Power Slap 3 will return to UFC Apex

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Power Slap 3 will return to UFC Apex

By Paul Delos Santos
July 6, 2023

Paul Delos Santos / The Sporting Tribune

Power Slap will present its third show Friday at UFC Apex.

LAS VEGAS — The colorful world of Power Slap will present its third show 6 p.m. Friday at UFC Apex.

The main event features a light heavyweight title match between Ayjay Hintz and Ron Bata.

“It’s going to be a good match,” Bata said.

Bata, who is an experienced fighter in the world of powerslap, will make his third main-event appearance. He fought the first two times at heavyweight. This go around he will make his debut at light heavyweight – a move that made sense to Bata.

“I always been close to that weight. I have been eating a lot to get to heavyweight. So, 205 is a good spot for me,” he said.

As for it affecting his ability to take a slap, Bata wasn’t concerned at all.

“I don’t think so,” he said. “I don’t think it’ll bother me at all.”

For Hintz, this marks his first main event and another defense of the light heavyweight title. In his last fight, Hintz won via disqualification when his opponent Russel Rivero was called for a stepping foul and Hintz was not able to continue.

Hintz isn’t taking any chances in this bout by training a little more than usual for his upcoming bout.

“I haven’t started lifting any weights. I got a kettlebell. I got some resistance bands and cable machines,” he said. “I’ve been doing some rotation workouts, stuff like that.”

Hintz is known for providing explosive fights, but this will be the first time he’s in the main event.

“It just feels right,” Hintz said of being in the main event.

While other bouts will have an element of trash talking, Hintz remained respectful of his opponent, who coached him on Season 1 of Power Slap’s Road to the Title.

“I respect him. I know it’s not going to be easy. I’m going to get it done, but it’s not going to be handed to me,” Hintz said. “It’s just respect for Ron to take it seriously. Like I said, I got to be the first one to put him to sleep.

“You’re going to see my best performance yet. It’s going to be a good match. Unfortunately, I got put the homie to sleep. I going be the first one to do it. There’s nothing to be sad about that.”

Ayjay Hintz, left, and Ron Bata, right, will face off in Power Slap 3's main event. — Ayjay Hintz, left, and Ron Bata, right, will face off in Power Slap 3’s main event.

Power Slap has been touted as a success, garnering millions of views on the streaming platform Rumble and cable network TBS.

The rules of Power Slap are simple.

There are three ways to win: knockout, technical knockout and via points. Judges score each bout on the slap damage effectiveness, and defender reaction and recovery. Video reviews exist, and the sport features the same weight classes as mixed martial arts.

There is a permitted target area that ranges from the chin to the defender’s eyeline. Anything hit above the eyeline is considered a foul.

If a fighter is knocked down a to a slap, the referee will conduct a verbal 10 count and will have 60 seconds to be deemed ready to slap on his offensive turn.