To slap, or not to slap?
I lean forward in my seat, eyes glued to the sight before me. The two men onstage face each other across a padded podium called the “Power Slap Table.” The defender holds a tube-like “Power Slap Stick” behind his back. It resembles a short pool noodle. The other man stands with his feet slightly apart, knees bent.
The entire theater is silent.
The striker has a mouthpiece in, so he indicates his choice with a hand gesture.
“Right hand on three,” the referee calls in response. “You must measure.”
The striker raises his chalked right hand to the defender’s face.
“That is your measure,” the ref says.
The striker draws his hand back and lowers his body, feet locked in place. Then he raises his hand to the defender’s face again. The defender grips the stick tightly behind his back.
“One,” the ref calls.
Lower. Raise.
“Two.”
Lower. Raise.
The third number isn’t called.
This time, the hand strikes out much faster. A loud smack rings out across the room. The force of the blow sends a cotton earplug flying from the defender’s ear. He buckles, his head tipping forward and hitting the padded podium before he falls backward into the arms of two men waiting to catch him.
The crowd gasps as a loud “Ohhh” echoes across the room.
The referee immediately waves the fight off, and the crowd erupts as earsplitting music drowns out everything else.
I have been to exactly three Power Slap fights. The first time, I went because I was curious. The second time, I was hoping to recapture the excitement of the first. The third time, I distinctly remember thinking it would probably be my last.
There is only so much watching men and women slap the shit out of each other I can take before I become inured to the violence. Without the skill or strategy that draws me to MMA, the novelty wears off.
Oh, what a tangled web we weave:
Ready to get into the weeds?
ESPN’s Marc Raimondi reported in October 2022 that the Power Slap launch-era ownership group consisted of Dana White, Hunter Campbell, Fertitta Capital, Craig Piligian (co-creator and producer of The Ultimate Fighter), Endeavor, and Zeke Capital.[1][2] Schiaffo LLC—the company behind Power Slap—was organized on January 3, 2022.[3] Frank Lamicella became Power Slap’s president in 2022, and Campbell described him as Slap’s CEO in August 2023.[4][5] Lamicella—a former corporate mergers-and-acquisitions attorney at Paul, Weiss in New York—was originally recruited to the UFC by chief business officer Hunter Campbell.[4][6] Lamicella worked on Endeavor’s acquisition of UFC while at the firm in 2016 and then came on board the UFC around 2019.[7] His official biography describes approximately four years at UFC and a 2022 appointment as Power Slap president, but does not establish whether the roles overlapped.[4][8] On March 11, 2024, Schiaffo registered to do business in Florida, with Lamicella signing as CEO.[3]
On January 16, 2020, the creation of Thrill One Sports & Entertainment was announced. This brought together three entities under one umbrella: Nitro Circus, Street League Skateboarding, and Superjacket Productions, with Joe Carr, a former UFC executive, becoming CEO.[9] On July 19, 2022, the acquisition of Thrill One was announced, with Fiume Capital and Juggernaut Capital Partners as the buyers; co-investors included Dana White, Dyrdek Machine, and Craig Piligian.[10] Reporting on February 26, 2024, named Matt Cohn, a former Endeavor executive, as Thrill One CEO and Lamicella as Power Slap president and former UFC executive. At this point, the UFC was reported as having a stake in Power Slap. The same reporting described plans for the UFC and Thrill One to share facilities, with Thrill One’s headquarters being built inside UFC’s headquarters. The two companies have more than just an overlapping investor network.[11] By March 3, 2025, White confirmed Thrill One and Power Slap had merged as corporate entities.[12] By May 22, 2025, Lamicella was publicly identified as Thrill One CEO.[13] On June 25, 2025, a THRILL SPORTS trademark application was filed by Thrill One IP Holdings LLC.[14] Currently, Thrill Sports is led by CEO Lamicella and oversees Power Slap, SLS, Nitro Circus, and Thrill Sports Productions.[8]
On October 18, 2022, Nevada unanimously brought slap fighting within its regulatory jurisdiction. Hunter Campbell spoke on behalf of Schiaffo LLC before the Nevada Athletic Commission.[15][16] (Fun fact: schiaffo is Italian for “slap” or “smack,” effectively making Schiaffo LLC “Slap LLC.” You’ll also note that Zuffa LLC, the company that operates the UFC, means “brawl” in Italian, effectively making it “Brawl LLC.”)[17][18][19] This established regulatory recognition under existing unarmed-combat law.[15] Then, on November 16, 2022, Nevada approved Power Slap’s promoter’s license and rules.[20]
Still following? Good.
