Dana White's runner Sal Everett KOs Ozzy Martin to earn a UFC contract

Sal Everett, Dana White's runner, earned a UFC contract on Tuesday night. He knocked out Ozzy Martin at 1:57 of the first round. The welterweight bout was part of Week 9 of Dana White's Contender Series at the UFC Meta Apex in Las Vegas, ESPN reported.

Martin had some early success with body kicks. Everett, 29, ended it with right hands along the fence. White then gave him the news in the cage:

"It's kind of weird because you're already at the UFC, but Sal, welcome to the UFC."

A staffer on the card

ESPN calls Everett White's personal assistant, but most outlets, and Everett himself, call the job runner. ESPN says the work includes errands such as stocking the fridge in White's office. Everett told MMA Island how he got the job, MMA Junkie reported in August: "Started with security, now I'm Dana's runner, and I've been doing that for the past two and a half years now."

Everett told ESPN the invitation to the Contender Series came from White himself. When the booking was first reported on August 11, White was asked about favouritism, MMA Junkie reported. His answer: "Well, there might be a little bias on that one." He added that "everybody's gonna get a fair shot."

On Tuesday, White told him the Apex had hosted title fights, "and I don't know if it's ever been as loud as it was tonight." The UFC's X account posted "From the office to the octagon, Salhahuddin Everett gets it done!", according to MMA Fighting.

We think the finish settles whether he belonged on the card. Martin, 24, came in 4-0 with four straight stoppages, according to UFC.com, and Everett needed less than two minutes. How he got the slot is a separate question, and White has already admitted to a little bias.

When the bout was booked, AgentMMA said a win would be "the first known instance of a current UFC employee earning a fighter contract through the Contender Series." We found no earlier case.

Who Sal Everett is

The Las Vegas native is now 5-0 as a pro, with three knockouts and two submissions according to ESPN. All four of his earlier pro wins came in the first round, per Boxing News, including a four-second knockout at a Tuff-N-Uff show in January. He was also 4-0 as an amateur, and Tuesday was only his second fight at welterweight, according to UFC.com.

He has stopped every opponent he has faced on Tuff-N-Uff cards, amateur and pro, according to Sports Illustrated. After the fight he told ESPN: "Contender Series is just the first step in this journey."

The rest of the night

Three other winners also got contracts. Preston LaGrange knocked out Nell Ariano at 2:24 of the first round as a +400 underdog, according to Sherdog. White's verdict: "4-1 underdog, that's all I have to say." Roque Conceicao submitted Alexander Chavez with a triangle at 3:37 of round one, and Mateus Soares stopped Ryuho Miyaguchi in 1:03.

Alivia Bierley was the only winner sent home without a deal. She beat the previously unbeaten Summer Onley by unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28) at women's bantamweight. White said neither fighter did enough to impose herself, and that he wanted more from Bierley in the third round: "So unfortunately, not tonight."

Bierley, 30, left a vice president's job at LA Fitness to fight full-time, MMA Sucka reported on October 5. She is now 6-1.

What's next

As of Wednesday, the UFC has not announced a debut date or opponent for Everett. Season 10 of the Contender Series has one week left.