Ough, who goes by the nickname ``Buck’’, was a wrestler and football player during his high school days, and has been an Elite Cage Fighter for the past three and a half years.

Ough said after graduating from Cooperstown he used to go to Jim Burke’s house in Hartwick and wrestle with Tom Murphy, a state finalist during his high school days. Burke’s son, Packy, won a state wrestling title in 1998.

``That’s where I learned a good wrestling foundation,’’ Ough said last week.

Ough won his latest fight in Rahwah, N.J. on Jan. 27, winning a three round unanimous decision over William Mayorga of New Jersey.

A typical fight has six ways to end it, including: By Knock Out: via punch, kick, knee, elbow, ground and pound; Choke Out: choke hold applied until opponent sleeps or taps; Submission: joint manipulation until break or tap out; Referee Stoppage: when he thinks a fighter can’t intelligently defend himself; Doctor stoppage: when the ring doctor is concerned about a fighter’s health; Judges: time runs out and the fight goes to the judges’ scorecards.

``Fighting started out as a hobby,’’ Ough said. ``I enjoy it. If I’m good enough I can turn this into a living. Then I will be getting paid for what I am passionate about_fighting. I’m going to try and make a run of it now.’’

Ough said he will likely have one cage fight every other month if all goes as planned. He also does one submission fight (tournament style) and he fights every day at his club or a club in Philadelphia.

He added that so far he has been paying to fight, but won some money in his last fight and as he gets more popular and hopefully adds sponsors a living can be made at the sport.

``The more popular one gets, the more money he makes,’’ Ough said.

Ough said that although some people see the sport as barbaric, there is more to it than might at first meet the eye.

``To all the critics of cage fighting, there is more technique in a good cage fight than any ballet,’’ he said. ``It’s so far from two drunks pounding each other, but it’s hard to explain. Compare checkers and chess and that’s a start.’’

Ough trains and teaches in a small club in Oneonta. He trains Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, wrestling, boxing, and Muay Tai.

He said people can train at their own levels, and he can be reached at bough@stny.rr.com.