UFC CEO Dana White betting big on a celebrity Power Slap event in the future
Dana White's Power Slap, which became a huge talking point within the MMA community and in general, has picked up a lot of steam since its inception in 2022.
At a recent press conference, the UFC boss was asked about the progress Power Slap has made, and if he thought a 'celebrity' event was possible in the future. Dana White certainly seems to believe so, given his reply:
"I think so. I think it's inevitable. I think that eventually it will happen that we will get celebrities doing it, yeah."
In a follow-up, he was also asked if Power Slap champions should automatically get to slap first. As per the current ruleset, a coin toss decides who slaps first.
To this, the UFC boss replied:
"Champ gets to slap first? I like the coin toss. I like it to be random. One of the big misconceptions of this thing in the beginning is that the guy who slaps first wins everytime. Tonight, three and four, something like that, three or four who went first won the fight."
Dana White gives update on Stipe Miocic after Jon Jones pulls out of UFC 295 main event
At the very same press conference, the UFC boss was asked about Stipe Miocic and his position in the heavyweight division after Jon Jones withdrew from their UFC 295 main event.
The Miocic-Jones fight was scrapped and replaced by Sergei Pavlovich vs. Tom Aspinall for the interim title. While Jones was clearly injured, many were unsure as to why Stipe was not offered a replacement fight for the interim belt.
Speaking on the matter, White said (28:50):
"I mean, yeah, he's upset, but you know, he is the greatest heavyweight of all time. This fight makes sense for him. This is a legacy fight. This is a fight, you know, for both guys. For Jon Jones to beat Stipe, it's massive. For Stipe to beat Jon Jones, you know, and regain the heavyweight title. Why would you not wanna do that? Why would you want to do anything else? Stipe Miocic is gonna fight in an interim title fight? Yeah, no. He's upset."
White went on to add that the winner of the interim bout would have to wait for the Jones-Miocic fight to go down.
