Did Paige VanZant Flinch In Today’s Power Slap Match? You Make The Call?

OnlyFans superstar and former UFC fighter Paige VanZant returned to the sports world today in Abu Dhabi where she was slap fighting in Dana White’s latest business venture. 

Power Slap 9 featured VanZant vs. unknown Chelsea Dodson in a three-round slap-off that ended with all three judges scoring it a 28-28 draw. Judges said VanZant won the first and second rounds, but she was penalized a point in the third round for clubbing Dodson in the side of the head. 

The big drama here, according to fans, is that it appeared VanZant (8-5 during her UFC career; 0-2 in bare-knuckle fighting) flinched, which could’ve led to a disqualification. 

“A MISSED FLINCH CALL TOO. PVZ IS FREE TO FLINCH NOW,” one fan yelled on Twitter as the match was taking place. 

This is straight from the Power Slap rules book: 

Fouls

Defender Fouls:

• Flinching: Bodily movement (including blocking by a shoulder raise or otherwise) or head movement that adversely affects a strike and occurs after setting a defensive position (minor movements, such as clenching, that do not affect a strike are not a flinch)If the Defender commits a flinching foul and a strike does not land, the Striker will be permitted to re-strike.If the Defender commits a foul and a strike lands, then:If the strike does not result in a KO or TKO of the fouling Defender, the Striker has the option to elect to re-strike.If the strike results in a KO or TKO of the fouling Defender, such result will stand.The first infraction results in a warning; for subsequent infractions, the referee may deduct one point from the Defender in the applicable round (in addition to the consequences above).If the Defender flinches three times in one round, the Defender is automatically disqualified. If the Defender flinches four or more times collectively during a Match, the Defender may be disqualified by the referee depending on the referee’s judgment of the severity of the flinching fouls.If a flinching foul results in the Striker being unable to continue due to injury as determined by the supervising physician (i.e., the Striker is unable to strike again after the Defender flinching foul), and the Striker does not land a strike thereafter, then the Striker will win the match by disqualification of the Defender.It shall not be a flinching foul if the Defender moves to evade or defend a strike being thrown inconsistent with the Wind-Up Rule.
• If the Defender commits a flinching foul and a strike does not land, the Striker will be permitted to re-strike.
• If the Defender commits a foul and a strike lands, then:If the strike does not result in a KO or TKO of the fouling Defender, the Striker has the option to elect to re-strike.If the strike results in a KO or TKO of the fouling Defender, such result will stand.
• If the strike does not result in a KO or TKO of the fouling Defender, the Striker has the option to elect to re-strike.
• If the strike results in a KO or TKO of the fouling Defender, such result will stand.
• The first infraction results in a warning; for subsequent infractions, the referee may deduct one point from the Defender in the applicable round (in addition to the consequences above).
• If the Defender flinches three times in one round, the Defender is automatically disqualified. If the Defender flinches four or more times collectively during a Match, the Defender may be disqualified by the referee depending on the referee’s judgment of the severity of the flinching fouls.
• If a flinching foul results in the Striker being unable to continue due to injury as determined by the supervising physician (i.e., the Striker is unable to strike again after the Defender flinching foul), and the Striker does not land a strike thereafter, then the Striker will win the match by disqualification of the Defender.
• It shall not be a flinching foul if the Defender moves to evade or defend a strike being thrown inconsistent with the Wind-Up Rule.

I’m not some expert on slap fighting, so in these cases I go to Twitter to see what the experts — the fans who watch this stuff — have to say. 

VanZant made her Power Slap debut in June when she made her return to any sort of fighting after a short career as a bare-knuckled fighter. 

“Of course, I wanted to knock her out with the first slap,” VanZant told OutKick’s own Charly Arnolt after her June debut.  “But I’m so happy that it went the way it did.  I knew I could take a punch.  I knew I could take a slap… That was really fun.”