• Loading stock data...
Saturday, October 18, 2025

UFC President Dana White Says Power Slap Is ‘Winner’

  • Viewership over the first four episodes has averaged a respectable 275,000 viewers.
  • White acknowledged show’s delay due to domestic event: ‘timing is ironic and horrible at the same time’.
Power Slap

PHOENIX — Dana White made sure it was noted “Power Slap Road to the Title” is his third episodic reality sports show that he’s executive produced.

“Do you remember we did ‘The Ultimate Surfer?” White asked during an interview with Front Office Sports last week. “That was on ABC. The problem was we didn’t control the World Surf League.”

“The Ultimate Surfer” lasted one season, 29 fewer than the run White’s “Ultimate Fighter” is on currently. His latest show on TBS has been slightly more controversial as defenseless combatants absorb slaps at close range and blow over the first four episodes, resulting in multiple competitors showing telltale signs of concussions. 

White was at Super Bowl’s media row promoting the slap-fighting league he created and pushed for it to be a sanctioned sport in Nevada. White, of course, is proud of the Power Slap League and was comfortable enough to mention why the show’s debut was delayed a week unpromoted. 

“This is a work in progress,” White said. “We put this thing on TV. My New Year’s Eve incident didn’t help. The timing is ironic and horrible at the same time.”

Less than three days before the show was supposed to premiere, TMZ published a video of White and his wife trading slaps at a Mexican nightclub. The debut episode was pushed back to Jan. 18, the only measurable fallout for White over the altercation.

Viewership over the first four episodes has averaged a respectable 275,000 viewers. But White pointed out the domestic TV audience is only one avenue to make Power Slap successful. 

“We are still figuring out how to navigate this thing,” White said. “But the one thing that we do know is it’s a hit, and it’s a winner. If you look at the international numbers [on Rumble] that we’re pulling, they are astronomical. We had places like Russia and Poland that we knew were going to be big. But we are starting to see the UK, Canada, India, and Indonesia pop.” 

White also touted social media metrics, which include that the Power Slap TikTok account needed only a handful of episodes to amass 1.9 million followers — more than double AWE, Power Slap’s lead-in each Wednesday. 

As far as the critics, White said the pushback was something he saw when he convinced brothers Lorenzo and Frank Fertitta to buy UFC for $2 million in 2001. The Fertittas, who sold a controlling stake in UFC for $4 billion to Endeavor in 2016, has again teamed up with White on Power Slap. 

“We literally just had a big Slap meeting … with Lorenzo and Frank,” White said. “A lot of the things we are seeing in the media are identical to what was said about the UFC in the early days. That’s when you know you gotta hit.”

The first season of “The Ultimate Fighter” kicked (and punched) UFC — which had a solid core following when the show hit the air in 2005 — into the mainstream. The finale from nearly 18 years ago is still talked about today in MMA circles. 

White said in the first episode that the finale — where two finalists in each Slap weight division — would be on pay-per-view. White told FOS he’s working on “how to bring the finale to the masses and get more people to watch.”

While he didn’t say where the finale would be broadcast (or streamed), White said it would take place in March. Like UFC, White has complete control of Power Slap to figure all the logistics out — something he didn’t have with “The Ultimate Surfer.”

“I didn’t agree with how they worked [the surf league],” White said, “That could have really been something if they handled it the right way.”

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

May 27, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indiana Pacers guard T.J. McConnell (9) shoots a three point basket over New York Knicks guard Josh Hart (3) during the third quarter of game four of the eastern conference finals for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Gainbridge Fieldhouse

NBA Stars Swap Wine With League Friends and Foes

A wine-exchange tradition emerged from the bubble season’s close quarters.
May 25, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Derek Jeter walks the red carpet on Sunday, May 25, 2025, ahead of the 109th running of the Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway

The Players’ Tribune Is Still Kicking 11 Years Later

Founder Derek Jeter is still closely involved in the publication.
exclusive

Max Kellerman to Call TKO’s Zuffa Boxing on Paramount

Kellerman called the Canelo Álvarez–Terence Crawford fight in September.
Las Vegas Aces center A'ja Wilson (22) celebrates with her teammates after her last second shot to take the lead 90-88 against the Phoenix Mercury in Game 3 of the WNBA Finals at Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix on Oct. 8, 2025.
exclusive

Standoff Over WNBA’s Future Has Dominated Finals

CBA negotiations have stolen the spotlight from the Aces’ dominant performance.

Featured Today

Paul Cartier

Sports Organists Are Still Thriving in the Era of Raucous Arena Music

“When they walk out and they see a real organ guy, it’s like, ‘Wow.’”
Sep 27, 2025; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Brewers center fielder Jackson Chourio (11) rounds the bases after hitting a home run during the sixth inning against the Cincinnati Reds at American Family Field.
October 4, 2025

Milwaukee Moneyball: Brewers Are Beating MLB’s Deeper Pockets

Milwaukee is holding its own against big-budget competitors.
Kōloa Rum Company Rum Rusher
September 27, 2025

Panthers Bubbly, Jets Wine, Manning Whiskey: The Sports Booze Boom

A sommelier dives into the sports booze trend—and tries Jets wine.
Nov 17, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers fans wave Terrible Towels against the Baltimore Ravens during the fourth quarter at Acrisure Stadium
September 26, 2025

Steelers’ Irish Roots Are Deeper Than NFL Dublin Game

The Steelers have history and the foundation for a future in Ireland.
Apr 11, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; A view of an NBA basketball and backyard and NBA logo before the game between the Dallas Mavericks and the Toronto Raptors at the American Airlines Center.

NBA Tries to Solve Fragmentation Issue It Helped Create

A new “Tap to Watch” feature will direct fans to live games.
Aug 30, 2025; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Brandon Inniss (1) attempts to make a catch over Texas Longhorns defensive back Graceson Littleton (29) in the first half at Ohio Stadium.
October 16, 2025

SEC Games Help ABC Dominate College Football Ratings at Midseason

Texas–Ohio State on Fox remains the most-watched game of the season.
Mar 12, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; General view of ESPN broadcast camera during a game between the Minnesota Timberwolves and Denver Nuggets at Ball Arena.
October 16, 2025

ESPN’s New NBA Segment Resists Hot Takes

LeBron James tweeted in favor of the new segment.
Sponsored

How Jenny Just Is Shaping the Future of Sports Ownership

Jenny Just on bringing her investment experience to sports ownership.
Oct 10, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Las Vegas Aces center A'ja Wilson (22) celebrates with teammates after game four of the 2025 WNBA Finals at Mortgage Matchup Center.
October 14, 2025

WNBA Finals Draws 1.5M Viewers, Second-Highest Series on ESPN

The four-game series averaged 1.5 million viewers.
MLS
October 14, 2025

MLS Publishes Unchecked AI-Generated Game Recaps

Humans are not reviewing the articles for accuracy.
Micah Parsons
exclusive
October 14, 2025

NFL Scorigami Creator Blames Glitches on Twitter Platform Changes

The bot has been glitching all NFL season, and fans have noticed.
Sep 5, 2025; Flushing, NY, USA; Carlos Alcaraz of Spain and Novak Djokovic of Serbia embraces after their match in the semifinal of the men’s singles at the US Open at Arthur Ashe Stadium in Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.
October 13, 2025

Six Kings Slam Returns With Record $6M Prize, Netflix Deal

The Six Kings Slam is held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.