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South Glens Falls high school graduate competes for six-figure contract with the UFC

BALLSTON SPA, N.Y.---A South Glens Falls High School graduate is one of 32 people competing on an FX reality show produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship, the world's leading mixed martial arts promotional company.

The show, filmed in Las Vegas, premiered Friday night.

"I love how you can go in there, fight with someone, and then shake their hand and hug them after," says Matt Secor. "And then, getting your hand raised after? That's the best part about it."

Spa City Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in Ballston Spa is where 25-year-old Matt Secor's roots are when it comes to mixed martial arts. A South Glens Falls high school graduate, Secor says mixed martial arts is his career, his ultimate goal to be a UFC champion.

Secor says he has spent six days a week for four years training, inspired by the founders of Jiu-Jitsu.

Secor says while he is no stranger to competitions, last December he participated in tryouts for the FX reality show "The Ultimate Fighter Fridays". Seven months later, he got the call he was chosen to compete for a six-figure contract with the UFC.

"The UFC is the top of the top, it's where everyone wants to be. When you get that call, it's one of the most amazing things," he says.

Secor says at the core he loves to compete, which is the driving force behind his passion for mixed martial arts.

"The best thing about MMA is you have to take Jiu-Jitsu, boxing, wrestling, kick-boxing, judo, all of these different things.  You can be the best at all of these things, but if you can't put them together, you're not going to be good at MMA."

Secor says the 32 people he competes and lives during the show are phenomenal fighters.

He says while he can't give away the specifics, his experience was the ultimate.

"I do think my skills are honed and ready for the best of the competition."