A SLAP IN THE FACE

From Russia to Vaal Park, welcome to the world of competitive slap fighting, where participants face each other in brutal but carefully controlled battles 

- JACO HOUGH-COETZEE 

TWO burly men stand on either side of a heavy iron table, rigid and ready for battle. They take a deep breath as they stare into one another’s eyes. Then they nod to each other, signalling they’re ready to trade blows.

Pieter “Bulldog” Vorster winds up his right arm mere millimetres from opponent Alex Ravis’ face. He moves closer, preparing for his second practice swing.

Now the distance between them is just right.

As Bulldog pulls his arm back a third time, thunderous applause erupts from the 500 spectators who’ve come to see the two face off at the No Name Village, a hangout in Vaal Park near Sasolburg where tonight’s clash is taking place.

Shockwaves reverberate through the room as his palm connects with Alex’s cheek, sending him careering.

Alex desperately reaches for the two holding knobs on the table, but his legs have given out and he tumbles backwards onto the floor.

After a medic has made sure he’s okay, Bulldog is declared the winner.

Welcome to the world of competitive slap fighting – where grown men take turns striking each other in the face as hard as they can until someone submits or is knocked out.

Alex may have been slapped silly but there are no hard feelings, event organiser Robert Krisch says.

“We’re like one big family.”

SLAP fighting began in Russia about five years ago but descended into mainly uncontrolled fistfights until the craze spread to America, where rules were established and fights were offered at regulated events.