For Sal Everett, he’s treating his fight on the Contender Series like any other. But there’s a lot of storylines in play.
Everett, a former security guard for the UFC, is set to face Ozzy Martin on Tuesday night’s card at the Meta APEX in Las Vegas. UFC CEO Dana White, like he did with Bella Mir ahead of her DWCS contest, admits he’s going to have a really hard time being unbiased in regards to where his heart lies when Everett competes on Tuesday.
When asked about White’s positive comments, Everett responded in kind.
“Yeah, it’s completely blocked out,“ Everett told MMA Fighting. ”I think that helps with working for him and over the years of just getting comfortable being around him.
“I used to be nervous around him and sweat when I would talk to him a little bit. But yeah, I feel like over the years, just understanding him as a person and he’s human, and yeah, Dana’s no different from any of us. And yeah, his love is reciprocated for me too because he’s been a real good boss and a good friend.”
Everett is 4-0 as a pro, with all first-round finishes competing for Tuff-N-Uff, and even has a four-second knockout on his résumé.
The 29-year-old recently ended his employment with the UFC in lieu of going after this next chapter of competing as an athlete for the promotion’s welterweight division.
Having seen a different side of White that most don’t get to, Everett said he’s learned a lot from his former — and possibly, soon to be again — boss.
“I mean I feel like he’s a straight hustler,” Everett said. “That’s one thing that [he’s] done, shown me, motivated me, because as far as he is as powerful, and as a man he is, and he’s still busting his ass every single day and showing up to work before a lot of people that I see. So, yeah, I feel like Dana is just exactly who you see, exactly who he is. He doesn’t hide nothing, don’t fake nothing.”
Martin, also 4-0, is a 24-year-old prospect from New Hampshire who has made waves in the Cage Titans promotion. “Toro” has finished all of his pro MMA opposition as well, including a 30 second knockout win in his most recent bout at Cage Titans 77 in July.
Everett is ready to face another exciting fight-finisher, and when asked for a prediction, and the hopes of White telling him later in the evening, “Get your ass over here, kid,” the second-generation pro fighter was fired up.
“By any means necessary, I’m getting that contract,” Everett explained. “Hell yeah, that would be the best promotion I ever got in my whole life. I need this. That’s what’s up.”
