Published 02/16/2023, 4:54 AM EST
Since the day Dana White announced his latest venture, the Power Slap, it has been met with a barrage of criticism and scrutiny. Many have raised concerns about the health implications of a sport that centers around slapping, while others simply cannot accept it as a legitimate sport. This has caused a conundrum among fans who are conflicted about whether to view Power Slap on par with sports like MMA. And the recent news of a Power Slap contender being suspended for testing positive in a coc**ne test has only made the situation worse for the struggling promotion.
With the Power Slap already catching slack, this news has caused the UFC community to erupt with snide criticism, ruthlessly attacking the sport. The idiom ‘caught in the crossfire’ seems to fit Power Slap’s current situation as the sport struggles to gain legitimacy and acceptance.
UFC community berates Power Slap to the core
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Power Slap competitor Jon Kennedy was officially suspended for 9 months by the commission after testing positive for coc**ne following a slap-fighting competition that took place on November 30, 2022. This incident has cast a negative light on both Kennedy and the Power Slap promotion, further damaging the reputation of the struggling sport.
In addition to his suspension, Kennedy will also have to pay a $150 fine and $326 in legal fees. This news has elicited a range of responses from both fans and UFC fighters, who have expressed shock and disappointment for various reasons.
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Check out how the UFC world reacted to this news:
UFC fighter Nina Nunes stood quite perplexed upon learning this:
“I honestly thought that was one of the requirements to compete.”
Former UFC fighter Tyron Woodley appeared shocked by this news:
“TF. Bruh tryna ease the pain lol”
The fact that Power Slap has an athletic commission is hard to digest for Eryk Anders:
“They for real got an athletic commission for this?”
And the fans joined the trail to criticize the promotion over this news:
“now test the people who started this “sport””
“What a red mark on this prestigious sport. How will it ever recover”
While some brought up Jon Jones in this bandwagon:
“Dudes been watching too many Jon Jones documentaries.”
“Jon “Nose” Jones will be a two sport champion & daddy dana will be supplying the belts and “supplements””
“Jon Jones Kennedy”
Wherein a section of fans tried to make a rational case out of this fiasco:
“They expect people to be sober and do this voluntarily?”
“That makes sense cuz you got to be on cocaine to do this stupid shit”
Having said that, according to the reports, the Power Slap is under NSAC’s radar now. They are planning to reshape the Power Slap for good.
Time to bring big changes in the slap game
The Power Slap’s repeated displays of brutality have forced the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) to take action. As a result, they have decided to reevaluate the promotion’s rules and plan to implement a ‘zero tolerance’ policy to address the issue.
MMA writer Trent Reinsmith broke the news on his Twitter account, revealing that Power Slap is already under scrutiny before it has even had a chance to gain momentum.
Tweets by Reinsmith:
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With the promotion struggling to find its feet, this latest development is a kick in the teeth for them. But this may perhaps be a step towards restructuring the sport for good.
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Watch this story: Most Brutal Slap Fighting Videos
What is your take on Power Slap? Let us know in the comments below.