REPORT: Dana White's Power Slap League may face "zero tolerance" from Athletic Commission on safety grounds
Less than four months after Dana White's Power Slap League secured approval from the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC), it seems some members of the commission are strongly considering a re-evaluation of the rules of the new sport.
With the brutality of the Power Slap League regularly making headlines on social media, it is not surprising that White and the commission have come under heavy fire for allowing the sport to be brought into the mainstream.
In a series of recent tweets by MMA writer Trent Reinsmith, some members of the NSAC are now changing their minds on some of the rules of the Power Slap League they initially signed off on. The journalist reported that they wanted to consider rule changes such as "zero tolerance" on slapping fouls and reviewing every slap thrown:
"It sounds as if some members of the NSAC are a bit more concerned with Power Slap now than when it rubber stamped approval just because the UFC was involved. It sounds as if some NSAC members want to consider a "zero tolerance" policy on slap fight fouls."
Reinsmith further reported:
"I got the feeling the commission thought the blows would be open-handed slaps with no other contact, but when they saw what the strikes actually were, some red flags were raised."
Read the tweets below:
It sounds as if some members of the NSAC are a bit more concerned with Power Slap now than when it rubber stamped approval just because the UFC was involved.
It sounds as if some NSAC members want to consider a "zero tolerance" policy on slap fight fouls.
@mmai_analytics I got the feeling the commission thought the blows would be open-handed slaps with no other contact, but when they saw what the strikes actually were, some red flags were raised.
NSAC is discussing rule changes for the Power Slap - The carpal bones and heel of the hand making impact during the slap is a concern for the commission. The discussion is about how replay will work during the event and the possibility that every slap could be reviewed.
Dana White's Power Slap League: When a fighter suffered memory loss after brutal KO
Just about a week after its television debut, Dana White's Power Slap League witnessed one of its contestants suffer a brutal injury that resulted in some serious head trauma. The controversial sport involves two competitors slapping each other until one of them gets knocked out or concedes.
In the very first episode, welterweight contender Chris Kennedy was brutally knocked out in a manner that caused him to lose consciousness. He faced Chris Thomas, who won the round after Kennedy was unresponsive for a long time.
After regaining consciousness, Kennedy looked dazed and confused by his surrounding environment. He also failed to recollect that he even competed and was unable to stand up without support.
His slurry manner of speaking and inability to remember where he was after getting knocked out indicated a potential short-term memory loss due to absorbing the trauma.
Watch the video below:
Okay, on one hand (see what I did 🤚) this is awesome .. but this can’t happen. People are going to die from this. Kids are going to emulate this. I’m all for fighting sports but there has to be some protection #fight #powerslap #slapfightchampionship https://t.co/hFueuCqBs6
With reports of such incidents on the rise, many health experts and combat sports personalities have condemned the Power Slap League for its dangerous ruleset and expressed concerns about fighters' health.