Jason Nolf and Bo Nickal stopped by The Mat Factory in Lower Burrell this week in part because of their connection to owner Isaac Greeley. But both wrestlers also know they will be given an opportunity to work with quality training partners.

“They are here to get some good work in,” Greeley said. “They know we have an open door, and it’s like a family. But they are here to work.”

Greeley brought back a handful of wrestlers who wrestled in college, including Burrell graduates Isaac Lacinski of Tiffin and Luke Boylan of Seton Hill to work with Nolf and Nickal.

Greeley said Kiski Area standout Mario Hutcherson also attended the workout. There was a group eager to get work in, even on Christmas Eve.

“The guys love it,” Greeley said. “It means a lot for them to work with guys who are at the highest level. They see that the workouts that they do aren’t that much different from what we do.”

Nickal is a decorated wrestler who competes in MMA as a middleweight in the UFC. He is currently working on training for Real American Freestyle 05, which will take place Jan. 10 in Sunrise, Fla. Nickal will compete for the light heavyweight championship against Yoel Romero at RAF 05.

RAF is a freestyle wrestling league aimed at helping wrestlers have opportunities to compete professionally.

Greeley, who is a coach for the Pittsburgh team of the Championships Wrestling Association, another professional freestyle wrestling league, is excited about all of the opportunities that have been popping up for wrestlers.

Greeley took the job as coach of the Pittsburgh Skywalkers last summer. The CWA will have six teams, including the Central PA Whitetails, Lehigh Valley Hellbenders, New Jersey Mob, New York Response and Philadelphia Founders.

“It’s been great for everyone to have opportunities post-college,” Greeley said.

Nickal, who was a three-time NCAA champion wrestler at Penn State, is 8-1 as an MMA fighter.

Romero, who is from Cuba, is 48 years old and was a silver medalist at the 2000 Olympics. Romero, however, has proven himself to be an ageless wonder. He fought 23 times in MMA across several different organizations, including the UFC and Bellator, last fighting in February 2024.

Nolf, a Kittanning graduate, recently competed at RAF 04 and picked up a tech fall victory. He had a record of 197-1 in high school and won three state championships. In college, Nolf, 29, also won three national championships at Penn State.

“I’ve known Jason since he was in ninth grade,” Greeley said. “He’s getting into grappling and other things and is doing very well.”