Hundreds of people will be disappointed.
Dana White’s slapping side-show has reportedly not been renewed by broadcaster TBS. The first season of the show, which features men and women slapping each other as hard as they can in the face until someone falls over, did poor, declining, ratings for network and recently aired its finale on popular far-right platform Rumble.
TBS told MMA Fighting about their decision to step away from the slap-game, noting that Warner Media/TBS will not air Power Slap now that the first season of the show is over.
The broadcast executives will probably speak to the show’s ratings as the reason why they are no longer in business with White on this venture. However, that would gloss over the scathing editorials, outcry from medical professionals and elected officials, and the rancid publicity heaped on the show by its creator.
You may have forgotten by now, thanks to how little other outlets remind you, that weeks before Power Slap was due to air Dana White was caught on camera slapping his wife across the face at a New Year’s Eve event in Cabo San Lucas. In that video the UFC President was shown striking his spouse at least twice.
White received zero punishment for his actions. The UFC’s owners and its official broadcast partner ESPN refused to comment on the issue. White himself said that him being suspended or leaving the company would only punish UFC fighters and instead suggested that his punishment should be that he is forever known as someone who had hit his wife.
White, who also didn’t receive any legal punishment for slapping his wife, seems intent to keep his slapping league alive. He has hinted that Rumble might become the official home of season two and that he might tape the series in Abu Dhabi (maybe because he feels US athletic commissions, who he convinced to permit this stuff, might cave to public and government pressure to end their support).
So just like White doesn’t want you to forget what happened on New Year’s Eve, he also doesn’t want you to forget about his slap show, which he will force onto a screen somewhere and continue to pretend is actually good and worthy of your time.
About the author: Tim Bissell is a writer, editor and deputy site manager for Bloody Elbow. He has covered combat sports since 2015. Tim covers news and events and has also written longform and investigative pieces. (full bio)
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