The head honcho, Dana White, has been on a mission to make Power Slap just as popular as the UFC. Although slap fighting as a sport gets criticized by many, it has a dedicated fanbase that it caters to. The previous event, Powerslap 12, took place in March and featured a middleweight championship showdown in Las Vegas. Now, it’s back again, just a day before International Fight Week, with Paige VanZant on the card with a championship fight at the Powerslap 13.
White announced back in March that Power Slap would be ending its $30 million-per-year broadcasting deal with Rumble (according to Forbes). Power Slap 12 marked the debut event on the biggest video company, YouTube, and was officially sponsored by the cryptocurrency company VeChain, which signed a traditional six-year sponsorship deal for $76 million. Former UFC fighter Paige VanZant also made her Power Slap debut at the event, securing a win over Mikael Michelle Brown.
After earning her victory, she called out Dana White, saying, “Hey Dana, where’s that belt, baby? Put me on the next card. Let’s get some women’s belts. We’re here to stay. We’re here to knock bitches out and slap people all day.” Well, since she asked for it, the head honcho has granted her wish by putting her on the Power Slap 13 card, which is scheduled to go down on June 28, just a day before UFC 317, right as International Fight Week kicks off.
Veteran MMA Journalist Damon Martin on X wrote, “Paige VanZant gets her wish. She’s competing in the first ever #PowerSlap women’s title match during International Fight Week. I wouldn’t be shocked if her hubby Austin Vanderford books a fight for #UFC317 during the same weekend”
Paige VanZant was once considered one of the most promising fighters in the UFC. She had a decent run, competing under the Apex MMA banner and going up against some tough names like Rose Namajunas, Jessica-Rose Clark, and Michelle Waterson-Gomez. Her last MMA fight was back in 2020, after which she made a move to Bare Knuckle Fighting. That chapter, however, didn’t go as planned, as she suffered back-to-back losses. At that point, many thought her combat sports career was done. But VanZant surprised everyone with an unexpected entry in Power Slap.
Paige VanZant gets her wish.
She’s competing in the first ever #PowerSlap women’s title match during International Fight Week.
I wouldn’t be shocked if her hubby Austin Vanderford books a fight for #UFC317 during the same weekend https://t.co/6zXxIrnC6W
— Damon Martin (@DamonMartin) May 13, 2025
Now, the 31-year-old has already proven that her slaps are just as powerful as her jabs once were; she’s ready to grab a belt in her career. So, now that we’re familiar with a well-known former UFC athlete like Paige VanZant joining the action, let’s take a closer look at the event itself.
Powerslap 12 event brief overview. How many titles are on the line?
Power Slap 13 will be heading to the Fontainebleau Las Vegas arena, headlined by a heavyweight showdown. The Power Slap Super Heavyweight Champion, Vasilii ‘Dumpling’ Kamotskii, boasting a 2-0-1 record, is set to defend his title against Dayne Viernes, who holds a 2-2 record. The Russian juggernaut will be looking forward to putting his title on the line for the first time against the number 2-ranked slapper from Hawaii.
The co-main event will also hold a match-up that is a very fan-friendly slap-fight between Light Heavyweight Champion Ron Bata, who is regarded as a legend in the slap-fighting league, against Russel Rivero. Bata will also look forward to defending his power-slap crown against a very tough opponent. That’s not all, as another interesting match-up in the welterweight division between Anthony Blackburn and No. 2 contender Azael Rodriguez has also been set.
Following the main event, the highly anticipated rematch between Paige VanZant and Mikael-Michelle Brown will take place on the card. This bout is set to make history, as the winner will walk away with the inaugural Power Slap Women’s Flyweight Championship. VanZant secured the win in their previous encounter, and with the stakes now higher than ever, this rematch promises to be a must-watch for slap-fighting fans.
With that being said, which Powerslap match up makes you more interested to watch in the event? Please let us know in the comments down below.
The post Dana White Grants Paige VanZant’s Wish as Ex-UFC Star Given a Shot To Win Powerslap Title appeared first on EssentiallySports.