Alex Apodaca Explains Why She’s Already Back at Her Full-Time Job

Alex Apodaca has earned a UFC contract, but the biggest opportunity of her MMA career has not convinced her to leave her regular job behind.

Just days after shocking Bella Mir on Dana White’s Contender Series, Apodaca was already back at work. The 32-year-old earned her place on the UFC roster with a unanimous decision victory over Mir on Aug. 25, but she remains committed to maintaining her career outside the Octagon. 

Alex Apodaca Was Back at Work the Morning After Her UFC Contract

Apodaca's victory over Mir was a major moment in her career. She entered the fight as a significant underdog before defeating the previously unbeaten prospect by unanimous decision and earning a UFC contract from Dana White.  However, there was little time for Apodaca to celebrate.

The Texas-based fighter returned to her full-time job shortly after the victory and even attended a 7:30 a.m. work video call the morning after earning her UFC contract. Speaking with Ariel Helwani, Apodaca explained that she sees good reasons to maintain the job, particularly because of the benefits and security it provides.

“I want to have a 401k and, you know, good insurance and that kind of thing,” Alex Apodaca said. 

The decision also reflects how different Apodaca's situation is from that of many UFC fighters who can devote themselves entirely to MMA.

Alex Apodaca's Employer Has Given Her Flexibility to Train

Apodaca has not revealed the name of her employer, but she has described her position as a full-time role at an accounting firm. Rather than forcing her to choose between work and fighting, the company has accommodated her training schedule through what Apodaca described as an “alternative work arrangement.”

That flexibility appears to be one of the main reasons Apodaca has no immediate plans to walk away from her professional career. She added that she does not know many companies that would offer the same arrangement, saying that the flexibility is one of the reasons she has stayed with the firm for so long.

The support has extended beyond her training schedule. Apodaca also joked about being able to return to work while still visibly carrying the effects of her fight.

“They’ve been so cool with me," she continued. "They’re okay with me showing up to work looking like this, you know what I mean?” 

Apodaca May Eventually Have to Make a Decision

While Apodaca wants to keep her full-time position, she acknowledges that becoming a UFC fighter could eventually make that difficult. If her UFC career develops as she hopes, the increased training demands, travel and fight preparation could require her to reduce her hours or move into a more flexible position.

For now, however, Apodaca is comfortable balancing both careers. She also made it clear that maintaining her job is not a sign that she lacks commitment to MMA. Before facing Mir, Apodaca said she was prepared to continue fighting regardless of the result. Her victory simply gave her the opportunity to do so on the UFC stage.

From Massive Upset to the UFC

Apodaca's decision to return to work makes her already unusual path to the UFC even more interesting. She entered the Contender Series bout with only a handful of professional fights and was considered a major underdog against Mir. Instead, she neutralized much of Mir's grappling game and secured a unanimous decision victory. Dana White subsequently awarded her a UFC contract.

Now Apodaca has a UFC contract while continuing to work at the accounting firm that has supported her MMA ambitions. Her circumstances could change as her UFC career develops, but for the moment, Apodaca is choosing to keep both paths open.

For a fighter who only recently pulled off one of the biggest upsets in Contender Series history, returning to a normal workday may not be the expected next step. For Apodaca, it's simply part of balancing her new opportunity with the career she has built outside the cage.