From viral YouTube clips to organized combat sport — Power Slap makes its regional debut at Abu Dhabi Showdown Week

From viral YouTube clips to organized combat sport — Power Slap makes its regional debut at Abu Dhabi Showdown Week
Power Slap President Frank Lamicella (right) with UFC boss Dana White. (Supplied)
Short Url
Updated 23 October 2024
Follow

From viral YouTube clips to organized combat sport — Power Slap makes its regional debut at Abu Dhabi Showdown Week

From viral YouTube clips to organized combat sport — Power Slap makes its regional debut at Abu Dhabi Showdown Week
  • Power Slap president Frank Lamicella spoke to Arab News about the brand’s partnership with UFC and its growth around the world
  • Space42 Arena will host contest between Da Crazy Hawaiian and Dumpling on Oct. 24

DUBAI: From a YouTube curiosity to an organized combat sport owned by no less an organization than Dana White’s Ultimate Fighting Championship, Power Slap has now made its way to the Middle East.

For those unfamiliar with these viral online clips, Power Slap is exactly what it sounds like — two contestants stand face to face and slap each other, and the last man standing wins.

And on Thursday, as part of Abu Dhabi Showdown Week 2024 (which culminates with UFC 308 on Oct. 26) Space42 Arena will host the region’s first Power Slap contest between two of the sport’s biggest names — Da Crazy Hawaiian and Dumpling.

Power Slap president Frank Lamicella told Arab News: “Dana has talked about this a lot, but the history of Power Slap is about five (or) six years ago, we started seeing these clips on YouTube, slap fighting clips. It was very disorganized.

“These clips were doing like 300 million views. This was around 2018. And I think it’s kind of come full circle, because the first guy that Dana ever watched in these clips was Dumpling, who’s in our Super Heavyweight Championship fight.”

While the sport’s development was halted by the global pandemic, Lamicella and UFC still had big plans.

“We got a group together and we basically ran a pilot out of the Apex. We ran about 30 matches, wrote the rules, worked on the production, really dialed in the whole sport. Then the first thing we did was got it regulated by the Nevada State Athletic Commission. And here we are,” he said.

Eight events later, Power Slap moved to Durango Casino for this year’s Super Bowl weekend, which was “a huge hit.”

“And now we’re at Fountain Blue in Las Vegas,” said Lamicella. “We did an event during International Fight Week this year. And right after that, we signed a five-event extension with Fountain Blue. They’ll be our home in Las Vegas for Power Slap events.”

Next up, though, is Space42 Arena in Al-Raha: “Obviously super excited to bring the first event to Abu Dhabi. We’ve had a longstanding relationship with the Department of Culture and Tourism and Abu Dhabi, and we’re really excited to add it to Showdown Week.”

From modest early viewing numbers, Power Slap audiences have grown rapidly.

Lamicella said: “This is what we’re super excited about, now we’re able to travel the show. We started at Apex probably around 300-400 people, invite only. We didn’t sell any tickets for the first four or five events. And then we started selling just VIP packages, which sold out immediately. And then we saw that fans were interested in coming to the event.”

He continued: “We went a little bigger at Durango, probably up to 800-1,000 people. Then at Fallon Blue, we had over 3,500 people there and sold that show out. So the event is extremely fun, it’s run very different than other sporting events.

“It’s around three hours, but it’s almost like it’s a party atmosphere and it’s full of influencers, celebrities, and the fights are great. There are incredible moments during each slap match, and that’s what we think fans love.”

The popularity of organized Power Slap is on the rise in the US and Lamicella is confident it will spread globally.

“When it first started, it was coming out of Russia, Poland, and America. Over the last six months, I’ve seen leagues pop up in Mexico, I’ve seen leagues pop up in South Africa. We have some experienced slap fighters from South Africa that are on our roster now,” he said.

“We’ve seen a league pop up in South Korea. I think what’s fascinating is, for example, that South Korea league, they run MMA fights and then started doing some slap fights. The slap fights, we’re doing 200 million views for them on Instagram. And the MMA fights out of that league, we’re doing half a million. So I think you’re going to see more and more leagues, especially as we continue to legitimize the sport and do what we’re doing, bringing it around the world and putting it in front of a variety of different fans.”

Power Slap will also be making its way to Saudi Arabia, after UFC recently announced a partnership with Riyadh Season.

“We’re planning an event in Riyadh in January next year,” said Lamicella. “We’re excited to go around the region and continue to build.”

