BREAKING: Dana White's Power Slap League faces first drug suspension as competitor tests positive for cocaine

Dana White's Power Slap League continues to make headlines, and within a month of its television debut, the league has suspended a competitor for a positive drug test.

White advocated for regulation of his new slap-fight promotion in response to the outcry that the sport was barbaric. The Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) joined the UFC's quest to institutionalize the sport by doubling down on efforts to assist White and the team in bringing credibility to the sport.

Dana White (@danawhite) tells me and many others that as Season 1 of #PowerSlap goes on, the sport will become “much safer” and that more people will begin to understand how it actually works. I can’t say that I’m not excited for episode 2, because I am. 👊 @MMAOutsidersETB https://t.co/Oak6nnJFkq

With that, the Nevada Athletic Commission has handed its first drug suspension for cocaine use to a Power Slap competitor. Jon Kennedy, a 37-year-old competitor and an MMA fighter, tested positive for a drug test following his knockout loss to John Davis, the commission stated at its monthly meeting on Wednesday. Kennedy was virtually present in the meeting.

The contest was taped in advance, although Kennedy's most recent performance in the Power Slap League was broadcast in February. According to the Power Slap website, Kennedy has a record of 2-2 overall in the competition.

Kennedy was suspended for nine months and fined $476, including $326 in legal fees. On August 30, he will be eligible to compete in combat sports in the state again. Since the commission opted to regulate slap fighting, this is the first time a reprimand has been imposed.

Power Slap's Jon Kennedy suspended for cocaine use.

📰 bit.ly/KennedySlap https://t.co/0Z8Egjy8UK

Dana White claims that the Power Slape League is "a hit"

Dana White, the founder of the Power Slape League, was in the media row at the Super Bowl to promote his latest venture and lobby for the sport to be recognized as a sanctioned competition. White, meanwhile, is pleased with the Power Slap League's trajectory despite the growing uproar against the arduous nature of the sport.

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A solid 275,000 viewers have tuned in for each of the first four episodes on average, according to Dana White. However, White emphasized that the domestic TV audience is just one of many potential markets for Power Slap League success.

White further bragged about the show's accomplishments on social media, including the fact that the Power Slap TikTok account only needed a few episodes to gather 1.9 million followers, which is more than double the number of viewers who watch AEW, the show that precedes Power Slap every Wednesday.

Speaking about the league's success to Front Office Sports, Dana White stated:

"We are still figuring out how to navigate this thing. But the one thing that we do know is it’s a hit, and it’s a winner. If you look at the international numbers [on Rumble] that we’re pulling, they are astronomical. We had places like Russia and Poland that we knew were going to be big. But we are starting to see the UK, Canada, India, and Indonesia pop.”