Alex Perez is soaking it all in after earning his UFC contract.

This past Tuesday night (Aug. 8), Perez competed on the fifth edition of Dana White’s Tuesday Night Contender Series. Perez shined with a first-round submission victory over Kevin Gray. The win impressed White, who awarded him with a contract.

After the fight, Perez described his emotions:

“(It’s) overwhelming. I worked so hard. I turned pro when I was 18, and it’s been a long time coming. I’m 18-4 now, and I’m in the UFC. I can’t wait.”

He went on to say that being a part of the UFC roster has always been his goal.

“(I thought about being in the UFC) all the time. I was close one time to making it to ‘The Ultimate Fighter.’ … At that point, I was like, ‘Man, I don’t know if I’m going to have a chance again.’ My coaches and teammates and manager and family were like, ‘Give this another run. … You’ll eventually get there.’”

It may come as a surprise that at the age of 25, Perez already has a professional mixed martial arts record of 18-4. With the resume of a veteran but the age of a prospect, Perez finds himself in an interesting situation but certainly not a bad one.