Robert Trujillo is quickly becoming one of the biggest stars in slap fighting.
The 32-year-old was a budding 5-0 MMA prospect before signing with Dana White’s Power Slap promotion hoping it would lead to a UFC contract.
Trujillo has found success in a new sportPower Slap – YouTube
Last December, his UFC dream took a hit as he suffered a unanimous decision defeat when he fought Elijah Smith in MMA at Colorado Combat Club 21.
Regardless, he’s still done enough to impress the UFC boss in Power Slap.
Trujillo boasts a 4-1 record in his new sport and his only defeat came via disqualification when he was adjudged to have committed a foul while knocking out his debut opponent.
Four fights and four wins later, he’s been given a coaching role on the latest season of ‘Power Slap: Road to the Title’, which will see a bunch of lightweight’s battle for the chance to face him.
“Robert Trujillo was undefeated as an MMA fighter before joining Power Slap,” White said while introducing the American Power Slap star.
“Since then, he’s been the most dominant lightweight in our organisation.
“He’s 4-1, with four straight wins, he has big knockout power, and he has a chin.
“He’s cleaned out the lightweight division, so we are building a new class of lightweights basically to face him.”
Power Slap continues to face staunch criticism, but Trujillo believes the new sport is building a fan base and is here to stay for the foreseeable future.
“I feel like we’re picking up a huge amount of fans,” he told the Albuquerque Journal in August 2023.
Trujillo boasts a 5-1 MMA record@realdeal_trujillo – instagram
But he’s become famous for his slap fighting skillsPower Slap – YouTube
‘The Real Deal’ will continue to chase a spot on the UFC roster, but when he gets it, he’ll continue to compete in slap fighting as well.
Trujillo added: “Even people who don’t like it can’t stop watching, because it’s kind of an addicting thing to watch.
“I told Dana I’d love to be a two-sport athlete for him.
“I definitely would love to do both.”
White recently defended Power Slap from the critics, who claim that the inability of its athletes to properly defend themselves could lead to traumatic brain injuries.
“As long as you know you have two healthy athletes going in to compete, the proper medical attention is there that night, and they get the proper medical attention after, you take a huge portion of the risk out,” White told TIME.
“And when you talk about me personally, who’s got a better track record than I do? There’s never been a death or serious injury in 30 years of the UFC.
White is the mastermind of the new fighting promotionGetty
“Wrap your head around that. The wars that have happened, elbows, knees, slams. Cheerleading can’t say that.”
White used his personal experience in boxing to emphasise the point that everyone who competes in his fight promotions does so of their own free will and understands the risks they are taking by doing so.
He added: “I used to box when I was younger.
“Went in and I did one of those brain studies. I have black spots all over my brain from what I did. I wouldn’t take one back one punch. Not one.
“The position that I’m in right here, right now, today, I wouldn’t take one punch back because I loved it that much
“And the doctors all talk about, ‘Somebody could die’. I got news for all the doctors. We’re all gonna die. How do you want to live your life? What do you love and what are you passionate about?
“People always ask me, what if your daughter wanted to fight? If she really loved it, am I going to tell her no? It’s what she wants to do.”