Power Slap debuted on TBS in January 2023 with its own reality series—Power Slap: Road to the Title—trying to recapture one of the defining moments of the UFC—when The Ultimate Fighter launched the UFC into the stratosphere.[2][21] The first numbered Power Slap event took place March 11, 2023, at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, streaming live on Rumble.[22] TBS did not renew the show after the first season, which ended with a series-low audience of 220,000 viewers, but it continued on Rumble for seasons 2 and 3.[23][24][25] Power Slap’s live events moved to YouTube in March 2025.[12] It turns out that watching slapping on TV is not as fun as it is in person.
If anything in this timeline was confusing, I’ve laid it all out below:
Date
Event
People/entities connected
What it establishes
2015–2019
Lamicella works in corporate M&A at Paul, Weiss. [6]
Lamicella → law firm
His legal background before UFC.
2016
Lamicella works on Endeavor’s acquisition of UFC. [7]
Paul, Weiss → Endeavor → UFC
His professional involvement with the UFC business predates joining its staff.
Around 2019
Campbell recruits Lamicella to UFC’s legal team. [4][7]
Campbell → Lamicella → UFC
A direct hiring relationship; their first meeting date remains unknown.
January 16, 2020
Creation of Thrill One Sports & Entertainment announced. [9]
Raine Group + Causeway Media Partners → Nitro Circus + SLS + Superjacket Productions
The original business combination. Joe Carr, a former UFC executive, becomes CEO.
January 3, 2022
Schiaffo LLC is organized in Nevada. [3]
Schiaffo → subsequently operates Power Slap
Confirmed by the Nevada certificate attached to its Florida filing.
During 2022; exact date unconfirmed
Lamicella becomes Power Slap president. [4][8]
White + Lorenzo Fertitta + Campbell → Lamicella
Lamicella says those three asked him to run the venture.
July 19, 2022
Acquisition of Thrill One announced. [10]
Fiume Capital + Juggernaut; co-investors include Dana White, Dyrdek Machine and Craig Piligian
White’s investment in Thrill One was separate from his UFC executive job.
October 18, 2022
Nevada unanimously brings slap fighting within its regulatory jurisdiction. [15][16]
Campbell speaks for Schiaffo → Nevada Athletic Commission
Regulatory recognition under existing unarmed-combat law.
October 18, 2022 reporting
Power Slap ownership group identified. [1]
White, Campbell, Fertitta Capital, Piligian, Endeavor and Zeke Capital
Reported launch-era ownership; individual percentages are undisclosed.
November 16, 2022
Nevada approves Power Slap’s promoter’s license and rules. [20]
Schiaffo/Power Slap → commission
Separate from the October jurisdiction decision.
January 18, 2023
Road to the Title premieres on TBS. [21]
Power Slap → television distribution
Televised debut.
March 11, 2023
Power Slap 1 takes place at UFC Apex, streaming on Rumble. [22]
Power Slap → UFC venue + Rumble
First numbered event.
August 1, 2023
Campbell speaks at the ABC conference. [5]
Campbell → regulators; Lamicella described as a lawyer working for him whom they made Slap CEO
Documents Campbell’s description of their working relationship and Lamicella’s role.
