Power Slap to make international debut in Abu Dhabi as part of UFC 308 weekend

Ninth live show of the slap-fighting league will be part of Abu Dhabi Showdown Week

UFC president Dana White is a co-founder of Power Slap. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Power Slap will make its international debut in Abu Dhabi in October as part of the Abu Dhabi Showdown Week headlined by UFC 308, organisers have announced.

Power Slap is a slap-fighting promotion owned by UFC president Dana White. The event in the UAE will be its ninth live show and will take place on October 24 at Space 42 Arena.

“Power Slap 9 will be our first international event,” said White. “Every time I bring an event to Abu Dhabi I bring the biggest and best fights possible. It’s going to be an amazing week for fight fans, Power Slap 9 on Thursday and UFC 308 on Saturday. I also have a ton of cool experiences planned for the fans. You don’t want to miss this event.”

Headlining Power Slap 9 will be a clash of slap-fighting legends, as reigning Power Slap super-heavyweight champion, Da Crazy Hawaiian returns to defend his crown against No 1 ranked Vasilii 'Dumpling' Kamotskii.

Da Crazy Hawaiian recently defended his title for the second time against top-ranked Danie Van Heerden in the main event of Power Slap 8 in Las Vegas. Dumpling, the slap fighter who inspired White to begin his venture into the sport, looks to replicate his highlight-reel first-round KO in his Power Slap debut from the same event.

The remainder of the Power Slap 9 card will be announced in the coming weeks along with ticket information for this inaugural event.

Power Slap adopts similar rules to other slap-fighting leagues. A coin toss decides which striker goes first and he or she then has 60 seconds to deliver an open-handed slap to their opponent. Slaps must land below the eye and above the chin and cannot be led by the palm to ensure the entire hand hits the target at the same time.

Those receiving the slap must not flinch, tuck their chins in or raise their shoulders. After taking a slap, the participant has 60 seconds to recover and get back into position before preparing to deliver their own slap. Fights either end by knockout or after three rounds. If it goes the distance, the judges use a 10-point system to determine the winner.

Slap-fighting has drawn criticism over the health risks associated with the sport. In February 2023, a Congressional enquiry was launched in the United States into the ethicality of Power Slap, which is regulated and sanctioned by the Nevada State Athletic Commission and the California State Athletic Commission.

Abu Dhabi Showdown Week will be led by UFC 308 on October 26, headlined by a bout between UFC featherweight champion Ilia Topuria and No 2-ranked contender Max Holloway at Etihad Arena.

The co-main bout will be a clash of top middleweights as No 3-ranked contender Robert Whittaker faces the 11th-ranked Khamzat Chimaev in a five-round matchup with title implications.