“If That Takes Us to the Supreme Court, We Are Prepared to Go”: LFC CEO Responds to Power Slap’s Power Spank Cease and Desist

The legal dispute between Dana White‘s Power Slap promotion and Lingerie Fighting Championships (LFC) has taken a new turn after Power Slap demanded that the company stop using the Power Spank name. However, LFC CEO Shaun Donnelly has made it clear that his promotion is not prepared to back down, arguing that the concept is a protected form of parody under the First Amendment.

The controversy began after Power Spank made its debut at an LFC event in Clearwater, Florida, on October 11. The eight-woman tournament was presented as an open parody of Power Slap, the competition founded by UFC CEO Dana White.

According to MMA Junkie, attorneys representing Schiaffo LLC, which operates as Power Slap, sent a cease and desist letter to LFC late last month. The letter demanded that the promotion stop using the Power Spank name.

LFC disclosed the legal correspondence on November 10 as part of its reporting obligations as a publicly traded company. Following the disclosure, Donnelly issued a strong response defending the promotion’s decision to continue using the name.

Shaun Donnelly Refuses to Back Down From Power Slap’s Legal Threat

In a statement addressing the cease and desist letter, Donnelly acknowledged Power Slap and its founders but insisted that his company would defend its right to use the Power Spank concept.

“We respect Power Slap and its founders, but we will not be bullied into abandoning protected speech,” Donnelly said. “We will defend our right, and the right of every American, to free speech, and if that takes us to the Supreme Court, we are prepared to go.”

Donnelly’s response makes clear that LFC intends to challenge the demand rather than immediately abandon the Power Spank name. The company’s position centers on the argument that its event is an obvious parody and should therefore receive protection under the First Amendment.

LFC also argues that reasonable viewers would not believe Power Slap created, sponsored, or endorsed Power Spank. From the promotion’s perspective, the two concepts are deliberately different, with the parody using the original format as the subject of comedic criticism.

The company has indicated that Power Spank will continue opening its events in the United States while its legal team evaluates the cease and desist letter.

Why Power Slap Sent a Cease and Desist Letter to Power Spank

Power Spank attracted attention because its name and presentation directly reference Dana White’s Power Slap competition. The parody debuted during an LFC event on October 11 in Clearwater, Florida, featuring an eight-woman tournament.

Power Slap, which launched in January 2023, is built around competitors delivering open-hand strikes to their opponents’ faces. Matches can involve repeated impacts, with some competitors being knocked unconscious.

Power Spank takes a different approach to the concept. Instead of striking opponents across the face, its competitors slap each other on the backside.

This change forms the central part of LFC’s parody argument. The promotion presents Power Spank as a humorous alternative that borrows the theatrical structure of slap competitions while changing the nature of the physical contact.

However, the cease and desist letter shows that Power Slap’s legal representatives object to LFC’s use of the name. Whether the parody defense will be sufficient to overcome those objections remains unresolved.

LFC Claims Power Spank Is Protected Parody Under the First Amendment

The central legal question surrounding the dispute is whether Power Spank’s use of the Power Slap-inspired name and concept qualifies as protected parody.

LFC argues that parody is a form of expression protected by the First Amendment. Its position is that the event is clearly intended to make fun of Power Slap rather than imitate the promotion in a way that would confuse audiences.

The distinction is important because parody can involve references to an existing brand or product to communicate criticism, humor, or commentary. However, whether a particular use is legally protected depends on the circumstances, including the possibility of consumer confusion and other applicable trademark considerations.

Therefore, LFC’s First Amendment argument does not automatically settle the dispute. If the disagreement moves into court, the legal arguments and evidence presented by both sides would determine how the matter proceeds.

As of November 11, no lawsuit had been filed. Power Slap’s letter demands that LFC stop using the Power Spank name, but litigation could follow if the two sides fail to reach an agreement.

Shaun Donnelly Reveals the Story Behind Power Spank’s Creation

Power Spank also has a backstory connected to an LFC fighter’s experience with Power Slap. According to an LFC press release dated September 30, one of the promotion’s athletes competed in a Power Slap match and was subsequently hospitalized.

Donnelly has used that incident to explain the thinking behind the parody. He described the new concept as a response to the physical risks associated with face-slapping competitions.

“We watched one of our fighters get seriously hurt (at Power Slap) …” Donnelly said. “Power Spank is our answer: same energy, same theatrics, none of the brain damage. And let’s be honest, a spank is a lot more fun to watch than a slap.”

His comments suggest that Power Spank is intended to combine the entertainment and spectacle of slap competitions with a different form of physical contact. The concept also gives LFC an opportunity to criticize the format that inspired it through humor and parody.

However, Donnelly’s remarks about the safety of Power Spank represent the promotion’s own characterization. They do not independently establish that the format is free from injury risks.

Power Slap’s Reported Valuation Reaches $750 Million

The dispute also involves a promotion that has attracted significant attention and financial estimates. Dana White reportedly valued Power Slap at $450 million in 2024.

According to MMA Junkie’s reporting, that estimated valuation has since increased to approximately $750 million. Power Spank, by comparison, does not have an announced valuation.

The financial difference highlights the contrast between the established Power Slap promotion and LFC’s newer parody concept. Nevertheless, the reported valuations do not determine the legal outcome of the dispute, which centers on the use of the Power Spank name and the rights claimed by both sides.

UFC communications senior vice president Lenee Breckenridge told MMA Junkie that White was traveling and unavailable to comment on the situation.

Will Dana White’s Power Slap Take Power Spank to Court?

For now, the dispute remains at the cease and desist stage. Power Slap’s legal representatives have demanded that LFC stop using the Power Spank name, while Donnelly has publicly stated that his company is prepared to defend its position.

No lawsuit had been filed as of November 11, leaving the next move uncertain. The two promotions could potentially reach an agreement, or the disagreement could develop into a legal battle over trademark rights and the limits of parody.

Donnelly’s reference to the Supreme Court demonstrates how strongly LFC intends to defend its position, although there is currently no confirmed court case or indication that the dispute will reach that level.

For Power Spank, the immediate priority is continuing its events while reviewing the legal correspondence with its attorneys. For Power Slap, the cease and desist letter represents an attempt to stop the use of a name it objects to.

Whether the controversy ends through negotiations or proceeds to litigation remains to be seen. What is clear is that the disagreement has developed into a public debate over parody, free speech, and the use of recognizable promotional branding in combat sports entertainment.