Dana White’s assistant could earn a UFC contract in a few weeks.
Sal Everett, an undefeated fighter and UFC employee who, in recent years, has served as a runner for White, will compete on Dana White’s Contender Series. The show, which has been labeled a “UFC job interview” for fighters, brings in competitors with all sorts of interesting stories. However, a UFC employee fighting for a UFC contract is something completely unprecedented – and White can’t wait to see what happens.
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“Yeah, I’m excited,” White told MMA Junkie and other reporters during a media scrum at the Meta APEX. “He is a great kid, and everybody in this company loves him. I feel bad for whoever he’s fighting. He’s gonna feel like he’s coming into enemy territory, when that is not the case.
“These are some of those – you know, it’s like Callum Walsh. I was working with Callum early on in his career, and I feel like anybody that comes into Zuffa Boxing feels like they’re the odd man out, which is not the case. You come in here and, if Sal’s good enough, then he’s gonna make it, and he’s gonna get a contract. If he’s not, then he’s gotta figure out what he’s gonna do next.”
Everett (4-0) will face Ozzy Martin on Oct. 6, which will be the penultimate week of the upcoming season of DWCS. White often speaks about how he enters each week of the show without knowing anything about the fighters he’s about to watch compete for a UFC contract, but that will be far from the norm when Everett steps into the cage against another undefeated fighter in Martin (4-0).
In a recent interview, Everett explained his role with the UFC and what the whole experience leading up to his big opportunity has meant to him.
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“It’s all been a blessing,” Everett told MMA Island. “It’s all came so fast, I’ve just been enjoying myself. Started with security, now I’m Dana’s runner, and I’ve been doing that for the past two and a half years now. He’s just been a super blessing in my life and everything’s been super – I wouldn’t say easy, but with the support system that I have and everybody backing me and the whole entire UFC and organization, its making the job easier. I show up with a smile on my face every day.”
Everett described his requests from White as a runner as “nothing super crazy,” giving an example of going to get a Sony PlayStation that the UFC CEO wanted to deliver to a fighter as a gift. On Oct. 6, he hopes White will be the one delivering goods to him in the form of a UFC contract.
While White says the matchup in the cage will be as fair as any other, he can’t necessarily ensure the staff in the arena will hold their tongues when it’s time for Everett to compete.
“Well, there might be a little bias on that one,” White said. “I’d be lying if I said no, but everybody’s gonna get a fair shot, and you know, whoever wins, wins.”
This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Dana White excited for assistant’s chance at UFC contract on DWCS
