Dana White admits why Power Slap League finale is no longer on PPV
Earlier in February, UFC president Dana White stated that the season finale of Power Slap League would be available for free on the online video platform Rumble. The news was a bit of a surprise, considering that the March 11 slap-fighting event was initially rumored to be on pay-per-view.
During a pre-match press conference for the season finale on Wednesday, White shed light on why the promoters decided against putting the slap-fighting event on pay-per-view. The 53-year-old suggested that the unfortunate 'slapgate' with his wife, Anne, during New Year's Eve affected the event negatively:
"We were going through the business plan for this thing, and how we were going to do this and that and everything else. We said maybe we put it on TV and we build this whole social and digital plan around it and then it's a pay-per-view at the end... and let's be honest, I didn't do myself any favors on New Year's Eve."
Dana White responds to why the Power Slap 1 Finale is no longer on PPV. https://t.co/cUtIBcYY0V
Additionally, Dana White admitted that the Power Slap Season 1 finale brushed aside the pay-per-view model after considering that the competition was getting the most engagement through social media and as bar TV content:
"Social was so massive, [it] started making sense to look at this thing [as a non-pay-per-view event]. There is two things this thing kills, social media and in bars. It's great bar content. When you're in a bar and you're having drinks and this comes on, let me tell you what, nobody is not watching it."
Watch the full press conference featuring Dana White below:
Dana White argues that Power Slap is just like UFC
Dana White believes that his new venture Power Slap is just like how the UFC was during its infancy. As per White, the slap-fighting promotion helps athletes get more exposure while also earning the big bucks for their families.
At the recent pre-match press conference for Power Slap's season finale, the 53-year-old argued that his slap-fighting promotion was much safer than other non-sanctioned ones.
Dana White added that the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) should be lauded for deciding to license the event, while also comparing the sport to the UFC:
"You should be applauding the NSAC if you look at what it is meant to do. It is not there to determine whether you like [Power] Slap or not, that's not the point. The point is it's going to happen. This stuff was going on in places where it wasn't safe... [The athletes] are much safer fighting here... this is going to change their life, they are going to make money for their families, this is exactly like the UFC when we started it."
Watch the season finale of Power Slap free on Rumble on Saturday, March 11, at 9 PM ET.