Joey Milano
Age: 23
Middleweight
Fighting out of: Schwenksville, Pennsylvania
It’s almost been a full year since Joey Milano suffered the first and only loss of his fight career, and to say he’s been busy would be an understatement. Fighting out of Schwenksville, Pennsylvania, Milano is certainly top of mind for many amateur fighters across the US. In October 2025, he captured the Cage Fury championship at CFFC Next Gen 2. Since defended his belt against Damien Blotzke at CFFC 149.
Impressively enough, just seven days after defending his belt, Milano competed again, this time at CFFC BJJ 16. He submitted his opponent in the first round via a D’Arce. Fast forward to February 2026, Joey Milano tried his hand at another martial art, taking a kickboxing match at Gut Check 60 in Wilmington, Delaware. It came as no shock that Milano found himself in the win column again, scoring a knockout finish in the first 27 seconds of the fight.
In the octagon, Milano is at his best when pressuring his opponent and dictating the pace of the fight. A former D1 wrestler at NC State, Milano is a problem once he gets his opponent to the ground. He is relentless in advancing, constantly searching for transitions that can set up his submission game, ground strikes, or simply allow him to maintain control from a dominant position.
While still developing defensively on the feet, Milano is also an aggressive, forward-moving striker. The Pennsylvania native is not afraid to throw down in the pocket, often looking to close the distance where he can land looping hooks or clinch strikes. More often than not, Milano uses his striking to bring his opponent’s guard up, creating an opening for takedowns, where he tends to have the advantage.
This weekend at CFFC 152, Milano will take on Jesse Pastore, a striker out of New York who holds a 6-2 record. Making his CFFC debut, Pastore has recorded four knockouts in his young career, all of which came in the first two rounds, while his two losses came by submission and decision. For a strong grappler like Milano, this should be a favorable matchup if he’s able to survive the early threat of Pastore’s striking.
Take note as the 23-year-old middleweight Joey Milano goes for his second straight title defense and inches closer to the professional ranks.