UFC Employee Sal Everett Knocks Out Ozzy Martin on Contender Series

Salhahuddin "Sal" Everett just pulled off one of the best backstage-to-cage stories in UFC history. The longtime UFC employee, who has worked as Dana White's personal runner for roughly two and a half years, knocked out Ozzy Martin with a punch at 1:57 of the first round on Week 9 of Contender Series Season 10 at Meta Apex in Las Vegas on Tuesday night.

Everett entered the bout at 4-0 as a professional, with all four wins coming by stoppage in the opening round. That includes a jaw-dropping four-second knockout at a Tuff N Uff event back in January. Martin, also undefeated at 4-0, brought legitimate finishing power of his own, having stopped his last two opponents in a combined minute of fight time.

None of that mattered once the welterweights started swinging. Both men came out throwing hard from the opening bell, and Everett landed the cleaner combination to put Martin down before the two-minute mark.

The situation was unprecedented. A current UFC employee, someone who works behind the scenes at the very arena where Contender Series films, stepped onto the stage and competed for a contract. White had been open about his excitement for Everett's opportunity in the weeks leading up to the fight.

"If Sal's good enough, then he's gonna make it, and he's gonna get a contract," White said before the bout. "He is a great kid, and everybody in this company loves him."

White also admitted there might be some bias in the building, joking, "Well, there might be a little bias on that one."

Everett previously worked in security for the UFC before moving into his role as White's assistant. The transition from running errands backstage to throwing hands inside the cage is the kind of story the Contender Series was built for.