-
The boxing world is in awe of Dana White's continued Power Slap adventure.
-
The premise of Slap is simple. Be prepared for a powerful strike that you cannot defend against.
-
Hall of Famer Lou DiBella called it "systematic brain damage."
The extreme sport of slapping, which originated in Russia, recently gained popularity in the United States with last week's Power Slap reality show.
From President Dana White to Chief Business Officer Hunter Campbell and consultant Frank LaMichella, some of the most prominent people in the UFC have watched the Power Slap.
"If you suspect our communities are falling apart, watch Power Slap on TBS," wrote Lou DiBella of Fall of Fame announcer on Jan. 18 watching the first episode.
"It's like a graphic train wreck that you can't turn your back on. Slap a fighter… what does that mean?"
DiBella called her "organized brain damage" and "different" from MMA and the UFC.
He added that he didn't like it so much, "stopped this shit" because it "made me feel especially dirty," he wrote on Twitter.
Power Slap is very controversial due to its shocking nature.
Since the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) approved it as a professional sport for the state late last year, slapstick is still in its infancy.
At a committee meeting held by Insiders in November, NSAC appeared to agree to do so, with Commissioner Stephen Klopek asking Campbell and Lamicella for assurances that there would be no firearm deaths.
You will ensure that no one dies. According to Klopek, perhaps in 2010, 2021 may mark the death of Polish strongman Artur Walczak, who died aged 46 after being slapped in the face.
"This is priority one, two, three," Campbell said as he responded to the club, counting to 10.
Despite this, the visual effects of various comic events around the world were amazing.
A recent slapping contest in Romania showed the brutality of the sport's destruction of a person's face; Yet somehow he won.
The footage shows Soren Kumsa with plaster and blood on the left side of his face. Her cheeks are swollen, her lips hang on the left side, and her face from the front looks unrecognizable.
Chris Nowinski, a neurologist and anxiety expert, hit back last week, calling the whole episode "tragic" and "reminding us that people who don't take risks are often taken advantage of by those who do."
"It was horrible," boxer Dimitri Salita told Insider.
Boxing promoter Dimitri Salita told Insider that Komsa's clip, which stars the likes of Clarissa Shields, Jermaine Franklin and Jarell Miller, was "terrifying."
An insider asked Salita about the difference between boxing, where competitors trade a maximum of three slaps, and Power Slap, where they land hundreds of punches on their fighters.
She said: “It's not my style to comment on other people's work, but people and Dana White, who are wonderful announcers, liken the charade to boxing and stakes and things like that.
"As a member of the boxing community, I was very upset when I saw this as a spectator," the executive said.
“I don't know much about mixed martial arts, I know boxing, but both sports have offensive training, defensive training and combination training.
"It's an art form and it's beautiful, for those who understand, it's scientific, artistic and the highest level of sport."
"When we were kids, we were taught to hide with punches, to hit hard. Also, don't run too far because your opponent can see and dodge or block.
“With this particular form of entertainment, you just have to deal with it and be ready to accept someone else. As training improves and people get stronger, things can get worse: concussions, broken teeth, broken jaws. It's scary. It's crazy.
"Slapping is not a sport for me," Salita said. "There must be protection from attacks, because the limit of constant pain is neither sport nor health."
It is completed. "When these guys are outed, it's like a real shock coming off a baseball bat. In my opinion, that doesn't add anything to the sport or society."
"The power punch needs to stop," tweeted one boxer.
Elite boxer Ryan Garcia, who is expected to fight Gervonta Davis in the mega event on April 15th in Las Vegas, was shocked by what he saw on TBS, according to Insider.
"Slapping power is a terrible idea and needs to stop," he wrote on Twitter.
Garcia vs. Davis broadcasts a pay-per-view program on Showtime Sports.
Last week, Insider spoke to Showtime Sports President Stephen Espinosa, who seemed to agree with Salita's assessment that slapstick is not a sport.
"I've seen a bit of the show," he told us. “I'm a bit crazy and I can hardly call it a sport.
“There's an aspect of defiance, but look… there's something that hurts my feelings, really, who can withstand such a strong blow without defending themselves?
"I don't really care who's behind it."
Slapping is "a bad addition to martial arts," Stephen Espinosa told Insider.
Espinosa broadcasts several combat sports on Showtime Sports, including ShoBox, Showtime Championship Boxing and Bellator MMA.
He acknowledges that mixed martial arts and boxing still carry their inherent risks, but points out that the main difference between established combat sports and boxing is the ability to defend yourself in a ring or octagon.
"The danger of slapping the fight is that the rules against defending against a full blow to the head are frequently troubling.
"So I'm not a fan," Espinosa said. "It's not something I support or consider a safe or good addition to martial arts in general."
Read the main inside section