Will Power Slap Ever Become a Mainstream Sport? The Viral Sensation’s Uphill Battle

By Ali Hammad April 28, 2025 21:26

Dana White’s Power Slap has become one of the most polarizing phenomena in combat sports. With billions of social media views, sold-out live events, and a growing roster of influencers-turned-fighters, the slap-fighting league has undeniable momentum. But can a sport built on undefended head trauma and viral clips ever break into the mainstream? The answer lies somewhere between its explosive online growth and the ethical concerns shadowing every knockout.

The Social Media Juggernaut

Power Slap’s digital dominance is staggering. According to internal data, the league’s content generates over 10 million views per Instagram Reel and 12 million views per TikTok video, with one clip racking up 355 million views-numbers that dwarf many traditional sports’ social media metrics. On YouTube, Power Slap reached 2 million subscribers in 13 months, a feat that took the NHL 15 years.

“Globally, we’re doing 400 million views in India, 90 million in Russia, 40 million in Brazil,” White boasted earlier this year. “This thing is a juggernaut.” Even critics like Paul Felder, a former UFC fighter, admit the appeal: “It’s shocking, fast, and people can’t look away.”

Live Events and the Celebrity Factor

Power Slap’s live shows are scaling up. After limiting early events to influencers and VIPs, Power Slap 6 in Las Vegas sold 1,000 tickets during Super Bowl weekend 2024, with rapper Travis Scott live-streaming bouts to 200,000 concurrent viewers. The league’s recruitment of stars like Paige VanZant-a UFC veteran with 3 million Instagram followers-adds crossover appeal. “She’s a needle-mover,” White said after VanZant’s dominant debut.

But attendance remains modest compared to mainstream sports. Most events draw 200–500 spectators, though White insists the focus is on digital reach: “We’re not chasing arena numbers-we’re building a global audience.”

The Medical Red Flags

The league’s biggest hurdle isn’t popularity-it’s safety. A 2024 study in JAMA Surgery analyzed 78 Power Slap fights and found 78.6% of participants showed visible signs of concussion, including balance loss and delayed reactions. Neurologists warn of long-term risks like CTE, with Dr. Nitin Agarwal stating, “The chance of multiple concussions back-to-back is high, with compounding effects.”

White dismisses critics, often comparing slap fighting to early UFC skepticism: “They called MMA human cockfighting too.” But unlike MMA, Power Slap’s rules forbid defense, amplifying concerns. “It’s not a sport-it’s sanctioned brain trauma,” boxing analyst Johnny Nelson told NR Times.

TV Struggles and the Rumble Gamble

Power Slap’s TV experiment flopped. Its debut series on TBS, Road to the Title, averaged 220,000–413,000 viewers-well below its AEW Wrestling lead-in. After cancellation, White pivoted to Rumble, a free-speech platform. While Rumble lacks Nielsen ratings, White claims 3.41 million viewers tuned into Power Slap 1 there, though independent verification is scarce.

The league’s $750 million valuation-per White-raises eyebrows. “It’s a drop compared to NFL or NBA franchises,” noted Awful Announcing, “but the growth is real.”

The Path to Legitimacy

For Power Slap to mainstream, it must address three issues:

Safety Reforms: Introducing defensive measures or stricter medical protocols could ease ethical concerns, though White has resisted rule changes.
TV Partnerships: Securing a linear TV deal (post-Rumble) is critical for casual fan adoption.
Star Power: VanZant’s involvement helps, but the league needs homegrown stars like Sheena Bathory, whose viral slaps dominate TikTok.

The Verdict

Power Slap’s viral success proves there’s an audience for raw, unfiltered combat. But without addressing safety concerns or securing traditional media footholds, it risks remaining a niche spectacle-one that thrives on shock value rather than sporting merit. As Felder put it: “People can’t look away… but that doesn’t make it a sport.”

For now, White’s vision of surpassing the UFC feels hyperbolic. But in an era where attention spans shrink and controversy sells, never say never.