UFC CEO Dana White is bullish on the potential of Power Slap in the combat sports space, and if safety protocols are handled correctly, referee Mark Smith agrees.
Smith is a veteran MMA referee who has been in the octagon for more than 100 UFC fights over the past two years. As White launched his Power Slap brand in Nevada, Smith has been one of the referees most seen on the broadcasts for the controversial activity, which sees competitors take turns slapping each other in the face while the recipient has hands behind their back.
The lack of defensive functionality and concentration on knockouts and damage has led to critics questioning the degree of safety around Power Slap, but through his experience so far, Smith said the sanctioning body of the Nevada Athletic Commission does not take it lightly.
“From a safety perspective, we do a lot of preparation for Slap,” Smith told MMA Junkie. “Very extensive rules, before every event I take all the fighters through a really extensive safety and rules meeting. In addition to that, we have the greatest doctors in the world that are cageside or matside, or however you want to call it. And together we work with that staff. We don’t want anyone taking unnecessary damage, so if someone is not prepared to continue to slap, it’s our responsibility to step in.”
There is a natural and unavoidable connection between combat sports and head trauma, whether it’s boxing, kickboxing, MMA or anything in between. It’s an understood part of the risk for anyone who chooses to get involved, but Power Slap only has one goal: Slap your opponent unconscious for a knockout or more violently than your opponent for a decision.
The format is raw, but Smith believes in its potential and is certain it’s no worse than any other combat activity.
“We care about the athletes,” Smith said. “We don’t want to have any long-term damage or injuries. The sport is going to continue to climb. It just got approved in a couple other states. So we look forward to being a part of that.
“It’s safe. So, a three-round fight, or maybe a five-round fight, versus an MMA fight or a boxing match, where they’re taking a lot more potential damage to the head. We’re going to limit that. We’re going to stay close to the fighters to evaluate potential injuries, and honestly, to stop it before it even gets to that point.”
Regardless of the backlash, Smith thinks Power Slap is here to stay. He expects it to grow and evolve over time, and with that, the measures taken to protect the competitors, will flourish, too.
“We just wanted to make sure we were all prepared, both the commission, all the officials and as well as our doctors, to make sure were doing this appropriately and safely as possible for the fighters,” Smith said. “We can still make improvements. There’s some neck guards that are potentially coming out, some hand guards. Focusing on where they hit. There’s a lot things we can do to improve the sport to make it safer.
