Nevada to regulate slap fighting, clearing way for Dana White-owned league to run events at UFC Apex

The Nevada Athletic Commission is set to welcome a new combat sport into its jurisdiction with open arms – and open palms.

After a proposal and presentation by UFC chief business officer Hunter Campbell during Tuesday’s monthly meeting, the NAC approved slap fighting a sport to be overseen and regulated by the state.

The discussion lasted approximately 13 minutes and began with a pitch by Campbell, who will serve as part of the primary ownership group for Dana White’s Power Slap League, along with UFC president Dana White, Zuffa founders Lorenzo and Frank Fertitta, UFC ownership group Endeavor, longtime “The Ultimate Fighter” producer Craig Piligian, and other investors.

“We’ve spent the last year sort of beta-testing this in a controlled environment to really test and see the dynamic of how this would function as an actual league and real sport,” Campbell said. “What we’ve found is that this is actually a skill sport that the participants, who are at a high level in this, are skilled athletes in. They train. They’re in good shape. They take it seriously, not dissimilar with what you see in MMA and boxing.”

Much of Campbell’s presentation revolved around the need for regulation in a sport he said is growing in popularity but with “warehouse” events. Campbell said he hoped commission involvement would ensure two things: fighter safety and matchmaking integrity.

“Again, our approach was similar to the UFC: Move toward regulation before this is an actual thing” Campbell said. “… With any sort of combat when you’re taking shots to the head, to have it done in a way where there isn’t medical procedures and regulations put around it is an unsafe environment. The second issue is integrity of the sport. The other thing that we’ve seen is, you’ve seen instances where a guy might be 400 pounds, and he’s slapping a guy who’s 130 pounds. That’s also not what we’re looking to do.”

He continued, “Really the appeal (to the commission) today is to say we believe the athletic commission has the jurisdiction to regulate the sport. Our concern is they choose not to do it. As this grows, you’re going to see, I call it, ‘the sports bar slap contest,’ where you have two 56 year-old guys dropped at a bar, and they’re going to be slapping each other for $200 in prize money. Ultimately nothing will be done to prevent that. That’s sort of the appeal to the commission.”

Campbell said slap fighting will be “an identical template for what we have with UFC events.” The group plans to begin holding Dana White’s Power Slap League events at the UFC Apex by the end of 2022. Initially events will be held behind closed doors, but Campbell indicated plans to eventually open them up to the paying public.

Additionally, Campbell said a deal is being finalized with “a major network partner” to broadcast events. Dana White’s Power Slap League initially will be a television competition series.

Both Campbell and the commission agreed on the importance for weight class implementation, brain scans, blood tests, and adequate onsite medical staff. Rules for such contests will be similar to MMA when it comes to fouls (i.e. no striking to the back of the head, no eye-gouging, etc.).

“I think this sport needs to be regulated,” NAC executive director Jeff Mullen said. “If we don’t regulate it, it’ll be taking place everywhere all over town without regulation or any sort of safety standards.”

NAC chairman Stephen Cloobeck called video he watched of the slap fighting beta-testing “highly entertaining” and praised the involvement of “professionals who know what they’re doing” in reference to the UFC.

Slap fighting gained notoriety during the COVID-19 pandemic through viral internet videos. Historically, slap fighting contests have consisted of two competitors standing within an arm’s reach of each other. The two combatants take turns winding up and striking their opponent in the face with an open hand. Spotters back the two slappers in case one loses consciousness.

Perhaps the most notable American promotion to date is Slap Fighting Championship, which according to a promotional video on its official website, has run events since 2017 in “undisclosed locations” across the country.