Latest news with #PowerSlap11
USA Today
31-01-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Dana White reacts to UFC champion Islam Makhachev contemplating middleweight move
Dana White isn't sure about UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev jumping two weight classes. Makhachev (27-1 MMA, 16-1 UFC) is eager to become a two-weight UFC champion, but standing in the way of his goal is his good friend and training partner, welterweight champion Belal Muhammad. Makhachev and his team would rather not fight Muhammad, which is why he discussed the possibility of jumping to middleweight to challenge champion Dricus Du Plessis. UFC CEO White doesn't appear keen about the potential idea. 'He would move up to middleweight? Yeah, I don't know about that,' White said Thursday at the Power Slap 11 post-match news conference. 'Listen, if he wants to move up to 170 (pounds), we can talk. But moving up to 185 is a whole other level.' Makhachev is fresh off a UFC record fourth title defense when he submitted Renato Moicano at UFC 311 earlier this month. Makhachev was originally scheduled to face Arman Tsarukyan, but after Tsarukyan withdrew due to a back injury just one day before the fight, White said he has to climb his way back to a title opportunity. When asked what's next for Makhachev, White insisted it's not Tsarukyan, but teased that something could be in the works. 'I know there's a lot of conspiracy theories out there about this. You'll just have to watch and see how this plays out,' White said.
USA Today
31-01-2025
- Business
- USA Today
Dana White gives his opinion on GFL: 'These guys are blowing real cash'
UFC CEO Dana White does not consider the Global Fight League competition. The GFL has signed various notable UFC names, including the likes of Chris Weidman, Luke Rockhold, Tyron Woodley, Alexander Gustafsson and Urijah Faber. The team-based promotion, which kicks off in April with a regular season, semifinals and finals events held throughout the year, held its draft this past Friday. White was asked what he thinks of the GFL and if he views the new promotion as a threat. 'I don't think it's blowing smoke – I think these guys are blowing real cash,' White said Thursday at the Power Slap 11 post-match news conference. 'These guys are throwing a lot of money around, and I love it. Good for the fighters – it's good for them. 'I don't know anything about his business plan or what the deal is, but no, I don't consider any combat sports my competition. My competition is the NFL, college football, soccer, big movies that come out on Saturday. I don't look at other combat sports and look at them as competitors.' The GFL has touted a 50-50 revenue split with fighters, as well as fighter retirement and insurance funds as a way to 'prioritize fighters' financial security and professional well-being, offering unprecedented profit-sharing opportunities to empower male and female athletes throughout their careers.'
Yahoo
31-01-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Chael Sonnen: Despite UFC inaction, Bryce Mitchell will face punishment for pro-Hitler comments
Bryce Mitchell isn't exactly off the hook for his pro-Hitler comments, despite the UFC not taking direct action, says Chael Sonnen. Mitchell, a current UFC featherweight, made objectively disgusting remarks on the first episode of his "ArkanSanity Podcast," stating Adolf Hitler was "a good guy" while also denying the Holocaust as a real historical event. At the first given opportunity, UFC CEO Dana White addressed Mitchell's rant unprompted at the Power Slap 11 post-match press conference. White explained that he and the UFC's official stance was one of "beyond disgust," but the Las Vegas-based MMA promotion would take no action. Sonnen admitted he was not fully informed about the situation but felt comfortable enough to comment on the UFC's reaction to Mitchell's comments. "There's a few words that just don't work," Sonnen told MMA Junkie. "I had this talk with my children. There's a few words that don't work; one of them starts with the letter 'N.' Another one of them starts with the letter 'F,' and you can't do Nazi and Hitler. You just can't. You can't make those comparisons; you can't praise." Sonnen, a Fight Wing UFC Hall of Famer for his part in the UFC 117 title fight against Anderson Silva, recalled an incident in college when he insulted someone using the Nazi label, but was scolded by his professor. "I put somebody down in college," Sonnen explained. "I was insulting a bad person and I used the word Nazi. Somehow, I made a compairison, 'like the Nazis.' That professor kept me after class and he said, 'Do you know who they are?' I said, 'Yeah.' And he was against the guy that I was schooling. I was on the right side of this, and the professor agreed. "He said, 'You don't ever compare anybody to them. You