Warning: The videos and images in this post may disturb some.
A recent clip from the sport of 'slap fighting' has gone viral and has viewers exclaiming, 'Holy crap!'
For those that don't know the basics of slap fighting, the premise is VERY simple. Two opponents stand across from one another and take turns slapping the sh** out of each other until one of them delivers a 'slap knockout.' According to the rules, the competitors can not hit each other in the temple, orbit, nose, ear or larynx. If they do, they are disqualified.
In a recent bout for the RXF Slap Fighting Championships in Romania, competitors Sorin Comsa and Alexandru Gorczyca took turns slapping the hell out of each other. During the match, Comsa's face was clearly swelling up and bleeding but he kept going. At one point, Gorczyca delivered a devastating blow to Comsa, but he remained standing and ultimately won the fight, pocketing a cool $7,800, but his face was left a swollen, bloody, horribly disfigured mess as a result.
Those watching the fight criticized the sport saying there's so much attention to head and brain injuries right now, how can we be ok with this, according to Fox Sports:
Boxing writer Al Dawson wrote: “This is really grim to watch. Like, I just feel bad for everyone involved, but particularly — obviously — the guy getting slapped so hard he’s bleeding and looking disfigured.”
MMA fighter Josh Barnett wrote: “This type of event (I won’t doing to call it a sport) is the dumbest thing there is going. X-Arm seems like the Olympics in comparison. Why do people support this sh*t?”
Podcast host Tony Marinaro added: “Enough already. This has to stop. Ban slap fighting.”
Dana White, head of UFC and the guy who heads the Power Slap League had some words for those criticizing the sport saying:
"“...in slap, they take 3-5 slaps per event. Fighters in boxing take 300-400 punches a fight. And guess what? You know what my answer to that is? If you don’t f***ing like it, don’t watch it. Nobody's asking you to watch this! Or, you're disgusted by it? Watch The Voice!"