Power Slap vs BKFC

Power Slap vs BKFC: Which Is More Extreme?

Two of combat sports' most polarizing promotions -- Power Slap League and Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC) -- represent opposite approaches to the same underlying concept: strip away the norms of traditional combat sports and see what happens. Power Slap removes the fight entirely, reducing combat to a single exchange of open-hand strikes. BKFC removes the gloves and lets boxers fight bare-fisted. Both have been called extreme. Both have been called dangerous. Both have significant viewership. But which is actually more extreme?

Quick Comparison

Feature	Power Slap	BKFC
Founded	2022 (first event Jan 2023)	2018
Creator/Owner	Dana White / UFC/TKO Group	David Feldman, Conor McGregor (investor)
Sport	Competitive slap fighting	Bare knuckle boxing
Format	Alternating single slaps	Full boxing match, bare knuckle
Defense Allowed	None -- must stand and receive	Full defensive boxing
Rounds	3-5 rounds (one slap per turn per round)	5 rounds, 2 minutes each
Broadcast	TBS, Max, YouTube	DAZN, TrillerTV
Weight Classes	Multiple	Multiple
Athletic Commission	Nevada State Athletic Commission	Multiple state commissions
Criticism Level	Extremely high	Moderate

What Each Sport Actually Is

Power Slap

Power Slap is a competitive slap fighting league created by Dana White, the president of the UFC and CEO of TKO Group Holdings. The concept is deceptively simple: two competitors take turns delivering open-hand strikes to each other's face. There is no dodging, no blocking, and no fighting back during your opponent's turn. You stand with your hands behind your back and absorb the blow, then it is your turn to deliver one.

Matches consist of three to five rounds, with each round comprising one slap per competitor. Judges score based on the quality and impact of the slap. Knockouts are common and valued. The promotion debuted on TBS in January 2023 and has since expanded to Max (HBO Max) streaming and a significant YouTube presence.

BKFC

BKFC is bare knuckle boxing -- a full boxing match conducted without gloves. Fighters use all traditional boxing techniques: jabs, crosses, hooks, uppercuts, body shots, head movement, footwork, and clinch work. The only difference from gloved boxing is the absence of padded gloves; fighters wear wrist wraps that leave the knuckles exposed.

BKFC has been operating since 2018 and is the largest bare knuckle promotion in the world, with a three-year DAZN broadcast deal, over 142 events staged, and a roster that includes former UFC champions and contenders.

Rules Comparison

Rule	Power Slap	BKFC
Striking Technique	Open-hand slap only	Closed-fist punches only
Target Area	Face/chin	Head, body (above waist)
Defense	Not allowed during opponent's turn	Full defensive boxing allowed
Footwork	Must remain stationary	Full ring movement
Clinch	N/A	Limited clinch work
Knockdown Rules	10-count, match can continue	10-count, varies by commission
Fouls	Wind-up violations, illegal techniques	Same as boxing fouls
Judging Criteria	Impact, technique, damage	Same as boxing (effective striking, etc.)

The most striking rule difference is the prohibition of defense in Power Slap. In every other combat sport on earth, a fighter is expected -- and allowed -- to defend themselves. Power Slap removes this fundamental element. You must stand still and accept a full-force open-hand strike to the face. This single rule is the source of most criticism directed at the sport.

Danger and Medical Risk

This is the central question, and the answer is more nuanced than either promotion's critics or supporters suggest.

Power Slap Risks

Concussive force without defense: The inability to slip, roll with, or block strikes means competitors absorb full, unmitigated impact to the head
Rotational force: Open-hand slaps generate significant rotational acceleration to the head, which research has linked to traumatic brain injury
Cumulative damage: Even in a three-round match, competitors receive three full-force shots to the head with no ability to mitigate
Knockouts by design: The sport explicitly rewards and celebrates knockouts, incentivizing maximum force

Medical professionals have been vocal in their opposition to Power Slap. The Association of Ringside Physicians and multiple neurologists have criticized the sport, arguing that the prohibition of defense violates the basic safety framework that makes other combat sports ethically defensible. The argument is straightforward: in boxing, MMA, and even bare knuckle fighting, a fighter can move, block, and mitigate damage. In Power Slap, they cannot.

