Salhahuddin “Sal” Everett has earned a UFC contract, but he plans to keep reporting for his other job with the promotion: working as Dana White’s assistant.
The 29-year-old welterweight explained his decision in an interview published Oct. 12, describing an office role he still enjoys. “I love my job,” he told TMZ Sports.
Everett secured his roster spot through Dana White’s Contender Series on Oct. 6. The show gives prospects an opportunity to compete in front of White and UFC matchmakers for a place in the promotion.
Afterward, the UFC CEO suggested that Everett could now concentrate on training at the UFC Performance Institute. White told reporters the contract would provide enough income to support Everett and his family without office work, according to MMA Fighting.
Everett Was at Work During His Interview
Everett told TMZ he had worked the previous day and was back again that day. He was speaking to the outlet from work, fitting the interview around his responsibilities.
He acknowledged that the job can be stressful, but said his fighting ambitions had never been driven by a desire to escape the errands White gave him.
“I’m a working man,” he said. “I’m not lazy. I like to be here.”
His roles at the company have included mailroom work and corporate security before he became White’s runner, according to the UFC. The conversation about his Contender Series opportunity happened during a routine task: Everett was stocking White’s refrigerator when his boss told him he would get a shot on the show.
A Knockout in Under Two Minutes Secured His Place
Everett faced another unbeaten welterweight, Ozzy Martin, at Meta APEX in Las Vegas. Martin pushed forward early, but Everett remained composed and began connecting with the heavier punches.
After defending a takedown attempt, Everett landed a jab, left hook and right hook combination that dropped Martin. The UFC recorded the finish as a knockout at 1:57 of the opening round.
The result moved Everett to 5-0 and gave him his third professional knockout. All five of his professional victories have come in the first round, with none of his fights lasting longer than three minutes.
Before turning professional in 2025, Everett had won Tuff-N-Uff’s amateur welterweight title. He was one of four fighters awarded UFC contracts that evening.
White Explained Why He Left His Seat After the Finish
White had acknowledged before the bout that his connection to Everett would make it difficult to watch impartially. Everett was already well known among employees at UFC headquarters.
After the knockout, White left his seat beside the Octagon to avoid celebrating too enthusiastically while Martin was dealing with the defeat, he explained in the UFC’s post-fight account.
White also addressed questions about whether Everett’s employment had helped him. He said matchmaker Sean Shelby had warned him that Martin represented a difficult, evenly matched assignment, and maintained that Everett had earned the contract through his performance.
When presenting the deal, White praised Everett’s progression through the company and the way he treated colleagues. He said the crowd’s response rivaled the noise he had heard during title fights in the building.
Everett Has Already Taken Time Off Work for Training
Everett told TMZ he took the final month away from work to focus on his Contender Series training camp, according to MiddleEasy.
He said he would like to make his UFC debut in the first quarter of 2027, although he did not identify a booked opponent or date.
Everett was still dealing with swelling in his hand and face after the fight and wanted time with family and friends while he recovered. Although he hopes to compete frequently, he said he was not rushing into another bout.