UFC boss Dana White hits back at neuroscientists who say his new Power Slap sport causes brain damage
He manages the world’s biggest MMA fighting championship and is known for picking fights with reporters and his own athletes.
But UFC boss Dana White traded barbs with his most unlikely opponent yet this month: neuroscientists.
The spat revolves around his new promotion Power Slap, a competition which sees two competitors slap each other across the face as hard as possible.
White was asked about a study from the University of Pittsburg that concluded three-quarters of contestants on Power Slap displayed signs of a concussion.
When asked about the analysis, White said sarcastically: ‘Sounds legit.’
He added: ‘They watched one episode of the show, know nothing about medicals or what we do or any of the studies we’ve done – sounds like these typical doctors that look for attention to me.’
Male and female competitors from across the globe travel to Nevada where the Power Slap open-handed slapping competition takes place
White did not specify what ‘medicals’ or studies the Power Slap organization has conducted.
Dr Raj Lavadi, one of the researchers of the analysis, responded on X, inviting Mr White for a discussion of the results.
He tweeted: ‘We appreciate that our study was presented to @danawhite for his thoughts, but our conclusions were drawn after watching “season 1 and main events 2 to 5,” and not just the “first episode.” We would be happy to discuss this further.’
White is no stranger to backlash and has had to explain away multiple controversaries over the years, including about his relationship with former President Donald Trump and a physical altercation he got into with his wife.
And earlier this year, he came under fire for defending a UFC fighter’s ‘freedom of speech’ in making anti-LGBTQ+ comments.
White has also been criticized for how he pays his UFC fighters. The UFC executive told GQ he thinks boxers are overpaid and that UFC fighters are reasonably paid, but some fighters say otherwise and have filed suit against White and the UFC.
He said: ‘Boxing has absolutely been destroyed because of money and all the things that go on. It’s never gonna happen while I’m here. Believe me, these guys get paid what they’re supposed to get paid.
‘They eat what they kill. They get a percentage of the pay-per-view buys. And the money is spread out amongst all the fighters.’
White first announced Power Slap in late 2022, saying at a press conference he had watched slapping videos on social media and thought it would make great TV.
Male and female competitors from across the globe travel to Nevada, where the state’s Athletic Commission regulates the league, and are split into weight groups.
Competitors stand across from each other and wind up to deliver an open-handed slap across their opponent’s cheek.
There are three rounds, each earning a score from judges, and the slapper with the highest score is declared the winner.
In a promo video for the competition, White called Power Slapping ‘the ultimate measure of toughness.’
UFC chief business officer Hunter Campbell told ESPN in October 2022: ‘After testing it, it became clear to us that there’s massive potential here as a sport, not unlike the early years of the UFC.
‘It made all the sense in the world to go toward regulation before the sport’s commencing, for all the obvious reasons – No. 1, the health and safety of the competitors.’
Dana White said the researchers of the analysis were ‘typical doctors that look for attention’
Power Slap is an open-hand slapping event that sees opponents slap each other across the face as hard as possible
And White said league organizers and athletes were taking safety concerns seriously.
Despite this, doctors raised concerns before competitions even started.
Neurologist Dr Nitin Agarwal, one of the researchers on the recent analysis, told The Washington Post in 2022: ‘When it comes to the physical aspect of the martial arts, safety and defense are primary. By its virtue, slap boxing is an offensive sport. There is no defense.
‘You can’t use your shoulder to protect you, you can’t use your hands to protect, you can’t even turn your head to soften the blow or control where the blow is going to be placed. So that’s very worrisome.’
In their initial analysis, the University of Pittsburg neurologists watched video footage of 139 matches – which consist of multiple rounds of slaps against the same opponent. These included 56 contestants and 333 individual slaps.
Among the contestants, 44 – or 79 percent – displayed at least one sign of a concussion.
A concussion is a type of traumatic brain injury (TBI) that occurs when the brain moves or twists quickly inside the skull.
The injury can be caused by impact to the head, or a hit to the body that causes the head to move back and forth.
Symptoms include ringing in the ears, nausea, vomiting, blurry vision, fatigue, headache, confusion, amnesia, dizziness and loss of consciousness.
In 72 matches – 52 percent – and in 97 individual slaps – 29 percent – competitors displayed at least one sign of a concussion, including unsteadiness, blank or vacant stares and loss of consciousness.
The most frequent signs observed in slappers were difficulty standing, clumsiness or wobbly legs – seen in 68 slaps and 54 matches.
This was followed by blank or vacant looks, observed in 48 and 45 slaps and matches, respectively; delays in returning to a standing position (34 and 33, respectively); and loss of responsiveness and/or consciousness (15 in both instances).
In Power Slap, contestants must stand in a box with their hands behind their backs as their opponent slaps them across the face
In some instances during matches, contestants fall to the ground and lose consciousness
In 11 slaps and sequences, those hit displayed signs of a seizure, including stiffness or tension in the limbs.
The researchers concluded ‘that slap fighting may induce traumatic brain injury in contestants, with potential for long-term consequences.’
They continued: ‘The risk is further augmented given that the contestants must stand defenseless, allowing their opponents to achieve complete and precise contact with their heads during each offensive blow.’
A concussion can effect brain function, including concentration, balance, mood and sleep.
People may experience a delay in motor or cognitive function, slurred speech and a dazed appearance, the Mayo Clinic reports.
Days later, someone with a concussion may experience memory problems, personality changes and increased irritability, changes in taste and smell, trouble sleeping and sensitivity to light and noise.
When people exhibit these symptoms, they should immediately seek medical help by visiting their doctor or the hospital.
And repeated concussions can cause brain swelling, bleeding and even death.
The researchers added: ‘Slap fighting may be a more grievous combat sport than previously assumed, and strategies to prevent neurological demise among its participants should be pursued.’