BKFC Risks

Hand injuries: Bare knuckle punching produces frequent hand fractures and breaks
Facial lacerations: Without glove padding, punches produce more cuts
Concussive force: Still present, though fighters can defend themselves
Eye injuries: Bare fists can more easily damage orbital areas
Faster knockouts: Bare knuckle punches land faster than gloved punches

Counterintuitively, some medical research suggests that bare knuckle boxing may produce fewer concussions than gloved boxing. The reasoning: gloves allow fighters to throw harder punches with less personal risk to their hands, and the padding distributes force over a wider area, transferring more energy to the brain. Bare knuckle fighters throw with less power (to protect their hands) and the concentrated impact is more likely to produce cuts than deep brain trauma. This remains debated, but the data is worth noting.

Fighter Pay

Pay Tier	Power Slap	BKFC
Entry Level	$2,000 - $5,000	$2,000 - $9,000
Mid-Tier	$5,000 - $25,000	$20,000 - $30,000
Top Tier	$50,000 - $100,000	$100,000 - $300,000
Headliners	$100,000+	$400,000 - $700,000+
Sponsorship	Restricted (UFC/TKO model)	Allowed -- fighters can wear sponsors

BKFC pays significantly more at the top end, with fighters like Mike Perry reportedly earning over $1 million per fight when bonuses and sponsorships are included. BKFC's policy of allowing fighter sponsorships provides additional income that Power Slap's UFC-adjacent model does not permit.

Power Slap's pay structure reflects its newer status and the lower skill barrier to entry. The sport does not require years of combat sports training, which keeps labor costs down but also raises questions about whether competitors are adequately compensated for the neurological risk they assume.

Viewership and Cultural Reception

Power Slap

Power Slap has generated massive viewership, particularly on YouTube, where highlight clips routinely accumulate millions of views. The sport's viral nature -- dramatic knockouts, theatrical reactions, the spectacle of watching someone stand still and get slapped -- makes it perfectly suited for short-form social media content.

However, Power Slap has faced intense criticism from mainstream media, medical professionals, and even within the combat sports community. Critics call it barbaric, exploitative, and a step backward for combat sports legitimacy. Dana White has defended the sport vigorously, pointing to its regulated status under the Nevada State Athletic Commission and its growing audience.

BKFC

BKFC has achieved a more traditionally respected position within combat sports. The DAZN deal places it alongside boxing and MMA on a major platform. Coverage from outlets like ESPN, The Athletic, and MMA Fighting treats BKFC as a legitimate -- if edgy -- combat sport. The involvement of Conor McGregor as an investor added mainstream credibility.

BKFC still faces criticism -- bare knuckle fighting remains controversial -- but the criticism is qualitatively different from what Power Slap receives. BKFC is debated as a combat sport. Power Slap is debated as to whether it should exist at all.

Which Is More Extreme?

The answer depends on how you define "extreme."

Power Slap is more extreme in terms of:

Removing the ability to defend yourself
Forcing competitors to absorb unmitigated head trauma
Departing further from traditional combat sports norms
Generating more medical and ethical controversy
The sheer spectacle of its format

BKFC is more extreme in terms of:

Total damage accumulated over a full fight
Visible injuries (cuts, swelling, broken hands)
Duration of combat (10 minutes vs. a few slaps)
Physical demands on the fighter
The breadth of skills required

If "extreme" means departure from the norm of combat sports ethics -- the expectation that fighters can defend themselves -- then Power Slap is more extreme. It violates a principle that every other combat sport upholds.

If "extreme" means the total physical toll on participants over the course of competition, BKFC is more extreme. A five-round bare knuckle boxing match inflicts far more cumulative damage than three alternating slaps.

The Verdict

Power Slap and BKFC are both positioned on the extreme end of the combat sports spectrum, but they are extreme in different ways. BKFC is an evolution of one of humanity's oldest sports -- fistfighting -- conducted at a professional level with genuine athletic skill. Power Slap is a spectacle sport built for viral moments, backed by the most powerful promoter in combat sports history.

BKFC has earned its place as a legitimate, if controversial, combat sport. Power Slap remains far more divisive, with fundamental questions about its medical ethics still unresolved. Both will continue to draw audiences, but only one has a clear path to long-term legitimacy.

For more on BKFC, see our BKFC organization profile and BKFC vs BKB comparison. For other comparisons, check out Rough N' Rowdy vs BKFC.