VEGAS COMBAT SPORTS ROUNDUP: Dana White Wishes Fontainebleau Slappy New Year, Wrestlemania 41 Ticket Info

MMA impresario Dana White is bringing power slapping, also known as slap fighting, to Fontainebleau Las Vegas in an exclusive sports residency next year, it was announced Monday.

Layne “Da Crazy Hawaiian” Viernes, left, defends his super heavyweight title against Danie “Pitbull” van Heerden in Power Slap 8 at Fontainebleau Las Vegas. (Image: YouTube/@PowerSlap)

With his Power Slap league, the UFC president aims to capitalize on the viral popularity of videos in which otherwise normal people smack each other until one passes out or gives up.

Power Slap has six of the Top-10 YouTube shorts of all time, accounting for 560 million views.

According to a Fontainebleau news release, the North Strip casino hotel will host five live slapping events beginning with Power Slap 10 on Friday, December 6. The partnership is also expected to yield “exclusive on-site experiences.”

“We are excited to expand our partnership with Power Slap,” said Maurice Wooden, president of the newest casino hotel on the Strip. “By blending the thrill of high-octane competition with our unparalleled amenities and hospitality, Fontainebleau offers a one-of-a-kind experience.”

The first Power Slap match held at Fontainebleau was Power Slap 8 on June 28, in which Layne “Da Crazy Hawaiian” Viernes defended his super heavyweight title against Danie “Pitbull” van Heerden by unanimous decision. According to Fontainebleau, attendance for the event was “more than 3,500.”

White also produced a reality TV show, “Power Slap: Road to the Title,” which aired for one season on TBS and a second on Rumble before it passed out or gave up. White also famously slapped his own wife, Anne, in 2022, but the press release neglected to mention that.

Power slapping is controversial because of the potential it poses for head trauma, including concussions and those swirling stars Wile E. Coyote used to see after getting flattened by an Acme anvil.

WWE Tix

WWE on Monday announced its on-sale date for WrestleMania 41 in Las Vegas — 10 a.m. PT, October 25 via Ticketmaster.

It’s too early for WWE to announce the match card, but the promotion has already booked Allegiant Stadium for April 19 and 20. Fans can register for a presale, which begins at 10 a.m. October 23, by going here.

“Over the last four decades, WrestleMania has evolved from a made-for-television spectacle to a cultural phenomenon complete with stadium and arena events, fan festivities, and premium experiences,” WWE said in a news release.

According to WWE, WrestleMania XL in April was the most-viewed and highest-grossing event in company history, breaking the previous gate record set by WrestleMania 39 by 78%, with 145,298 attendees over two nights at Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field.

Corey Levitan joined Casino.org in 2022 after a long career covering Las Vegas. He currently covers entertainment, dining and gaming news in Las Vegas.

Corey spent six years covering the Vegas Strip for the Las Vegas Review-Journal, where he also wrote the most popular humor column in the city’s history. (For “Fear and Loafing,” he tried out 176 Vegas jobs, including poker player, blackjack dealer and Follie Bergere dancer.)

Corey has won more than 100 local, state and national awards for his journalism, which has also appeared in Rolling Stone, New York Magazine and the New York Post.

Corey is a New York native whose hobbies include playing guitar, trying to be a better husband, and arguing with strangers on Facebook.

Contact Corey at corey@casino.org.

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  • AM
    Anon Y. Mouse September 24, 2024
    Having the events there seems like a slap in the face of the elegance of Fontainebleau.
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