The Monster Energy-backed show will bring leading competitors from Power Slap’s global roster to the UAE capital, with the full fight card, ticket details and broadcast arrangements expected to be announced closer to the event. The date falls on a Friday and continues the promotion’s pattern of staging its Abu Dhabi programme alongside a wider calendar of major sporting and entertainment attractions.
Power Slap, led by UFC chief executive Dana White, describes itself as the world’s leading organised slap fighting promotion. Competitors take turns delivering open-handed strikes to an opponent’s face under a defined ruleset, with contests decided by knockout, technical knockout or judges’ scores.
The organisation made its international debut in Abu Dhabi with Power Slap 9 on 24 October 2024. That event at Space42 Arena featured title contests and appearances by established combat sports personalities, including former UFC fighter Paige VanZant. It was followed by Power Slap 16 at the same venue on 24 October 2025.
The 2025 programme was headlined by a heavyweight contest between Ron “Wolverine” Bata and Alan Klingbeil. Its scheduling during Abu Dhabi Showdown Week placed the promotion within a concentrated period of combat sports activity that also included UFC 321.
Power Slap 25 will represent a substantial rise in the organisation’s event count since its first appearance in the capital. The numbering also reflects the promotion’s expanding schedule across the United States and overseas markets, with events increasingly distributed beyond its original base in Nevada.
Abu Dhabi’s continued involvement gives Power Slap access to an established combat sports audience and an events infrastructure developed through more than a decade of staging UFC contests. The capital has hosted championship bouts, fight weeks and international tournaments across mixed martial arts, boxing and grappling, often combining them with tourism and entertainment programmes.
The return also supports Abu Dhabi’s broader effort to build a year-round sports economy. Major events are used to attract overseas visitors, increase hotel demand and generate spending across aviation, hospitality, retail and leisure businesses. Combat sports have become a prominent part of that strategy because of their international broadcast reach and highly engaged fan bases.
Power Slap has built much of its audience through digital platforms and short-form video, where clips of knockouts, face-offs and athlete reactions can generate large viewing figures. The visual simplicity of the format has helped the promotion reach audiences beyond traditional mixed martial arts followers, although it has also drawn criticism from medical experts and sections of the combat sports community.
Health concerns centre on competitors being required to absorb strikes without actively defending themselves. Specialists have warned that direct blows to the head may cause concussion, facial injuries and longer-term neurological harm, particularly when athletes participate repeatedly.
The promotion says its contests operate under detailed safety and medical procedures. Events use weight divisions, pre-contest examinations, ringside physicians, referees and rules governing legal hand contact. Fouls can be issued for stepping, clubbing or striking outside the permitted area, while competitors may be suspended from participation following knockouts or medical findings.
Power Slap is licensed and sanctioned in Nevada by the Nevada State Athletic Commission, giving the promotion a regulatory framework similar to other combat sports staged in the state. Rules determine the number of rounds, recovery periods, striking order and judging criteria, including damage, effectiveness and the recipient’s reaction.
The Abu Dhabi event will provide another measure of whether the format can sustain audience interest as it expands internationally. Early editions relied heavily on White’s profile and the UFC’s promotional ecosystem, but the organisation has gradually developed its own champions, rankings and athlete rivalries.
Monster Energy’s presenting sponsorship also illustrates the commercial interest surrounding the promotion. The energy drinks company has a substantial presence across mixed martial arts, motor racing, action sports and gaming, sectors that appeal to younger audiences and rely strongly on digital engagement.
No match-ups have yet been confirmed for Power Slap 25. The promotion is likely to shape the card around championship contests and recognisable competitors while also using the Abu Dhabi platform to introduce athletes from markets outside North America.
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