough. Parents, have your teen and pre-teen kids read this. Because PJ experienced the sudden loss of his 17 year old cousin, Nicolina, in April. You see, the bullying that she was experiencing was so harmful and hurtful, so mentally devastating that it led her to do the unthinkable.

So PJ Mastrangelo fights. He fights to stand up and make a difference. He fights to help others who don’t have a voice… or at least don’t think they have a voice. He fights with a purpose.

Come see PJ fight for a purpose on July 27th. He would love to have your support and for you to join his fight against bullying.