After becoming one of 2020’s biggest viral hits, the Hawaiian native moved to Las Vegas and secured a job with the UFC.
Tapasa went from working at a Best Buy in Waimulu, Hawaii, to working as security for the world’s leading MMA organization as a result of a series of unforeseen occurrences.
The bizarre turn of events at Tapasa began a few days before Christmas when a customer who had gotten away with stealing returned for a second helping.
The alleged thief had no idea what he was getting himself into. He planned to leave Best Buy with a brand-new speaker this time. Tapasa, on the other hand, had other ideas, and the supposed thief was going to pay in some way.
“I could see him charging for the door,” Tapasa said. “It was wide open. Nobody was coming in, nobody was coming out. And as he started running, I already knew that I had to do something. I wasn’t going to let this guy come in here and do it again. He’s not going to do it again, because if I don’t stop him, he’s never going to stop – he’s going to keep coming in and thinking it’s OK, and who knows, he might even try other stores.”
“He was running towards the door, and I just start shoving him, and he just wouldn’t stop,” Tapasa said. “In the video you can see me shoving him towards a barrier, it was a cardboard barrier. And we go through it, and that’s when I wrapped my arms around him and I went down. At that time, my co-worker intervened, he kind of helped me out. We hit the floor. I can feel that my shirt was over my head, and I was like, ‘You’re kidding me. I have all these people, they’re probably looking at me right now because of this scene that we just created, and my shirt is over my head.
“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.”
When UFC CEO Dana White learned of the viral video and her departure from Best Buy in January 2020, he commented about it on Instagram. “I WANT HER TO WORK FOR ME! “” I’m flying her out to see Conor McGregor vs. Donald ‘Cowboy’ Cerrone at UFC 246,” White stated, adding that he planned to fly her out to see the bout.
“I’m flying her out to see Conor McGregor vs. Donald ‘Cowboy’ Cerrone at UFC 246,” White stated, adding that he planned to fly her out to see the bout.
“Why would you not want someone who has that type of dedication and all-around badassery?” White stated when asked by TMZ about the pledge to recruit Tapasa.
When White made the announcement, Tapasa couldn’t believe what she saw and eagerly 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.
White followed through on his pledge in September, officially welcoming Tapasa to the UFC.
“I’m so happy you chose a career with us,” he wrote on Twitter.
No matter how hard you try, your efforts at work aren’t always appreciated. In this example, a better opportunity emerged out of nowhere, yet altering your condition normally necessitates making a bold move.
But if you’re good at what you do, as Tapasa is, your company should value you.
