Malcolm Wellmaker is officially stepping into the cage as a full-time professional fighter.
Following his impressive knockout victory over Cameron Saaiman at UFC Kansas City this past Saturday, the Contender Series veteran had revealed his intention to quit his job as a pipefitter if he received a post-fight bonus. Having indeed been awarded a $50,000 Performance of the Night bonus, Wellmaker confirmed on Monday that he has given notice at his job to dedicate his full attention to his fighting career.
“So many people bought into my story so here’s an update: I just quit my job!” Wellmaker announced on Instagram. “Saturday night I made my UFC debut, scored a first round knockout and earned a $50k performance bonus. Today I became a full-time fighter.
In 2015 I joined the pipefitters union in Augusta, Local 150 as an apprentice. Since then I’ve worked full time in the trade while chasing my dream. All my career I swore that if I made it to the UFC and earned a $50k bonus I would quit my job, and today it finally happened.”
Wellmaker had previously shared with MMA Fighting that he balanced working full-time as a pipefitter with pursuing his ambition of reaching the UFC.
Even after securing a UFC contract through Dana White`s Contender Series, the bantamweight prospect didn`t immediately have the financial flexibility to leave his trade, meaning he continued to work demanding hours while preparing for his octagon debut.
Reflecting on his Contender Series win, Wellmaker told MMA Fighting, “I got that knockout and I was feeling like my life was going to change overnight and I was going to be driving a Bentley. I’m still grinding. Still in the same position for the most part, other than being a signed UFC athlete but it keeps you humble, it keeps you hungry and it keeps you working hard. Hopefully after this one, I get to make the change for more success.”
Now that the significant $50,000 bonus is secured, Wellmaker wasted no time informing his employers of his decision to leave and focus entirely on fighting.
He expressed gratitude for his former profession, stating, “I will always be grateful to the trade. It helped me mature from a boy to a man, it brought lifelong friends into my life, and I learned a skillset I can always fall back on, no matter what happens.
My goal now is to take full advantage of my time in the UFC by completely committing to fighting, and if everything goes my way I’ll never have to pick up my welding hood again. But if I do, it won’t break my heart because I love the trade and I’m blessed to have done it.”
Following his recent triumph, Wellmaker requested to fight on the upcoming UFC Atlanta card in June, a location just a few hours from his home in Augusta, Georgia. UFC CEO Dana White reportedly seemed open to making this happen for him.
For the time being, Wellmaker can enjoy the newfound freedom and focus that comes with being a full-time fighter, celebrating a major milestone in his professional journey.
