<div><span style="font-size: 1rem;"><b>High-octane setting, opponents fiercely glaring looking into each other's eyes with the sole intention to take them down, not by punching or grappling, but by slapping.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>This was the scene at the first Slap Fighting Championship Arabia held in Space Arena Dubai on Saturday evening, where hundreds of residents gathered to witness a spectacle.</div><div><br></div><div>In this one-of-a-kind competition, opponents strike each other in the face until submission or knockout. The audience in the arena was captivated with its intensity and raw energy, leaving some thrilled and others feeling surreal.</div><div><br></div><div>“I had been watching this sport on social media and on television. I came here just to experience how it feels in real life. Watching the competition live was a different spectacle,” said Abdullah Saeed, a spectator and an extreme sports enthusiast.</div><div><br></div><div>The atmosphere was electrifying, with the audience cheering passionately for the athletes as they landed slaps on their opponent, knocking them out, increasing the tension between the competitors.</div><div><br></div><div>“The energy here is unreal,” said Ahmed Najeeb, who came along with his friends to watch the first slap competition held in Dubai.</div><div><br></div><div>“I've never seen anything like this. I did not even watch it online. It's brutal but fascinating. You can feel the tension in the athletes eyes when the opponent gets ready to slap," said Najeeb.</div><div><br></div><div>As the first season of the Slap Fighting Championship Arabia unfolded, it was clear that this new addition to Dubai's sporting calendar had struck chords with the residents. They were on the edge of their seats, supporting their favourite fighters. Source : Khaleej Times</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd/fas</div>