Jack and James Lledo The student-athlete brothers are undefeated on the Pittsburgh fight scene with no signs of slowing down.

 

By Dustin Schlagel

 

Jack and James Lledo both graduated from Lower Merion High School, the same high school that NBA  legend Kobe Bryant graduated from. (Pitt Wrestling)

 

 

PITTSBURGH (May. 1, 2024) – In the sport of combat fighting, it’s not uncommon to see wrestlers make a transition from the mat to the octagon. However, it is rare to see a fighter balance fighting and wresting at the same time, while also taking on the course load of a full-time college student. For brothers Jack and James Lledo however, it may be the key for a longer prime.

 

 

The Lledo brothers have already begun to make a name for themselves on the local fight scene early in their careers. James, who wrestled at Pittsburgh University before transferring to Lockhaven University, has started his career with a perfect record of 3-0. James picked up his first amateur MMA win in 2022, as just a true college sophomore. James has also finished two of his three fights by submission, with the first being an armbar and the second being a triangle choke.

 

 

James was supposed to make his fourth fight appearance at Brawl in the Burgh 21 back in June, but unfortunately, that bout was canceled. However, James did take that time to prepare his younger brother Jack for his pro-fighting debut.

 

 

“I’m super grateful to have him by my side”, said Jack Lledo, Pittsburgh native and Ohio University wrestler. “Outside of being a great big brother, he’s someone I can talk to, and train with daily. The guidance he provides me as an amateur is an advantage I have over most fighters”.

 

 

At Brawl in the Burgh 21 back in April, the coaching and training of James proved to be a difference-maker. In his debut fight, Jack was able to take the fight all three rounds, beating Evan Furlong by unanimous decision.

 

 

The pair of brothers have been performing at high levels in the cage and on the mat. James has so far gone 32-17 in his college wrestling career, with brother Jack picking up 16 wins in his first two seasons at Ohio University.

 

The Lledo brothers are off to a unique start in their careers. In the past, wrestlers who pursue combat fighting have started their careers after they are done with wrestling. However, Jack and James have taken it a step further by meshing those two worlds together. According to Jack, this unusual combination of wrestling and fighting at the same time could become much more commonplace in the future.

 

 

“I think it will become much more common for wrestlers who want to transition into MMA professionally”, said Jack. “Our plan for starting early is to begin our careers in our mid-20s, so we have a longer window to compete during our primes. It’s uncommon for wrestlers to compete in both sports at the same time, but sometimes all you need is one person to inspire you, and that’s what James and I had the opportunity to do”.

 

 

With the combat fight scene constantly evolving, the Lledo brothers have built a unique foundation that has shown to be effective on the Pittsburgh fight scene. With the Lledo method showing success, only time will tell if this becomes a future trend and common route in combat fighting.