Power Slap League first episode viewership revealed - it's underwhelming at best

On January 18, Dana White's Power Slap League made its TV premiere following a delay due to the backlash the UFC president faced for slapping his wife on New Year's Eve. According to recent reports, the MMA community had a lukewarm reception to the competition described as the biggest clap competition in history.

Power Slap League is an organized league for competitive slapping. Founded by White, Lorenzo Fertitta, and Craig Piligian and produced by Pilgrim Media Group in association with the UFC and Endeavor, the league will showcase athletes from all over the world competing on the biggest stage possible to showcase their strength, ability, and willpower.

The initial reaction of the community of combat sports enthusiasts was indicative of their reluctance to embrace the new concept with open arms. According to a report by Jed I. Goodman, the uncertainty translated into viewership as the Power Slap League did underwhelming numbers. Goodman revealed on Twitter:

"Power Slap: Road to the Title. Episode 1 averaged 295K viewers (0.10 in the 18-49 demo)."

AEW Wrestling, which preceded Power Slap League, was the night's No. 3 most-watched program, averaging 867K viewers. The two broadcasts on ESPN with better ratings than AEW Wrestling were NBA games (Atlanta Hawks vs. Dallas Mavericks had 1.219 million viewers while Denver Nuggets vs. Minnesota Timberwolves pulled in 1.008 million):

"The lead in, AEW Dynamite from 9:45-10P averaged 867K viewers."

Netizens echoed the same sentiment and questioned the appeal of the sport.

Check out some of the best reactions below:

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Matt Frevola advocates using the money spent on the Power Slap League to improve the UFC

The grueling quality of the Power Slap League is not everyone's cup of tea. While some have developed a fascination for the format, as indicated by the sport's expanding popularity, others have found it too brutal for their liking.

Some of the biggest names in the UFC have expressed their support for the sport, while others have struggled to wrap their heads around it.

UFC lightweight contender Matt Frevola suggested that the money spent on marketing Dana White's new venture should be spent on making the UFC a better product. Reacting to the league on Twitter, Frevola wrote:

"I don’t want to know how much money went into this Power Slap shit. Why not put that money towards making the UFC a better overall product and legitimizing the sport? It’s also dumb af lol."

He also outlined several areas in which the UFC can invest to improve the sport.