December 9, 2023
California votes 6–0 for conditional Power Slap approval. [29][30]
Power Slap → California State Athletic Commission
Conditional approval despite limited medical information and concerns raised during the meeting.
February 26, 2024 reporting
Matt Cohn identified as Thrill One CEO; Lamicella as Power Slap president and former UFC executive. [11]
Two businesses → overlapping investor network
At that stage, reporting distinguishes the two leadership positions.
February 26, 2024 reporting
UFC stake in Power Slap and extensive operational cooperation described. [11]
UFC → Power Slap equity; UFC ↔ Thrill One facilities, employees and cross-promotion
Connections extend beyond shared investors. Reporting describes Thrill One headquarters being built inside UFC headquarters.
March 11, 2024
Schiaffo registers to do business in Florida. [3]
Schiaffo → Florida; Lamicella signs as CEO
Filing states its business purpose as “sports promotion.” This is a Florida registration, not its original formation.
By March 3, 2025
White confirms Thrill One and Power Slap merged as corporate entities. [12]
Thrill One + Power Slap
Merger confirmed; effective date and detailed ownership changes remain unverified.
By May 22, 2025
Lamicella publicly identified as Thrill One CEO. [13]
Lamicella → broader action-sports business
He had taken the broader CEO role by this date.
June 25, 2025
THRILL SPORTS trademark application filed. [14]
Thrill One IP Holdings LLC → Thrill Sports name
Evidence connecting the old business name with the new branding; not a definitive rebrand date.
Current official company description
Thrill Sports, led by CEO Lamicella, oversees Power Slap, SLS, Nitro Circus and Thrill Sports Productions. [8]
Lamicella → combined portfolio
The present publicly described operating structure.
That's just, like, your opinion, man.
I park in the stuffy underground parking structure beneath the Cosmopolitan on the Strip and take the elevator up. A couple in front of me in the lobby asks where Power Slap is, and I follow them into a separate elevator to the conference-room level. Outside the theater, I spot two lines: one for VIPs and one for non-VIPs.
Well, how many VIPs can there be, exactly? As it turns out—a lot.
I make my way past the multiple bars and restrooms and finally survey the inside. A large raised stage sits in the middle of the floor, surrounded by seats. Behind it is a huge screen, with tiered seating on three sides. Having bought a ticket in what I presumed was the first level of seating, I head down the short stairs to the floor next to the stage.
“This is the VIP area. Where’s your armband?” an usher asks, stopping me.
“Um, what?”
I’m redirected to the level I came in on and take a seat, looking around at the setup. The entire floor around the stage is packed with VIPs—hundreds of them—nearly as many, it seems, as there are in the tiered seats. Catered food is off to the sides, and people mingle around the stage.
They are some of the douchiest-looking people imaginable.
And I’m not just saying this because I’m salty about being excluded. Think young, rich Las Vegas types. Influencers. Nina Drama and Adin Ross types. Yeah. You get the picture.
Then I look around at the people in the tiered seats.
They are the whitest-looking trash possible.
Think Ricky Bobby. A real interesting mishmash of clientele.
YOU ARE AMONG THEM, MY GUY.
Well, shit, which does that make me? I certainly am not down on the VIP level.
I put my head in my hands. I am not going to live this one down with anyone I know.
At some point, Dana White, Frank Lamicella, and Hunter Campbell walk out. I knew they would be here, and part of my reason for coming was to see what those three would be up to. (Interacting with VIPs, it turns out. Who could have guessed?) I learned from season one of Power Slap: Road to the Title that Campbell was named as a matchmaker. Although how exactly one matchmakes for slap fighting is beyond me.
