Dana White is the most powerful man in mixed martial arts, and he says Power Slap is growing even faster than the UFC did. White launched the slap-fighting league in 2022 with a 3 million dollar investment alongside the Fertitta brothers, and by 2026 the promotion was generating more than 1 billion explosive views a month across social media platforms. At the Game Plan conference in New York in July 2026, White said Power Slap secured more sponsorship in its first two years than the UFC managed in its first ten, predicting it could become just as big as his flagship combat sports promotion. Critics like Joe Rogan have called the sport free brain damage over safety concerns, but White remains relentless and ferocious defending its dominant rise.
Dana White made waves at the Game Plan conference in New York in July 2026, declaring that Power Slap is growing at a faster rate than the UFC ever did and predicting the slap-fighting league could eventually reach the same heights as his flagship promotion.
White launched Power Slap in 2022 alongside the Fertitta brothers, backed by an initial investment of three million dollars. By 2026, the league was generating more than one billion views per month across social media platforms — a figure White pointed to as evidence of the sport's explosive commercial trajectory. He also claimed Power Slap secured more sponsorship revenue in its first two years than the UFC managed across its first ten, a benchmark he used to anchor his bold prediction about the promotion's long-term ceiling.
The comments come as Power Slap continues to draw both massive online audiences and persistent criticism. Prominent voices in combat sports, including podcast host Joe Rogan, have publicly questioned the sport's safety, with Rogan describing it as free brain damage. White has shown no signs of softening his position in response to those concerns, defending the league's rise with characteristic intensity.
Why it matters
- Power Slap's social media numbers position it as one of the fastest-growing combat sports properties in the world, regardless of ongoing safety debates.
- White's sponsorship claim, if accurate, suggests the league has achieved commercial legitimacy at an unprecedented pace.
- The UFC-versus-Power Slap comparison raises questions about whether White's attention and resources could eventually be divided between the two promotions.
- Safety criticism from credible voices within the MMA community continues to create a reputational headwind that the promotion has yet to fully address.
