‘Some Crazy Sh*t Right Here’: Bills’ Stefon Diggs Perplexed by Power Slap League

Those absorbing the slaps in Dana White’s Power Slap League are not the only ones left dazed and confused by the new sport. Bills star wide receiver Stefon Diggs can’t seem to make sense of what he’s watching either.

The Power Slap League, promoted by UFC President Dana White, premiered on Wednesday and showcased a particularly brutal episode where Sheena Bathory knocked out Kortney Olsen.

Diggs commented on the spectacle on his Instagram story.

“This some crazy sh-t right here,” he said. “They be out here smacking the sh-t out of each other.”

Stefon Diggs reacting to power slap competition got me crying pic.twitter.com/tGl9eqE63b

— Shannonnn sharpes Burner (PARODY Account) (@shannonsharpeee) January 19, 2023

“What am I watching? I never watch TV anymore only Netflix and this what be on TV Jesus Christ,” Diggs wrote. “Is this a real sport?”

According to the New York Post, “The UFC-backed league featured individual matches between two opponents who alternate between ‘striker’ and ‘defender’ roles. A striker — determined by seeding or coin toss — has 30 seconds to wind up and deliver a slap, while the defender has 30 seconds to recover. Matches can go from 3-5 rounds, and a defender who is knocked down has a 10-count to get back on their feet and continue. If there is no knockout, judges score each round on a 10-point system.”

Is that a sport?

Everyone will have to decide that for themselves, but it certainly doesn’t require the training, skill, technique, savvy, or preparation time that normal combat sports do. Unfortunately, it also could be far more dangerous to participants than most things we consider to be sports.

Chris Nowinski, a former WWE wrestler, and neuroscientist, criticized power slap on Twitter while captioning a video of a contest where a participant suffered massive facial swelling.

“This is so sad” Nowinski wrote. “Dana White & TBS should be ashamed. Pure exploitation. What’s next, ‘Who can survive a stabbing’?

“I believe adults can choose to do dangerous jobs if they understand the risks & reasonable efforts are made to protect them. But head hits with no defense is just sad. It reminds us that people who don’t take the risks often exploit those who do.”

I believe adults can choose to do dangerous jobs if they understand the risks & reasonable efforts are made to protect them.
But head hits with no defense is just sad. It reminds us that people who don't take the risks often exploit those who do. pic.twitter.com/nC8xNWKimF

— Chris Nowinski, Ph.D. (@ChrisNowinski1) January 17, 2023

Can people suffer brain injuries and even die during normal combat sports? Sure. But there’s something you can do to prevent it. You can move your head. You can raise your hands and block. You can take your opponent to the ground. There are myriad things you can do to prevent serious injury.

What are you supposed to do to protect yourself in power slap?