don't ever try to tell me somebody's bad, and compare them to that, because nobody is that.' And it changed me. And if Bryce has never had that talk like I had, and he's getting it right now from the UFC, I will bet you, much like me, he will learn from it." Even though the UFC did hand down a punishment to Mitchell, Sonnen firmly believes there will still be repercussions for the 30-year-old featherweight. "Please understand, there's a checks and balances for these guys that run their mouth or say something bad or say something that's really offensive," Sonnen said. "There's no passes. ... There's other things you can do, there's checks and balances. Mark my words, he's having calls from whatever sponsors he's got, he doesn't have them anymore. In the best case scenario, they all got frozen – in a best case scenario. "Now, the audience is going to look at him different. Those things don't go away. To pretend that there's not a punishment, is not true. Do you need big brother to come in and hand him the ultimate ax? That's a different conversation. There's different levels to things. There's criminals out there, but some of them jaywalk, and some of them rob a bank. There's different levels, and there's checks and balances for all of them. So please, let's not pretend that Bryce has got away with something here. He most definitely did not." UFC's Bryce Mitchell hits new low with 'Hitler was a good guy' homophobic diatribe | Opinion This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Chael Sonnen: Despite UFC inaction, Bryce Mitchell will face punishment for pro-Hitler comments
USA Today
31-01-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Chael Sonnen: Despite UFC inaction, Bryce Mitchell will face punishment for pro-Hitler comments
Bryce Mitchell isn't exactly off the hook for his pro-Hitler comments, despite the UFC not taking direct action, says Chael Sonnen. Mitchell, a current UFC featherweight, made objectively disgusting remarks on the first episode of his 'ArkanSanity Podcast,' stating Adolf Hitler was 'a good guy' while also denying the Holocaust as a real historical event. At the first given opportunity, UFC CEO Dana White addressed Mitchell's rant unprompted at the Power Slap 11 post-match press conference. White explained that he and the UFC's official stance was one of 'beyond disgust,' but the Las Vegas-based MMA promotion would take no action. Sonnen admitted he was not fully informed about the situation but felt comfortable enough to comment on the UFC's reaction to Mitchell's comments. 'There's a few words that just don't work,' Sonnen told MMA Junkie. 'I had this talk with my children. There's a few words that don't work; one of them starts with the letter 'N.' Another one of them starts with the letter 'F,' and you can't do Nazi and Hitler. You just can't. You can't make those comparisons; you can't praise.' Sonnen, a Fight Wing UFC Hall of Famer for his part in the UFC 117 title fight against Anderson Silva, recalled an incident in college when he insulted someone using the Nazi label, but was scolded by his professor. 'I put somebody down in college,' Sonnen explained. 'I was insulting a bad person and I used the word Nazi. Somehow, I made a compairison, 'like the Nazis.' That professor kept me after class and he said, 'Do you know who they are?' I said, 'Yeah.' And he was against the guy that I was schooling. I was on the right side of this, and the professor agreed. 'He said, 'You don't ever compare anybody to them. You don't ever try to tell me somebody's bad, and compare them to that, because nobody is that.' And it changed me. And if Bryce has never had that talk like I had, and he's getting it right now from the UFC, I will bet you, much like me, he will learn from it.' Even though the UFC did hand down a punishment to Mitchell, Sonnen firmly believes there will still be repercussions for the 30-year-old featherweight. 'Please understand, there's a checks and balances for these guys that run their mouth or say something bad or say something that's really offensive,' Sonnen said. 'There's no passes. … There's other things you can do, there's checks and balances. Mark my words, he's having calls from whatever sponsors he's got, he doesn't have them anymore. In the best case scenario, they all got frozen – in a best case scenario. 'Now, the audience is going to look at him different. Those things don't go away. To pretend that there's not a punishment, is not true. Do you need big brother to come in and hand him the ultimate ax? That's a different conversation. There's different levels to things. There's criminals out there, but some of them jaywalk, and some of them rob a bank. There's different levels, and there's checks and balances for all of them. So please, let's not pretend that Bryce has got away with something here. He most definitely did not.'