For now, in Abu Dhabi on Thursday evening, all eyes will be on Da Crazy Hawaiian and his inspiration, Dumpling.

“We knew from the beginning this would be a match that would happen,” said Lamicella. “To start with Dumpling, the first fight he was ever in was in Power Slap 8, in June. He’s a farmer from Siberia. He had to take five flights to Las Vegas.

“We got him out here early. We worked with him a little bit because the rules he was used to in Russia are a little different here in Power Slap. And then he comes on stage and knocks this guy out in one slap. And it was a huge moment for us, we knew he would be on a collision course with Da Crazy Hawaiian.

“Da Crazy Hawaiian was one of the first guys we brought over to Power Slap. He was the existing super heavyweight champion at another promotion in the US. He’s undefeated in Power Slap. And he looked up to the Dumpling — Dumpling is the reason he got into slap fighting. So now we have them coming head to head. I think it’s going to go down as a legendary title slap-fighting match. When we look back five years from now, we’ll look at this match and say hey, that was one for the record books.”


Second Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Jiu-Jitsu Championship set for Abu Dhabi this month

Second Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Jiu-Jitsu Championship set for Abu Dhabi this month
Updated 9 sec ago
Follow

Second Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Jiu-Jitsu Championship set for Abu Dhabi this month

Second Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Jiu-Jitsu Championship set for Abu Dhabi this month
  • First edition in 2024 attracted 10,000 participants across 5 rounds

ABU DHABI: The UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation will hold the second edition of its successful Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Jiu-Jitsu Championship from Jan. 17 to 19 at Mubadala Arena in Abu Dhabi.

Registration is now open for the UAEJJF-sanctioned event, which features competitions across various categories including children, youth, adults and masters.

The first edition of the championship spanned five rounds — two for the no-Gi category and three for the Gi category. It was held in various emirates and attracted over 10,000 male and female participants from leading clubs and academies nationwide.

“We are proud of the success of the first edition of the Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Jiu-Jitsu Championship, which carries a name dear to us all,” said Mohamed Salem Al-Dhaheri, vice chairman of the UAEJJF.

“This achievement was made possible by the limitless support of our wise leadership for sports and athletes, especially jiu-jitsu.”

Al-Dhaheri said the championship reflects the federation’s strategy to strengthen jiu-jitsu’s presence locally and internationally while continuing to nurture and develop national talent.

He added: “The male and female athletes demonstrated incredible skill and competitive spirit throughout the five rounds, showcasing their dedication to improvement and success.

“The championship has succeeded in providing a platform to identify and develop talent while promoting jiu-jitsu as a sport that instils discipline, patience, resilience, courage, and teamwork.”

He said the event played a “central role in encouraging community participation in sports, helping to build a generation that is physically and mentally strong.

“The large turnout of families supporting their children highlights the championship’s significance. It has evolved into a comprehensive event, combining a professional sports environment with cultural activities, sports exhibitions, and entertainment for all.”


‘Riyadh feels like home for Inter’, says Henrikh Mkhitaryan before Italian Super Cup start

 ‘Riyadh feels like home for Inter’, says Henrikh Mkhitaryan before Italian Super Cup start
Updated 38 min 30 sec ago
Follow

‘Riyadh feels like home for Inter’, says Henrikh Mkhitaryan before Italian Super Cup start

 ‘Riyadh feels like home for Inter’, says Henrikh Mkhitaryan before Italian Super Cup start
  • The Milan club face Atalanta in the first semi-final on Thursday at Al-Awwal Park
  • Marten de Roon of Atalanta says ‘we are spreading the name of Atalanta and will try to do it also here in Saudi’

RIYADH: Henrikh Mkhitaryan said “Riyadh feels like home” for Inter Milan, as the club targets an EA Sports FC Italian Super Cup treble in the Saudi Arabian capital.

Having beaten city rivals AC Milan 3-0 in 2022 and Napoli 1-0 last year in the Italian Super Cup final in Riyadh, Inter face Atalanta at Al Awwal Park on Thursday night in the 2024 semi-final. In the final on Monday the winners will play either Juventus or AC Milan, who play the following night at the same venue.

Another Italian Super Cup triumph would equal a record four in succession for Inter — having beaten Juventus in Italy in 2021 — and midfielder Mkhitaryan said the fans in Riyadh can play a big part in achieving history.

“Riyadh feels like home,” Mkhitaryan said. “This is the third time we are going to play the Super Cup in Riyadh. We won the past two times and hope to succeed this time as well, but first of all we have to think about tomorrow’s game, which will be very hard to play. We know the strength of the Atalanta team. We hope the fans and the surroundings will help us to feel at home and win tomorrow’s game.

