Former UFC employee Sal Everett earned a fighter contract with a first-round knockout victory over Ozzy Martin at Dana White's Contender Series. The 29-year-old, who previously worked as a security guard and runner for the promotion, stopped his opponent with a devastating combination just minutes into the fight. UFC president Dana White awarded Everett a contract immediately after the bout, praising his transformation from office staff to athlete. "That's why I got up and walked out after he won, I don't want to be overly celebrating," White said. "Sal is one of the greatest kids ever and it couldn't happen to a better person - I'm happy for him." Everett joined the UFC three years ago while working in administration and won his first four professional fights before earning the Contender Series spot.
He recently left his UFC job to focus fully on his fighting career, telling his former boss during the interview: "Hey boss, I'm ready to be in the UFC." The victory follows Briton George Staines' contract win one week prior, where he stopped Loai Abushaar inside 61 seconds.
Source: BBC Sport · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing