Danie van Heerden is flying the South African flag on a new fighting stage; he is representing South Africa in Power Slap.
South Africa (05 March 2024) — A fairly new sport is growing in popularity on the global stage. It’s called ‘Power Slap’, and it is pretty much exactly what it states: a competition dedicated to the power of slapping a person. It may not be every person’s cup of tea, and that is okay! We are highlighting the sport as it recently saw the introduction of South African heavyweight Danie van Heerden, who is making a name for himself – fast!
Meet Danie “Pitbull” van Heerden, from Pretoria, who has been competing on the international stage. Flying the South African flag in the hopes of becoming a World Champion. He spent his early career, focussing on boxing and wrestling and has now rejoined the fighting ring as a Power Slap competitor.
Founded by Dana White, the President of UFC, Power Slap has taken the world by storm. Danie shared that he became hooked on the sport after the first match was hosted in South Africa in 2022. Having faced some dark times, tragically losing his father and overcoming suicidal thoughts, Danie has found a passion for Power Slap and is on his way to the top!
“This is sports on a world-class platform and you’re never too old or heavy for anything. I want to prove to myself that whatever I put my mind to, I can and will come out on top.” – Danie van Heerden
Danie popped onto our radar after a TikTok went viral sharing the news about his “Klapping” power. It highlights his booming career so far and what people can look forward to for the year of 2024.
@coolstorybru_ Danie van Heerden is a South African man competing in Power Slap 😂🤣🇿🇦 All the individuals in this video are professionals and are safe! #southafrica #tiktoksouthafrica #tiktoksouthafrica🇿🇦 ♬ original sound – Cool Story Bru! 🇿🇦
How does the sport work?
A coin toss decides which competitor goes first. They are known as the “first striker.” They have 60 seconds to deliver a slap to the opponent’s face. A qualifying slap must be open-handed and land below the eye and above the chin.
There are a few technical points, such as the whole hand must connect with the face at the same time, one cannot lead with the palm first.
The opponents may not flinch, raise shoulders or tuck their chins. They have 60 seconds to recover and return to their standing position otherwise the slap is considered a knockout.
Fights that don’t end in a knockout, go for three rounds and the winner is decided by the judges. They use a 10-point system, with judging based on the effectiveness of the slap, and the slap receivers’ reaction and recovery time.
The sport has faced some serious criticism, and we hear it! It is conducted by trained professionals, and events are carefully managed to ensure the safety of competitors. It is best to leave this sport to the professionals.
We wish Danie all the best in his journey to hopefully become a World Champion! You can follow his progress via Facebook or Instagram.
Danie may be the next South African bringing home a championship belt – so stay tuned!
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