MTV 'Caged' star Matt Schnell signs with Legacy Fighting Championship

Matt "Danger" Schnell's MMA career will continue on television.

After a lengthy amateur career, the star of MTV's documentary-reality series has signed with Legacy Fighting Championship, MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com)confirmed with officials.

Schnell will make his promotional and pro debut as a flyweight at Legacy Fighting Championship 14, which airs Sept. 14 on HDNet from Houston's Arena Theater.

An opponent hasn't been determined.

Schnell, who recently signed with First Round Management (a firm that also represents UFC champions Jon Jones, Carlos Condit and Benson Henderson, among others), was the breakout star of the "Caged" series.

After posting a 10-2 amateur record since his first fight three years ago, Schnell got a bit of a boost when UFC veteran and recent headliner Dustin Poirier raved about him following a training session together. Also, Tito Ortiz's Punishment Athletics brand signed the fighter and now sells a shirt bearing his "Danger" nickname.

But his fame from "Caged" has been a double-edged sword in some ways. The show, which focused on Louisiana's amateur-fighting scene, debuted earlier this year to mediocre ratings. It came under fire from MMA fans who panned it even before it aired. The series debut, which included a fighter cutting weight by sitting in a sun-baked car, did little to curb the complaints.

Schnell's professionalism, though, was evident throughout the series – a point he recently told MMAjunkie.com Radio that he hoped critics understood.

"I think they need to see the big picture and understand that some of us take it more seriously than others," Schnell said.

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