What is Slap Fighting?

In one of Dana White's more controversial moves, the UFC president has ventured into the world of slap fighting with the Power Slap League.

The sport hits numbers on platforms such as YouTube similar to those of a major sporting competition and is on the rise.

What is Slap Fighting?

Two opponents slap each other in the face to get a victory. 

Unlike MMA, boxing, and other combat sports, slap fighting involves no movement other than slapping. Opponents stand on opposite sides of a table in the center of the stage, at arm’s length from each other. They take turns slapping each other in the face with their palms, not a clenched fist.

Contestants are not allowed to move to prevent a significant slap. They must bear the full brunt of their opponents' slaps.

Dana White's Power Slap League is still commissioned by a local athletic commission, as all combat sports must be. As most contests have taken place in Las Vegas, those unable to be licensed in other states or territories are often cleared to fight by the Nevada Athletic Commission.

As of now, the major sports betting sites aren't taking bets on slap fighting.

How Do You Win? 

The way to win is simple: slap an opponent until the person cannot slap back. This can come in the form of a knockout or on points.

As it only takes one slap to knock an opponent out, it’s seen as crucial to go first. Who slaps first is determined via a coin toss or a seeding method. There are three to five rounds in a slap fight, and competitors have up to 30 seconds to slap an opponent. The "defender" has up to 30 seconds to recover. 

If someone is knocked down, they are given a 10-count by the referee to rise to their feet and prove they can continue.

If both fighters make it to the end of a competition, they are judged based on a defender's reaction and recovery time and a striker’s effectiveness in a slap. Judges use a 10-point system, similar to that used in MMA and boxing (10-9, 10-8), to decide the winner.

Is Slap Fighting Safe?

No combat sport is necessarily safe. Slap fighting has been met with controversy due to the contestants' inability to defend themselves.

Medical professionals have long warned combat athletes about the impact of consistent blows to the head, with the most prominent danger being the risk of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).

What’s more, although it might seem safer to slap someone than to strike with a clenched fist, the inability to defend and wear protective equipment increases the dangers of serious health risks like CTE. These are professional athletes who train to enhance their striking power, making their strikes even more effective.

In boxing, there is at least the chance to defend oneself. Slap fighting has already witnessed one death, when Artur Walczak suffered a cerebral hemorrhage following being knocked out by Dawid Zalewski in October 2021.