Arab News
30-01-2025
- Entertainment
- Arab News
Don't flinch! From viral clips to the big stage, slap fighting arrives in Saudi Arabia
RIYADH: What happens when you mix raw power, iron chins, and the thrill of combat sports? You get Power Slap 11, which made its electrifying debut in Riyadh's anb Arena on Jan. 30. For the latest updates, follow us @ArabNewsSport The night was a wild ride of jaw-dropping slaps, knockout victories, and pure competitive grit — because in this sport, there is no dodging, just taking it straight to the face. In the evening's most anticipated clash, Vasilii 'Dumpling' Kamotskii faced off against Koa 'Da Crazy Hawaiian' Viernes in a heavyweight rematch. The last time these two titans met, the clash ended in a draw. This time, Kamotskii made sure there was no question about who hits harder, securing a unanimous decision victory and the World Super Heavyweight Championship. Ron 'Wolverine' Bata wasted no time proving why he is at the top of the lightweight division. One thunderous slap was all it took to send Vern 'The Mechanic' Cathey to the floor in round one, handing Bata a spectacular knockout win and the World Light Heavyweight Championship. If the main card was a fireworks show, the prelims were the fuse that set it all off. Fighters came in swinging — literally — with these standout moments: Luke 'Lethal Strike' Simonds knocked out Garrett 'Flaco' Blakesslee in round two, Wes 'Boom' Mena took out Devin 'Big Jinxx' Jenkins via TKO in round one, Darren 'The Tarantula' Godfrey delivered a first-round knockout against Merlis 'Action' Muusikus, and Ke'ali'i 'The Chief' Kanekoa secured a third-round knockout over Brandon 'The Ripper' Rhodes. The main card continued the action, proving that Power Slap is not just about brute force, but also about precision, endurance, and pure willpower. Kalani 'Toko' Vakameilalo outlasted Danie 'The Pitbull' Van Heerden, winning by unanimous decision, while Sheena 'The Hungarian Hurricane' Bathory showed her dominance in the women's featherweight division, earning a unanimous decision victory over Jackie 'The Hybrid' Cataline. Believe it or not, slap fighting's roots go way back. It started as a test of toughness among Russian strongmen — just two competitors trading open-handed slaps until someone backed down. What began as underground showdowns soon exploded into viral internet fame, with millions watching these fierce and sometimes brutal exchanges. Fast forward to 2022, and UFC President Dana White saw the potential to take slap fighting mainstream. Enter Power Slap, an official league with rules, weight classes, and a global stage. In just a couple of years, what was once a backyard challenge has turned into an international event with championship belts on the line. Power Slap 11 in Riyadh was more than just another sporting event — it was a statement. The energy, the rivalries, and the sheer spectacle proved that slap fighting is carving out its place in the combat sports world. Many Saudis were seeing Power Slap live for the first time. Asked by Arab News whether the event will inspire young Saudis to become future 'slappers,' White said: 'I do, because when you think about even the UFC, when we first started the UFC, there were only a couple of camps that existed, and as it started to get bigger and better, I mean, look at those camps all over the world, there are champions from all over the world. There are contenders from all over the world.' The sport still faces its share of controversy, with concerns over safety and long-term effects on health, but one thing is clear: Fans cannot get enough. The hits are getting harder, the competition is getting fiercer, and the road ahead for Power Slap looks as thrilling as ever. Love it or hate it, Power Slap is here to stay.
