Aug 25, 2025 By Jonathan Guth 3 min read

If Karli Jo Thomas’ second professional MMA contest is anywhere close to her first, the Albert Gallatin graduate who is the women’s wrestling coach at Waynesburg University may want to take up residence in Atlantic City, N.J.

Thomas won her MMA debut over the Memorial Day weekend on May 24 at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, and is scheduled for her second professional fight this upcoming Saturday at the same venue.

The event, CFFC 145, is presented by Cage Fury Fighting Championships (CFFC), a regional promotion that operates primarily in the northeastern portion of the United States.

The first bell for the preliminary bouts is scheduled for 6 p.m.

Not only is the fight at the same venue, but it is under the same promotion, which Thomas hopes will be to her advantage.

“It is nice because I know what to expect about the venue and how the promotion works,” Thomas said. “I have already gone through it once, so I should be even more comfortable this time. CFFC has treated me really well, and everything is pretty straight forward and easy with them.”

Thomas will step into the cage for a three-round strawweight (115 pounds) bout with Annabel “Hells Bells” Kelly, who fights out of Las Vegas, Nev., as a member of Syndicate MMA.

Kelly enters the bout at 3-0 as a professional. She seeks her fourth straight victory.

Thomas has watched several of Kelly’s fights, and expects her to be strong in the grappling department and a solid striker.

“I like to watch film in preparation for my fights,” Thomas said. “I think when I started coaching women’s wrestling at Waynesburg University is when I got into it. From what I saw of her, she is pretty heavy in the grappling area and a pretty good striker.”

Kelly’s last fight, a victory by decision, was on Nov. 23. She was scheduled to compete on March 28, but the bout was cancelled. Kelly earned a first-round stoppage in his professional debut, and won by TKO in his second fight.

Thomas, 25, used a standing guillotine choke that forced Lateesha Mohl to tap in 2:31 of the first round in her professional debut. Mohl was 2-0 before facing Thomas.

Thomas’ toughest challenger in her first professional fight was the scale, as she had to make a significant weight cut, but she has accepted that 115 is the weight division she wants to be in.

“I fought at 135 as an amateur, but have moved down to 115 as a professional, and that can make it a little tough with the weight cut,” Thomas said. “I am fortunate to have a great team that I train with and a nutritionist that helps me with following a solid diet.”

Thomas’ boyfriend, Justin “The General” Patton (8-4), fights Frank “Chopper” Wells (6-4) in a featherweight (145 pounds) bout. Her bout is prior to Patton’s, so she will not have him in her corner during the fight.

“Justin was able to be in my corner during my first pro fight because he wasn’t on the card, but I have great coaches, and I know that we are both prepared,” Thomas said. “We will drive out to Atlantic City on Thursday in the morning, which is about six hours, then kind of hang out and get a little work in before Friday’s weigh-ins at 1 in the afternoon.”