'The Ariel Helwani Show' guest pleads for someone to stop 'Power Slap'
By Tyler Reed
When the sport of "Power Slap" was first introduced to audiences, I felt robbed. My brother and I used to do that to each other all that time, and knowing that I could have made cash off of my pain is a sickening feeling.
No matter my problems, UFC CEO Dana White has cashed in on a sport that sees people smack the eve- loving you know what out of each other.
RELATED: UFC Abu Dhabi's Mohammad Yahya suffers all-time nasty eye injury vs Steven Nguyen
Many find the sport way more gruesome than MMA or boxing. On Wednesday, Ariel Helwani had Dr. Mike Varshavski on his show, and during their conversation. Varshavski went all in on Power Slap.
"Someone needs to come out and speak out against [Power Slap]... It needs to be stopped.
— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) July 30, 2025
It takes the worst part about combat sports and accelerates it. Why is boxing problematic? Repeat blows to the head if someone's not protecting themselves. And here, the whole point is to… pic.twitter.com/GMF4KyePoh
Varshavski stated that the sport of Power Slap is what takes the worst part of any combat sport and celebrates it.
Head trauma has been a big issue in the fight game since its inception, and it also took national headlines this week when a shooter attempted to attack NFL headquarters, citing that he had CTE from playing football in his past.
RELATED: Dustin Poirier shares emotional goodbye to MMA
Dr. Varshavski claims that the sport is taking the healthy side of combat, like cardio, and only giving its participants harmful effects.
The message here is important, but I feel like if you're signing up for something where someone can slap you in the face as hard as they can, then you're not really worried about the side effects that come with it.
GET MORE TOP STORIES from The Big Lead by subscribing to TBL YouTube channel
SPORTS MEDIA: ESPN cuts ties with Shannon Sharpe after lawsuit settlement
NBA: Gilbert Arenas arrested for illegal gambling, connected to Israeli organized crime leader
NFL: Steelers fans erupt in ‘F Myles Garrett’ chants during T.J. Watt appearance on The Pat McAfee Show
CFB: Colorado football coach Deion Sanders reveals new partnership after cancer diagnosis
VIRAL: Georgia high school unveils jaw-dropping $62 million football stadium