Ariel Helwani believes Dana White's new Power Slap League doesn't have much potential

Ariel Helwani is out on Dana White's new venture into the world of slap fighting.

On Tuesday, the Nevada State Athletic Commission voted to regulate and oversee the UFC's startup promotion called Dana White’s Power Slap League.

Slap fighting has gained popularity on social media over the past few years. But as far as Helwani is concerned, White's expansion into the trendy new territory isn't as sustainable as the UFC higher-ups are hoping it could be.

He even drew parallels between Dana White’s Power Slap League and Vince McMahon's unsuccessful foray into the world of professional bodybuilding. During a recent episode of The MMA Hour, Helwani said:

"You know what this feels like if you're an old-school wrestling fan? This feels like when Vince McMahon got into the world of bodybuilding. Vince McMahon had his own body-building league, the IBF [or] the International Bodybuilding Federation. And they promoted the hell out of it. And of course, later on the XFL too. And what happened to those two?"

Catch Ariel Helwani's comments below:

Helwani added that McMahon's failed expansion leagues should serve as a cautionary tale for White and the UFC. The MMA journalist added:

"You know Just because you are successful in one thing doesn't necessarily mean you're gonna be successful at another thing. Sometimes it's best to be focused on that thing – stick to your bread and butter."

---

Ariel Helwani questions safety of Dana White's Power Slap League

Ariel Helwani is highly critical of Dana White's Power Slap League because of the hazard it presents to competitors.

For those unaware, slap fighting features two individuals standing across from each other and taking open-handed slaps to the head until one of them is unable to continue. In these events, it's fairly common to see contestants suffer terrible concussions from the unprotected blows they take.

Watch the video below:

All things considered, Helwani opined:

"I wonder how they feel about when they talk about safety and all that stuff. It feels a little bit hypocritical to then say, 'Alright we're gonna take this thing, sanction it, and let people get nailed in the head repeatedly.' Let's see how they regulate it. I don't think there's longevity. I don't think there's enough interest."