Controversy is no stranger to UFC CEO Dana White, but recent events might be pushing the envelope even for him. His latest venture, the Power Slap league, is gaining traction across the U.S.—but not without serious backlash. While the brutal slap-fighting format has captured public attention, medical experts are sounding the alarm. A recent report from The Journal of Head Trauma Rehabilitation delivers a harsh blow, scientifically linking the sport to significant brain damage. As the spotlight grows brighter, so do the questions.
The journal report suggested that the study was conducted based on several Power Slap fighters and utilized video-based analysis. The conclusion of the report expressed serious concerns for the fighters, revealing that approximately half of them suffered severe CTE after competing. In the study, they analyzed 115 total fights, 97.5% of which were successfully reviewed via video footage. Among these 115 bouts, 40 (38.4%) ended in knockouts, while 21 (18.3%) concluded with technical knockouts.
According to doctors, approximately 79.1% of the fights showed visible signs of concussion for the athletes, with an average of 1.41 indicators per bout, or about 0.31 signs per slap. The report was shared by an MMA reporter, Erik Magraken, who captioned it as, “Over 52% of powerslap fights “with signs of suspected concussion continued following observed concussion signs.”
Well, this is not the first time Dana White’s Power Slap has been marred by such accusations. Back in 2024, experts from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine published a research paper in JAMA Surgery, presenting consistent evidence that the sport delivers severe blows to brain health. Their research paper suggested that they reviewed 78 fights, which included 333 slaps and 139 sequences among 56 contestants. It revealed that of the 56 contestants, 78.6 percent exhibited at least one sign of concussion. The most common signs exhibited included motor incoordination, slowness in getting up, and a blank or vacant look.
“Not surprisingly, the video analysis of power slap episodes conducted by the Pittsburgh researchers arrived at the logical conclusion: namely, this activity is a paradigm for inflicting blunt force trauma to the head of a defenseless participant and results in the expected constellation of neurological changes seen with impact events,” said Gregory O’Shanick, MD, the Brain Injury Association of America’s Medical Director-Emeritus.
Study – powerslap has sh*t loads of traumatic brain injury https://t.co/7zoafN33Ze
— Erik Magraken (@erikmagraken) June 2, 2025
He further added, “This is, in fact, the established definition of concussion/mild traumatic brain injury as currently recognized by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.” With a net worth of $750 million, Dana White remains bullish on his brainchild. However, with back-to-back reports labeling the promotion as a brain-damaging sport, things are becoming increasingly difficult for the UFC CEO. Let’s take a look at what he had to say.
Dana White responds to the PowerSlap allegations
Dana White is well aware of all the allegations surrounding Power Slap, and he is not denying them either. In a conversation with Time Magazine, the UFC CEO acknowledged the concerns but pointed out that this isn’t the first time a sport has faced injury-related criticism. He stated that from soccer to football to boxing, all sports involve injuries.
“As a grown adult living in America, you have the right to choose what you want to do.” The UFC CEO also said that he spends “all the money that I possibly can to take as much risk out of it.” He gave his own example and stated that ever since he started boxing, he has had black spots on his head. “I went in and I did one of those brain studies. I have black spots all over my brain from what I did. I wouldn’t take one back one punch… because I loved it that much.”
Apart from these statements, the UFC CEO has not issued any denial of the reports. Regardless, things might become difficult for Power Slap in the near future, as more reports about concussions continue to surface. Given that, what are your thoughts on Dana White’s involvement with the sport? Share your opinion in the comments below.
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