Summer Tapasa, 24, went viral when a video of her forcibly removing a shoplifter from a Best Buy in Hawaii was shared online. The video managed to catch the eye of UFC boss Dana White, who ended up giving her a job.
Not this time
Tapasa had seen the shoplifter trying to steal a speaker before, but this time, she wanted to personally make sure he didn’t get away with it.
“I didn’t do this for anybody. Not for Best Buy. Not for the managers or the corporation. Not for Clout,” she wrote on Facebook. “I did this [because] he needs to know, this needs to stop.”
UFC boss was impressed with her dedication
In January 2020, UFC CEO Dana White caught wind of the viral video and of her leaving Best Buy, so he posted about it on Instagram. “I WANT HER TO WORK FOR ME!” White wrote, adding that he planned to fly her out to see the Conor McGregor vs Donald ‘Cowboy’ Cerrone fight at UFC 246. “Get ready for the best weekend of your life Summer.”
When asked by TMZ about the promise to hire Tapasa, White said, “Why would you not want someone that has that type of dedication and all-around badassery?”
Tapasa couldn’t believe what she saw when White made the announcement and enthusiastically accepted.
“I’ve been a big girl my entire life. Yet, I would have never thought I’d be given the opportunities I’m getting now. I’ve been talked about my entire life. Yet, I still carry on,” she wrote on Facebook.
The UFC’s newest member
In September, White made good on his promise and officially welcomed Tapasa to the UFC team.
“I’m so happy you chose a career with us,” he wrote on Twitter.
You deserve to be appreciated
Try as hard as you want, sometimes your services just aren’t appreciated at work. In this case, a better opportunity appeared to fall from the sky, but usually, changing your situation does involve making a bold switch.
But if you’re good at what do you, as Tapasa is, you deserve to be valued by your employer.
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