No one tells you how to get invited to the VIP area. You can’t buy tickets to be down there. (OnLocation—the same provider for UFC VIP events—sold VIP tickets earlier this year, but no longer does.) In a Boardroom interview, Dana White described inviting creators with more than five million followers and allowing them to make content at events. Jax Taylor told TMZ that messaging Power Slap after seeing Instagram highlights resulted in an invitation from White. But beyond that, I have no idea how a regular person could get a VIP seat. I even applied for media access through the UFC media portal for the latest Power Slap event, but got denied.
As I settle in with a drink in hand, I think, do I really want to be here? I’m curious, sure, but part of me feels uncomfortable tacitly supporting such a venture. I’m torn. I feel like I’ll need a shower when I get home just to wash the gross off.
Justin Bernard, the UFC Fight Night and Road to UFC announcer, comes out. He is the voice of Power Slap. The strikers walk out much like they do in the UFC. They get announced. They chalk their striking hands. And all my concern about the safety of hitting a defenseless person in the face and giving them a concussion disappears when the first KO lands. It’s over much quicker than it is in the UFC. So many people get knocked out or wobbled. The night flies by.
By my third Power Slap event, something feels different. I no longer feel the thrill of watching someone stand there helpless and get knocked out. I’m kind of bored, actually. Then I remember why I cared about morals and safety in the first place. I wonder how people can sit here time and time again and support this. I look down at Dana White and Hunter Campbell on the floor next to the stage and wonder how they keep finding this interesting.
Source: Trust me, bro.
In researching this article, I found a lot of, shall we say, interesting claims about the “sport.” Mainly from Mr. Campbell. On August 1, 2023, he spoke at the Association of Boxing Commissions and Combative Sports’ annual conference at The Mirage in Las Vegas, where he faced a bunch of questions about Power Slap and slap fighting. His arguments started with regulation: weight classes, medical requirements, matchmaking standards, and limits on strikes could make slap fighting safer than its unregulated counterpart. I found this interesting because it reminded me of Dana White’s comments on the rise of MMA and the UFC, including how he “ran toward” regulation rather than away from it. Mr. Campbell used almost the same wording, saying he was “running toward regulation.”[5][26]
At an earlier Nevada Athletic Commission meeting, on November 16, 2022, when asked whether he would make sure no one died, Mr. Campbell said, “That is priority 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10.” And when asked if he would make sure that no one suffered severe brain injuries going forward, he said, “That’s correct.” How he can guarantee that is beyond me.[20]
And then there’s California. As my colleague Zach Arnold reported, the state’s athletic commission approved Power Slap in December 2023 while the medical questions were still very much open. Executive officer Andy Foster recommended approval while acknowledging that medical data were still being evaluated. He pointed to fewer medical transports than at MMA events.[29] OK. But fewer ambulance trips don’t tell me how someone’s brain is doing years later.
Some doctors supported a trial based on limited information. Others, including longtime commission physician Dr. Paul Wallace, had raised concerns about taking head trauma without being able to defend yourself. Arnold reported that the meeting materials contained no formal written recommendation from the Medical Advisory Committee as a body. Commissioner AnnMaria De Mars questioned the brain-injury risk and the lack of data, then joined the other five commissioners present in voting for conditional approval.[30] Still have questions? Apparently, so did they.
Another argument he made at the ABC conference was that all those viral social media clips he and Dana were hyping made the sport look worse than it really was. The KO rate, he said, was just under 40%, or about 38%. He did not identify a supporting dataset in his answer. But a knockout rate alone doesn’t establish safety, and it tells us nothing about how strikers fare cognitively over time. What I haven’t found are longitudinal studies addressing that question. Campbell also discussed wanting to develop “smart mouth guards,” similar to technology being explored in the NFL, that could measure impacts and, he hoped, eventually help identify concussions.[5]
I’d like to remind people that Hunter Campbell is a lawyer, not a doctor. And while he is an intelligent man, this strikes me as Dunning–Kruger territory. He is also a founding investor in the company. He has a financial stake in the outcome.[1] He has an incentive to reassure the commissions and anyone else asking about the dangers of the sport. That doesn’t make his claims false, but it does make him an interested party. I’d like to believe some of what he says, because he can be quite convincing when he wants to be. I just can’t take his arguments at face value without scientific evidence supporting them.
