7 things you may have missed from Power Slap's TV debut on TBS

• UFC boss Dana White's new combat venture Power Slap made its debut on TBS this week.
• Slap fighting is a controversial sport in which athletes are not permitted to defend themselves.
• One slap fighter seemed to suffer memory loss in Power Slap's first episode, which aired Wednesday.

LAS VEGAS — Power Slap, the new combat sports venture backed by UFC boss Dana White and chief business officer Hunter Campbell, made its American TV debut Wednesday with two shows: "The Road to the Title," which aired on TBS, and "After Slap," a post-event segment that reviews that week's action.

Slap-fighting, as a sport, is not without controversy.

Artur Walczak, a 46-year-old former strongman, fell to the ground after being knocked out during a slap fight contest in Poland two years ago. He suffered a cerebral hemorrhage and later died.

At a Nevada State Athletic Commission meeting that Insider attended in November, chief commissioner Stephen Cloobeck sought assurances from Campbell and Power Slap President Frank Lamicella that there'd be no deaths in Power Slap.

Campbell told Cloobeck it was priority number one, two, three, and counted all the way to 10 in his response, as Insider reported at the time. The Commission approved slap fighting for regulation.

Power Slap pushed ahead and aired the first episode of its reality TV series Wednesday.

Here are seven things you may have missed:

1: There are rules in this weird, hard-to-watch, sport competition

Who slaps whom first is decided prior to the event by a coin toss. As first-round knockouts can be commonplace in slap fights, going first provides a considerable advantage.

Slap fights last three rounds. If both participants last the three rounds, a winner is determined through an MMA-style scoring system with judges awarding a decision.

Competitors have a maximum of three wind-ups and have to stand in a position outlined on the arena floor. The one being slapped has to have their hands behind their back, and hold on to a bar.

You can't move certain body parts when throwing a slap. Hip movement, though, can be critical in winding up for a slap, and so former judo experts, like Sheena Bathory, may well be at an advantage.

You can't hit someone with the ball of your palm. It has to be a slap to the opponent's cheek.

Arguably the most controversial rule is this: One cannot defend a slap.

2: They use weightlifting chalk for a reason

If you watch Power Slap, you may notice weightlifting chalk on the arena.

There is, apparently, little strategic advantage in applying chalk to one's palms prior to a slap.

The two reasons chalk is there is primarily for the benefit of those watching on TV. It, apparently, looks good when one can see a chalky outline of a hand on the opponent's flustered face.

Another reason is that referees can see whether that outline appears on an area of the face that is against the rules to slap.

3: Beards may not provide a defense against incoming slaps

Athletes who consider growing a beard to provide a cushion against the incoming slap may be at no advantage over those who are clean-shaven, according to slap fight star and Power Slap coach "Darius the Destroyer."

On the "After Slap" show, he said "he had no problem getting through" the beard of his former opponent, and coaching Power Slap rival, "Wolverine," after prevailing in a 27-round slap war in the past.

4: One slap fighter suffered memory loss after getting slapped unconscious

In the very first slap fight broadcast Wednesday on TBS, Chris Thomas landed a powerful blow on Chris Kennedy, who dropped to the floor.

Watch it here:

—Power Slap Official (@powerslapleague) January 20, 2023

Officials waiting on the sidelines caught him before he could suffer a second blow to the head from the ground but after a lengthy period of time, Kennedy said something very concerning when a doctor told him he "got knocked out."

With slurred speech, Kennedy said: "Got knocked out doing what? Was I fighting?"

"Yes," the official replied. "You are in the slap event."

5: Another was mocked for barely tickling his opponent rather than slapping him

Jawaksi Bethly attracted UFC boss Dana White's attention, albeit for the wrong reason, as his strike seemed to be thrown with barely any force. White later said Bethly was the worst slapper in the entire competition.

"I couldn't believe it," coach Darius agreed in the "After Slap" show. "How do you go into a sports arena like that, and that's the best you can do? I have no idea."

Bethly lost to John Davis by unanimous decision.

6: Coach 'Darius the Destroyer' could be a star of the entire show

A 22-year-old SlapFight Championship heavyweight champion, "Darius the Destroyer," could be a star of the show because, despite being a slap fighter, he otherwise seems like a normal athlete.

He can break down combat, has a knowledge of MMA, and is coaching a team of slap fighters in "Power Slap: The Road to the Title."

At the end of the season, he'll compete against his old rival "Wolverine" in a pay-per-view.

7: Assistant coach Sheena fought back tears after 'humiliating' her friend on TV

Sheena Bathory also produced one of the more notable highlights, slapping Kortney Olson so hard that she dropped to the floor and ended up doing a somersault when trying to get back on her feet.

Coach Darius was so impressed with Bathory that he invited her to be his assistant coach for the rest of the series.

Watch her slap here:

—Power Slap Official (@powerslapleague) January 19, 2023

Bathory, though, was teary when discussing the knockout on the "After Slap" show, as it turned out the two slap fighters lived together for a number of weeks prior to their competition.

"I knew I hurt [her] on purpose, and she's my very good friend," said Bathory. "I apologized to her, and I know that she needs time to recover from this."

Bathory said that she, like Olson, is fighting for family, or to turn around a failing business. "In Hungary, we are very poor," she said.

Bathory said Olson has forgiven her. "I know I've humiliated my friend in front of the camera … [but] we are really now very close."

Power Slap returns Wednesday, January 25 on TBS.