“We need to play our game to win the game. It’s very important for us to continue (our success) and win the Super Cup. It’s an important trophy. We hope to do our best. We are fully focused on this game.”

Simone Inzaghi, the Inter manager, said: “It’s clear that the targets of 2025 are the same as when I came three and half years ago. We represent Inter, an important club and we need to always target high. The target in this moment is to win games as much as possible, to win trophies as much as possible. The nearest target is to win the Super Cup because it means a lot for us. This year it’s harder to win because there are two games within a few days, but we’ll try to give our best already from tomorrow evening.”

Inter are the current Liga Serie A champions but are up against this season’s table toppers in Atalanta. Gian Piero Gasperini’s side — who won the UEFA Europa League last season — have a better goal difference than second-placed Napoli and are point ahead of Inter in third.

“Being in those competitions is very important, and playing finals is even more important as it gives prestige to the club and value to the players,” Gasperini said. “It makes us proud. It’s a great result being in the final phase of the Super Cup, but our target is to win the competition.

“I’d like to thank the people in Saudi Arabia for the way you have hosted us. We arrived yesterday evening and we didn’t see many things, but we are very impressed by the modernity and beauty of Riyadh. Congratulations again!”

Marten de Roon, Atalanta’s Dutch midfielder, said: “I agree with the coach. We are playing many finals in Europe and now also in Saudi Arabia. I don’t know how many supporters will follow us, but we are spreading the name of Atalanta and will try to do it also here in Saudi.”


Djokovic and Kyrgios lose in doubles to top-seeded team at the Brisbane International

Djokovic and Kyrgios lose in doubles to top-seeded team at the Brisbane International
Updated 01 January 2025
Follow

Djokovic and Kyrgios lose in doubles to top-seeded team at the Brisbane International

Djokovic and Kyrgios lose in doubles to top-seeded team at the Brisbane International
  • DJokovic and Kyrgios won their opening doubles match, a crowd-pleasing, fist-pumping affair by both players at Pat Rafter Arena
  • Djokovic won his first singles match and will next play Gael Monfils, who he has a 19-0 record against

BRISBANE: The new doubles team of Novak Djokovic and Nick Kyrgios are out of the Brisbane International in the second round.
The pair, granted a wild-card entry by tournament organizers, lost 6-2, 3-6, 10-8 Wednesday to the top-seeded team of Nikola Mektic of Croatia and New Zealander Michael Venus.
DJokovic and Kyrgios won their opening doubles match, a crowd-pleasing, fist-pumping affair by both players at Pat Rafter Arena.
Kyrgios lost his opening singles match on Tuesday after an 18-month absence from the tour due to injuries. Djokovic won his first singles match on the same day and will next play Gael Monfils, who he has a 19-0 record against.


Cavaliers top Lakers in LeBron’s first game at 40, Celtics crush Raptors

Cavaliers top Lakers in LeBron’s first game at 40, Celtics crush Raptors
Updated 01 January 2025
Follow

Cavaliers top Lakers in LeBron’s first game at 40, Celtics crush Raptors

Cavaliers top Lakers in LeBron’s first game at 40, Celtics crush Raptors
  • Milwaukee Bucks erased a 19-point deficit on the way to a 120-112 victory over the Indiana Pacers
  • Another big night from Victor Wembanyama saw the San Antonio Spurs finish the year with a lopsided 122-86 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers

LOS ANGELES: The league-leading Cleveland Cavaliers spoiled LeBron James’s first game as a 40-year-old, beating the Los Angeles Lakers 122-110 on Tuesday, as the NBA champion Boston Celtics closed out 2024 with a 125-71 demolition of the Toronto Raptors.

Jarrett Allen scored 27 points and grabbed 14 rebounds, Donovan Mitchell added 26 points and Evan Mobley chipped in 20 for the Cavaliers, who notched their eighth straight win to push their league-best record to 29-4.

James, whose four NBA titles include a 2016 championship with his hometown team Cleveland, scored 23 points with four rebounds, seven assists and a blocked shot.

It was his first game since his 40th birthday on Monday, and made James the first player in league history to play a game in his teens and in his 40s.

Austin Reaves led the Lakers with an impressive near-triple-double of 35 points, nine rebounds and 10 assists.