He also argues that people make choices, and people who want to engage in slap fighting should be allowed to do so. Yeah. OK. But making an informed choice requires a clear understanding of the risks and what remains unknown. Are participants being told about those uncertainties, or given the same reassurances he offers publicly? Agreeing to take a risk doesn’t establish that the activity is safe.[5]
Other arguments include that three slaps over a short bout involve fewer blows than a lengthy boxing match, that Power Slap injuries are less severe than UFC injuries, and that medical screening weeds out competitors who would be at greater risk from unprotected blows to the face.[5] Again, he did not identify research at the conference establishing that Power Slap causes less severe injuries than UFC competition.
The strongest argument against Power Slap isn’t that it looks stupid or makes people uncomfortable. It’s that competitors are required to stand there and take a blow to the head while being penalized for trying to defend themselves. Medical screening, weight classes, and ringside doctors may reduce some risks, but they don’t change that fundamental part of the “sport.” In 2024, a study published in JAMA Surgery found visible signs of concussion in 44 of 56 contestants across 78 matches. Those were observations from video, not clinical diagnoses, but they’re a reason to question the reassuring claims.[27] The American Association of Neurological Surgeons and Congress of Neurological Surgeons have since explicitly opposed participation, citing the potential for permanent brain injury and questioning whether participants fully understand the risks.[28] Yeah, adults can choose to participate. That still leaves the question of what they’re being told—and whether the people profiting from those choices have evidence to back up their promises.
Dude, where’s the bathroom?
I leave mid-match to grab a drink and wander into the lobby. It’s empty aside from a few people. I slide up to the bar and order a beer. When I turn around, I notice a guy posing for a picture with someone before he shuffles off.
I squint in the darkened lobby. UFC fighter Michael Chandler?
“Where the hell is the bathroom?” he grumbles.
I walk over casually and put a hand on his shoulder.
“Right there,” I say, pointing with my beer hand at the green sign sticking out of the wall at the corner next to the bar.
“Huh?” He squints.
“See the green sign? Around the corner of the bar to the right. The bathroom is right there.”
“Oh, OK,” he says.
I turn and walk back into the theater. Inside, I pause to talk to the usher about the fight.
Less than thirty seconds later, he’s behind me again.
“Where the hell is the bathroom?” he whines to no one.
I balk. “T-the fuck?” Hadn’t I just told him?
His buddy walks up behind him: “There you are!”
“Where is the bathroom in this goddamned place!”
I chuckle. I’m sure he’ll find it eventually.
Until next time… keep your slappin’ hand strong! And in the words of Hunter Campbell, “I haven’t been slapped,” nor do I want to be!
My colleague Zach Arnold at The MMA Draw dug into how California approved Power Slap. His two-part investigation informed the discussion above. You can read both pieces here:
Part One — How UFC got California to sanction Power Slap
Part Two — California’s doctors, regulators, and Power Slap
Sources
Marc Raimondi, ESPN, October 18, 2022, “Dana White’s Power Slap League gets approval from NSAC,” published by ABC News. Launch-era ownership group.
UFC, “Craig Piligian Hall of Fame”. Piligian’s role as a co-creator and producer of The Ultimate Fighter and the show’s significance to UFC.
Florida Division of Corporations, Schiaffo LLC’s March 2024 registration application and attached Nevada certificate. Establishes Nevada organization on January 3, 2022; Florida filing on March 11, 2024; and Lamicella’s signature as CEO.
Nevada Business Magazine, March 1, 2024, “MVP: Frank Lamicella”. Lamicella’s account of Campbell recruiting him to UFC and White, Fertitta, and Campbell asking him to lead Power Slap in 2022.
