Dana White downplays potential brain trauma in Power Slap competitors: “We’re all gonna die!”

UFC CEO Dana White was pressed about Power Slap in a recent interview ahead of one of the biggest cards in UFC history.

White is hours away from his most ambitious project during his UFC tenure. UFC 306 at the Las Vegas Sphere is an unprecedented event at the one-of-a-kind venue, headlined by Sean O’Malley vs. Merab Dvalishvili.

After building the UFC to the top of combat sports, White is also working on building Power Slap and garnering worldwide respect. While Power Slap has garnered some notable traffic on social media, it’s still in its infancy financially.

Critics of Power Slap are concerned about White promoting open-hand slapfighting featuring brutal knockouts. Brain trauma is at the head of concerned viewers who question the need for the up-and-coming product.

Dana White addresses concerns about Power Slap ethics

In a recent interview with TIME,  White was asked to defend the long-term health of Power Slap competitors.

“We spend the money. As long as you know you have two healthy athletes going in to compete, the proper medical attention is there that night, and they get the proper medical attention after, you take a huge portion of the risk out,” White said. “And when you talk about me personally, who’s got a better track record than I do? There’s never been a death or serious injury in 30 years of the UFC. Wrap your head around that. The wars that have happened, elbows, knees, slams. Cheerleading can’t say that.”

White then addressed concerns about potentially looming brain trauma as a result of competing in slap fighting.

“I used to box when I was younger. Went in and I did one of those brain studies. I have black spots all over my brain from what I did. I wouldn’t take one back one punch. Not one,” White said. “The position that I’m in right here, right now, today, I wouldn’t take one punch back because I loved it that much…

“And the doctors all talk about, “Somebody could die”—I got news for all the doctors. We’re all gonna die. How do you want to live your life? What do you love and what are you passionate about? People always ask me, what if your daughter wanted to fight? If she really loved it, am I going to tell her no? It’s what she wants to do.”

Power Slap will debut internationally on Thursday, October 24th in Abu Dhabi. It’ll be a busy week for White, as UFC 308 is scheduled for Saturday.