A controversial new combat sport, ‘Runit’ out of New Zealand, has created buzz on the internet, with many comparing it to UFC CEO Dana White’s slap-fighting promotion, Power Slap. Fans jokingly suggested people should stop giving White new sport ideas.
Dana White’s Power Slap Faces a New Challenger
Dana White has turned unconventional combat sports into a growing business, with his slap-fighting promotion, Power Slap, serving as a prime example. Inspired by this trend, many have started creating their own unique combat sports.
One such new sport that has emerged out of New Zealand is called the ‘Runit Championship League.’ In this sport, one participant acts as the tackler and the other as the runner within a 20-meter by 4-meter battlefield. The goal is to create one epic collision, after which the roles are reversed. The competitor who dominates the impact is declared the winner.
The debut event of the Runit Championship League took place on April 30 at Racecourse Road in Kensington, VIC. Clips from the event have gone viral on social media, and fans are eagerly asking for more footage.
@MrTestoestrogen shared a clip from the Runit event on X, showing a brutal knockout where the tackler was left unconscious after the collision. The video sparked a wave of reactions from MMA enthusiasts in the comments. One fan jokingly warned, ‘Don’t give Dana any more ideas.'”
Don’t give Dana any more ideas…
— Aaron “🔥The🐉” Mann (@aaron_mann21) May 5, 2025
Another MMA enthusiast humorously mocked Dana White’s Power Slap promotion, commenting, “There are a lot more ways to avoid brain damage here than Power Slap. That said, what the f* is going on here?”
There are a lot more ways to avoid brain damage here than powerslap. That said, what the fuck is going on here?
— xie-uh (@HeadBetwixKnees) May 6, 2025
One X user expressed sadness for the participants being involved in such a brutal sport to earn a living, writing, “Hate that these dudes are in a place where they feel they have to risk such injury just to make money, man.”
Hate these dudes are in a place where they feel they have to risk such injury just to make money man
— Richard Barnes (@RSwauva) May 6, 2025
Another fan joked, suggesting that like Power Slap, a White might create a new promotion inspired by Runit, “Power Run – coming soon.”
One user suggested that White might create his own version after seeing Runit: “Dana is gonna make his own brand of this.”
Another fan referred to Runit as a CTE league after witnessing the brutal knockout. writing, “Professional CTE league.”
Runit has already gained significant attention from combat sports fans due to its fresh and unconventional concept. However, it will be interesting to see how the new promotion develops and whether it can grow its fan base to the level of White’s Power Slap.