Dana White Lifts the Lid on Fertitta Brothers’ Jaw-Dropping Response to His $200M Gamble

“Dudes are getting just knocked into another dimension with a slap. It’s so crazy to watch,” commented Joe Rogan on Dana White’s controversial Power Slap promotion. White launched Power Slap in 2022, gambling on a new frontier after cementing his legacy as one of combat sports’ most influential promoters. Determined to push beyond traditional fighting, he introduced the league, shaping itself into a structured competition.

The format strips fighting down to its core: competitors stand face-to-face and trade open-hand slaps until one advances. The first season ran through eight pre-recorded episodes before closing with the live showcase, Power Slap 1. Criticism quickly followed White’s $200 million venture. Medical experts, neurologists, and fighters condemned the league as reckless.

Dana White recalls Lorenzo Fertitta and Frank Fertitta’s instant green light

Ryan Garcia branded it “terrible… needs to be stopped,” while Sean O’Malley voiced similar objections. Even Joe Rogan, despite his fascination with the spectacle, blasted the millions funneled into the project, calling the investment “sh-t” and urging White to convert it into a kickboxing-style league.

Dana White refused to fold under pressure. Backed by the Fertitta brothers — his longtime UFC allies who helped script the sport’s modern history — he secured funding to push Power Slap forward. On the Cutler Cast with hosts Jay and Matt, White recalled how the deal came together: “So, I literally called the Fertittas and said, ‘I’m into this slapping stuff. What do you think?’ They both said, ‘What do you need?’ I said, ‘I need a million dollars from both of you — from you and Frank.’ And they said, ‘We’re in.’”

“So, we all put up a million bucks, and Power Slap began a little over two years ago — like two and a half years ago. And now, from what I understand, it gets more views than even the UFC. Yeah, it crushes on social media. And the live event is fucking awesome,” White continued.

Hailing from the powerhouse casino dynasty, Lorenzo Fertitta and his brother Frank forged a decades-long partnership with Dana White. The trio collaborated for nearly 16 years, culminating in 2016 when the Fertittas sold their majority stake in the UFC to WME-IMG for a staggering $4 billion — a massive leap from the $2 million they initially invested in the debt-laden promotion.

The success of that gamble was fueled by White’s relentless vision, which the Fertittas trusted implicitly. That same confidence propelled them to back him again, each contributing a million dollars to launch Power Slap.

White reveals his dream location for the next Power Slap event

Dana White’s Power Slap is gaining momentum, spreading quickly throughout the U.S. and beyond. Following events at UFC Apex and Las Vegas, the promotion has now ventured to Abu Dhabi and Saudi Arabia, after wrapping up UFC 318 in New Orleans. Exciting times are ahead as the next Power Slap event is lined up for October 3 in Las Vegas, followed by Power Slap 16 on October 24 in Abu Dhabi.

So far this year, six events have already taken place. Interestingly, Dana White is targeting locations that the UFC itself has struggled to reach. Hawaii, home of BMF champion Max Holloway, has long been a dream destination for ‘Blessed’, but logistical challenges have kept UFC events off the islands. Power Slap’s growing popularity, however, could finally bring White and his team to Hawaii.

Speaking on potential future stops, White shared: “Now we just took it to New Orleans and, uh, in the United States next. My next spot I would love to take it to Hawaii. You know, we got a lot of Hawaiians who compete in it and the UFC has never been to Hawaii. So I would love to bring Power Slap to Hawaii next. It’s either going to go Hawaii, Texas, Florida, one of those places. Um, and then, uh, we’re going to do Qatar.”

Dana White is introducing Power Slap to Hawaii—what are your thoughts on this move? Isn’t it time for the local crowd to experience Max Holloway’s incredible talent live, rather than just having those who have already seen Charles Oliveira and Rafael Fiziev take the stage?