Concussion expert slams new Power Slap sport and calls it 'sad'

A concussion expert has ripped into a new off-shoot of the UFC called Power Slap.

Dana White’s new show, which sees 30 athletes compete in what’s described as the ‘biggest slap competition of all time’, hasn’t been shy of controversy.

But now, neuroscientist and concussion expert Chris Nowinski says the up and coming sport is an opportunity for athletes to be exploited.

Nowinski is a former WWE wrestler who co-founded the Concussion Legacy Foundation after extensively researching football concussions.

While sharing a graphic clip of RXF Slap Fighting Championships in Romania, Nowinski wrote: “I believe adults can choose to do dangerous jobs if they understand the risks & reasonable efforts are made to protect them.

“But head hits with no defense is just sad. It reminds us that people who don't take the risks often exploit those who do.”

I believe adults can choose to do dangerous jobs if they understand the risks & reasonable efforts are made to protect them.
But head hits with no defense is just sad. It reminds us that people who don't take the risks often exploit those who do. pic.twitter.com/nC8xNWKimF

— Chris Nowinski, Ph.D. (@ChrisNowinski1) January 17, 2023

The video he shared showed Power Slap contestant Comsa Sorin standing his ground for so long that he became disfigured by the end of the competition.

Making it all the way to the final, Sorin did eventually get his hands on the belt, but had to endure a half-hour of hell as his face was struck time and time again by his opponent and he was visibly in serious pain.

For 20 long, agonising minutes he was struck repeatedly on the side of his face as it continued to swell and become even more disfigured, but he endured the pain and eventually defeated his opponent.

In October, the UFC announced plans to launch its own slap-fighting league.

According to MMA Junkie, White's team made a presentation to the Nevada Athletic Commission (NAC) outlining their desire to enter the slap space.

The NAC welcomed the new bizarre ‘sport’ into its jurisdiction, with the UFC being the first to jump on board.

But in the wake of the UFC announcing Power Slap, it garnered a barrage of criticism.

Fox Sports reported that MMA fighter Josh Barnett said: “This type of event (I won’t doing to call it a sport) is the dumbest thing there is going. X-Arm seems like the Olympics in comparison. Why do people support this s**t?”

While podcast host Tony Marinaro called for the controversial sport to be banned.

He said, as per the outlet: “Enough already. This has to stop. Ban slap fighting.”

However, during an episode of Slap! Shorts, the UFC President hit back at critics while noting that production had taken all the necessary steps to ensure the championship was safe.

“We spend the money to make sure that we have two healthy people in there,” he said.

“We have proper medical attention during, and after the fight. There are all the things we needed to educate people on. Just like we had to educate people in mixed-martial arts.”

White continued: “But, in [Power] Slap, they take three like it, don’t watch it. Nobody is asking you to watch this. Oh, you’re disgusted by it? Watch The Voice.”