When Dana White first got involved with the UFC, people called it a “human cockfight.” Now, it’s one of the biggest sports in the world. Fast forward to today, and White is once again pushing the boundaries with Power Slap, a sport that has fans and critics locked in heated debates.
Of course, mixed martial arts and getting slapped in the face voluntarily and repeatedly are two different things. The common notion has been that there is a discernable lack of skills in the slap-fighting competition and the refusal to protect oneself can eventually go in to cause illnesses in the brain. However, regardless of the doubts, PowerSlap is growing faster than UFC ever did.
Former UFC fighter and commentator Paul Felder believes it is what people want to see and gave props to White for seeing Power Slap’s potential. In an Instagram post, Felder broke it down, saying, “I can see why it’s so popular, that’s what people want to see. They want to see something shocking, fast, and not have to worry about it afterwards. And Dana, to his credit, is a freaking genius for recognizing that.”
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Felder also pointed out how brutal Power Slap can be, even mentioning that some competitors might be losing on purpose. That aspect adds another layer of controversy, as critics argue that the “sport” lacks real competition and strategy. But on the flip side, fans argue that it delivers exactly what people want- pure, unfiltered chaos.
However, with numbers skyrocketing on social media, it’s hard to deny that White might be onto something yet again.
Whether Power Slap will become a lasting phenomenon like the UFC remains to be seen. But for now, as Felder put it, people just can’t look away.
White, of course, has been defending the sport and rather aggressively everywhere he goes. For instance, when he was in Australia for UFC 312, he saw pillow fighting on the TV and decided to use it as a ‘valid’ argument against any criticism of PowerSlap.
Powerslap vs Pillowfighing
Fans and reporters alike in Australia had essentially made it clear to White that slap-fighting wasn’t something they were keen on promoting. The reason was simple. Nobody wants anything to do with a sport that almost guarantees brain damage.
However, during UFC 312’s post-fight press conference, White decided to take the media head-on and expressed his disbelief at seeing Pillow Fighting Championship aired on Australian television. Essentially questioning the taste of an entire country, he said, “I saw f*cking pillow fighting on f*cking TV tonight here in Australia, I don’t want to ever hear another word from you people about Power Slap, okay? Ever.”
While pillow fighting has gained traction on social media, it’s nowhere near the level of Power Slap in terms of popularity or mainstream attention.
Even with some combat sports athletes, such as former MMA and judo champion Julia Dorny, trying their hand at it, it remains a niche sport compared to White’s latest endeavor.