Anthony Davis scored 28 points and grabbed 13 rebounds, but after twice edging ahead in the second quarter the Lakers trailed by five at halftime and never led in the second half.

There was less drama in Boston, where the Celtics won by the second-largest margin of victory in franchise history — trailing only their 56-point triumph at Chicago in December 2018.

Jayson Tatum scored 18 of his 23 points in the third quarter, when the Celtics out-scored the Raptors 45-18 to effectively put the game out of reach.

Payton Pritchard scored 19 points off the bench as seven Celtics players scored in double figures.

The Celtics connected on 22 of their 43 three-point attempts as they handed the Raptors an 11th straight defeat.

Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla said the big win — after the Celtics dropped four of their last six games — was just part of the process as the Celtics try to repeat as champions.

“There’s still stuff that we’ve got to work on... we’ve just got to continue to be better,” Mazzulla said.

The Milwaukee Bucks erased a 19-point deficit on the way to a 120-112 victory over the Indiana Pacers.

Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo, back after missing three games because of illness, found his rhythm after scoring just four points in the first half, finishing with 30 points and 12 rebounds.

Brook Lopez added 16 points and reserves Bobby Portis Jr. and Gary Trent Jr. scored 14 points each for Milwaukee, who trailed 83-64 midway through the third quarter.

“These are the type of games you need throughout a season to keep you going,” Portis said. “It was a great game for us, especially going forward, that we can look back on like: OK, cool, we do it one time we can do it again and just keep building, keep building.”

Another big night from Victor Wembanyama saw the San Antonio Spurs finish the year with a lopsided 122-86 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers.

Wembanyama closed out a December to remember with 27 points, nine rebounds, five assists, one steal and three blocked shots in less than 26 minutes on the court.

His 17 points in the first quarter matched the Clippers’ total in the period.

In Oklahoma City, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 40 points and the Thunder notched their 12th straight regular-season victory, 113-105 over the Minnesota Timberwolves.

The Thunder trailed by as many as 12 in the second quarter and were down 52-46 at half time.

But they outscored the Timberwolves 43-23 in the third quarter and never trailed in the fourth on the way to a seventh consecutive win since they fell to Milwaukee in the NBA Cup final, which doesn’t count as part of the regular season.


Naomi Osaka wins again to reach the quarterfinals at the Auckland WTA tournament

Naomi Osaka wins again to reach the quarterfinals at the Auckland WTA tournament
Updated 01 January 2025
Follow

Naomi Osaka wins again to reach the quarterfinals at the Auckland WTA tournament

Naomi Osaka wins again to reach the quarterfinals at the Auckland WTA tournament
  • Osaka overcame a swirling breeze and a lengthy rain break to progress comfortably

AUCKLAND: Four-time Grand Slam singles winner Naomi Osaka has started 2025 in style, beating Julia Grabher 7-5, 6-3 Wednesday to reach the quarterfinals of the Auckland tennis classic.
Osaka overcame a swirling breeze and a lengthy rain break to progress comfortably beyond the second round. Although the wind often affected her ball toss, Osaka didn’t drop her serve at any stage and broke Grabher once in each set to win her way to the Auckland quarterfinals for the second time. Osaka also reached the last eight on her only previous visit to New Zealand in 2017.
“She was a really tough opponent for me to play against and I felt I just had to concentrate on myself a lot and try not to be as nervous as I felt,” Osaka said.
“I got some great advice from a great coach over there,” Osaka added, referring to Patrick Mouratoglou who recently joined her team and previously had a long association with Serena Williams. “I just tried to focus on my bullet points and go out swinging if I had to go out. But fortunately I’m here to play another round.”
Osaka again showed no sign of the back injury which ended her 2024 season at the China Open in October. She moved freely, went to the net rarely but effectively and hit hard, especially from the forehand side.
Osaka’s first serve was a powerful weapon and she won 80 percent of points when she put the serve in play.
The first set was tight, without a break of serve until the 12th game. Osaka came back from the rain delay which came when she was leading 40-15 in the previous game and seemed to step up, holding serve and breaking the Austrian player immediately to take the first set.
She held serve to love in two of her first three service games in the second set, then broke Grabher in the sixth game to go ahead 4-2. Osaka continued to hold serve comfortably, closing out the match on her first match point.
The Auckland tournament is a tune-up for the Australian Open, which begins Jan. 12, and lost some of its star power on Tuesday when former US Open champion Emma Raducanu withdrew with a back injury. Elize Mertens also pulled out of Auckland with injury, leaving Osaka to face a more open draw