California State Athletic Commission (CSAC) passed a unanimous vote last week to regulate the newly-created sport of slap fighting, conducted most notably under the “Power Slap” banner, the brainchild of UFC CEO Dana White (with a little help from his friends).
White and Co. do big business in “The Golden State” with UFC pay-per-view (PPV) cards, like the UFC 298 championship extravaganza on tap for Anaheim in early 2024.
The decision to rubber stamp Power Slap regulation is not without its detractors.
In fact, former Nevada commission chairman Stephen J. Cloobeck, who previously voted to approve the much-maligned sport in “The Silver State,” recently went on record to denounce his “mistake.”
CSAC came under fire for touting “additional revenue” as one of its motivating factors in the vote to approve. In addition, the doctor sourced over health concerns or potential “red flags,” Dr. Vernon B. Williams, is the same physician who claimed there is no correlation between head trauma and chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).
The medical opinion California is relying on (to presumably green light) Slap Fighting.
This is shameful. pic.twitter.com/0nkoewlMZH
— Erik Magraken (@erikmagraken) December 8, 2023
Dr. Nitin Agarwal, a neurosurgeon at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, whose research focuses on traumatic brain injuries, previously told The Washington Post he was “very worried” for Power Slap contestants, insisting it only takes a single, unprotected blow to suffer potential “life-altering” damage.
I’m not a doctor and can’t prove what causes CTE (which some fighters are calling “fake”).
What I do know for absolute certain is that over the last several years, multiple UFC veterans have come forward to reveal they’ve contracted the disease after suffering cage-related concussions. Some can’t remember their own phone numbers or walk a straight line.
Others have been left “permanently disabled.”
These are the ‘medical materials’ California is reviewing to approve slap fighting.
A letter on promoter letterhead basically saying
“We’re safe bro, trust!” pic.twitter.com/p6TFPm3H1L
— Erik Magraken (@erikmagraken) December 8, 2023
The good news is, White will no longer have to escape to “Fight Island.”
Power Slap recently tied a ribbon around its Season 2 tournament on the Rumble streaming service, the new home for White’s slap party after getting the boot from TBS. No word yet on when Power Slap will make its “Golden State” debut as part of Season 3, but early-to-mid 2024 seems like a safe bet.
Expect an announcement at some point after the New Year.