MMA Junkie, “Hunter Campbell Q&A: UFC executive talks brain injuries, slap fighting, drug testing, more at ABC Conference,” reproduced by inkl. Transcript of the August 1, 2023 appearance, including Campbell’s reference to Slap’s CEO.
Paul, Weiss, “Three Questions: Frank Lamicella”. Corporate M&A work at the firm from 2015–2019.
Justin Barrasso, Sports Illustrated, January 18, 2023, “Power Slap Aims to Flip MMA Fans Into Believers”. Work on Endeavor’s 2016 UFC acquisition and recruitment to UFC approximately four years before publication.
Thrill Sports, official executive-team biographies. Lamicella’s approximately four-year UFC tenure, Power Slap presidency beginning in 2022, and current responsibilities.
Nitro Circus press release, January 16, 2020, “Thrill One Sports & Entertainment Unites Nitro Circus, Street League Skateboarding and Superjacket Productions,” published by Cycle News. Original business combination and Joe Carr’s appointment.
Acquisition announcement, July 19, 2022, “Fiume Capital and Juggernaut Capital Partners Acquire Thrill One Sports & Entertainment”. Buyers and co-investors.
Sports Business Journal, February 26, 2024, “SBJ Unpacks: Dana White’s next big thing”. Leadership roles, UFC’s reported Power Slap stake, shared-office plans, employee cooperation, and cross-promotion.
Sports Business Journal, March 3, 2025, “Power Slap switching to YouTube, adding VeChain as major sponsor”. White’s confirmation of the corporate merger and the live-event distribution change.
Scott Snowden, Santa Monica Daily Press, May 22, 2025, “From Dogtown to the global stage, skateboarding comes home this Friday”. Identifies Lamicella as Thrill One CEO by that date.
Justia Trademarks, THRILL SPORTS, serial number 99252297. Records the June 25, 2025 application by Thrill One IP Holdings LLC.
Nevada Athletic Commission, official statement on slap fighting. October 18, 2022 jurisdiction decision and statutory basis.
Sports Illustrated, October 18, 2022, “Professional Slap Fighting Approved for Regulation by Nevada State Athletic Commission”. Campbell’s appearance on Schiaffo’s behalf.
Cambridge Dictionary, Italian–English entry for “schiaffo”.
Cambridge Dictionary, Italian–English entry for “zuffa”.
Nevada Athletic Commission, December 16, 2025 agenda and appendices. Lists the promoter as “Zuffa, LLC dba Ultimate Fighting Championship.”
Damon Martin, MMA Fighting, November 16, 2022, “NAC chair asks UFC exec: ‘You will make sure no one dies’ in Power Slap League?”. Promoter-license and rules approval.
Joe Lucia, Awful Announcing, March 13, 2023, “‘Power Slap’ will not return to TBS”. January 18, 2023 television debut and season-one ratings.
Power Slap, official Power Slap 1 event page. March 11, 2023 date, UFC Apex venue, and Rumble distribution.
Damon Martin, MMA Fighting, March 13, 2023, “Dana White’s Power Slap will not return to TBS for Season 2”. TBS’s departure and the finale’s 220,000-viewer audience.
Power Slap, “How To Watch Power Slap: Road To The Title Season 2”. Season two’s Rumble distribution.
Power Slap, official season-three playlist on Rumble. Season three’s availability on the platform.
The Washington Post, “Mixed Martial Arts Fighting Fit for a Cage,” March 19, 2006. Documents White’s regulation wording.
Lavadi et al., “Video Analysis of Concussion Among Slap Fighting Athletes,” JAMA Surgery, published online September 18, 2024. The study examined 78 matches involving 56 contestants.
Zach Arnold, The MMA Draw, December 19, 2023, “An insider’s deep dive on how UFC got California to sanction Power Slap: Part One.”
Zach Arnold, The MMA Draw, December 21, 2023, “An insider’s deep dive on how UFC got California to sanction Power Slap: Part Two.”