Step into the electrifying world of slap fighting with our special guest, Danie "The Pitbull" van Heerden, a name that resonates power and prowess in Las Vegas's slap fighting championship circuit. Discover how Danie became the number two ranked super heavyweight globally, fueled by his roots in Walkerville, South Africa, and a rich history in boxing and mixed martial arts. From the early days of his fighting family to the unexpected career pivot during the COVID-19 pandemic, Danie candidly shares the psychological nuances of slap fighting, including the strategic importance of winning that crucial coin toss.
We also spotlight Danie's ambitious journey in the slap championships, his stepping stone toward life-altering success in the USA. His story is one of aspiration and determination as he navigates the challenges of relocating his family while dreaming of inspiring fellow South Africans. With Slap fighting's rising popularity and potential to become a major sporting event in South Africa, we explore how this sport can mirror the success of UFC and WWE. Catch the fervor and passion as Danie illuminates the resilient spirit of South Africans striving for global recognition in this gripping episode.
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Show Transcript
WEBVTT
00:00:02.483 --> 00:00:10.195 Welcome back to South Africans Abroad, a show for expat South Africans and anyone interested in experiences of those who have made the move overseas.
00:00:10.195 --> 00:00:17.914 Each episode we'll hear from South Africans who have left the country to pursue new opportunities, be with loved ones or simply follow their dreams.
00:00:17.914 --> 00:00:28.519 We'll explore the challenges and triumphs of life as an expat and the unique perspective that comes with being a South African abroad, of life as an expat and the unique perspective that comes with being a South African abroad.
00:00:28.519 --> 00:00:32.424 I'm your host, warren Burley, an expat South African who, like many, followed the dream of working overseas.
00:00:32.424 --> 00:00:40.621 Whether you're an expat yourself or just curious about the expat experience, join us as we delve into the motivations, struggles and joys of being a South African living overseas.
00:00:40.621 --> 00:00:48.847 Today we've got a guest who's stepping into one of the wildest, most unpredictable arenas out there the SLAP championship in Las Vegas.
00:00:48.847 --> 00:00:53.545 He's a South African powerhouse, a man who's making a living out of the good old PK.
00:00:53.545 --> 00:00:55.951 Please welcome, donnie the Pitbull van Heerden.
00:00:55.951 --> 00:00:58.064 Donnie, it's great to have you on the podcast, man.
00:00:58.204 --> 00:00:58.485 Modern.
00:00:58.485 --> 00:01:04.106 Thanks for having me, and to me, the only number two ranked super heavyweight in the world.
00:01:04.206 --> 00:01:06.311 And soon to be number one right, Definitely.
00:01:06.311 --> 00:01:07.272 I mean, that's the goal.
00:01:07.620 --> 00:01:11.150 South Africans are the only ones that know how to give a proper PK.
00:01:11.250 --> 00:01:11.891 That's for sure.
00:01:11.891 --> 00:01:17.849 I've been watching some of your videos and I tell you what I would hate to be the icon at the end of that PK.
00:01:18.180 --> 00:01:20.448 Well, let's think about slap fighting.
00:01:20.448 --> 00:01:29.084 I mean, unlike boxing and martial arts, obviously you do not want to get hit, but you've got 12 rounds to prove your skills.
00:01:29.084 --> 00:01:32.165 In other words, the thing about slap fight.
00:01:32.165 --> 00:01:35.826 I mean, whoever wins the coin toss starts the first lap.
00:01:35.826 --> 00:01:45.465 So say, for example, this would be me, and you Say you're in my weight division, though Just to give you an idea, so say I would win the coin toss.
00:01:45.465 --> 00:01:51.974 I can then basically see the fear in your eyes while I'm winding up.
00:01:51.974 --> 00:01:53.820 But now this is another thing.
00:01:53.820 --> 00:02:04.992 So if you take it like a man, yeah, and do not move, do not flinch, do do like eat it like breakfast, yeah, and then that instant of a second you need to wind up to give me one.
00:02:04.992 --> 00:02:11.173 So that changed the whole algorithm, because now you can see the fear in my eyes.
00:02:11.173 --> 00:02:12.385 So that's the thing about Slapside.
00:02:12.385 --> 00:02:20.649 It's obviously a five-minute sports in total, so you can see it all, and obviously everyone wants to see that knockout.
00:02:20.949 --> 00:02:23.728 Okay, so let's just go back a little bit.
00:02:23.728 --> 00:02:25.824 Donnie, where did you grow up?
00:02:26.219 --> 00:02:32.427 In Walkerville, the deer side, I'm not sure if anyone is familiar with this.
00:02:32.427 --> 00:02:35.689 So around about Vereniging Mayerton the ball.
00:02:37.021 --> 00:02:42.862 So down south, eh, yes, okay, but you come from a family of fighters, eh, competition fighters, isn't it?
00:02:43.183 --> 00:02:43.847 That is correct.
00:02:43.847 --> 00:02:48.070 I mean we have 13 siblings, seven boys, six girls.
00:02:48.070 --> 00:02:48.431 Yeah.
00:02:48.431 --> 00:02:55.438 My father would have fought Pierre Kutzer for the SA title back in 1981.
00:02:55.438 --> 00:02:58.169 Okay, I've got a brother, chris De Heet.
00:02:58.169 --> 00:03:02.090 He's a former IBO welterweight world champion.
00:03:02.090 --> 00:03:09.729 Yeah, but the youngest brother, don John, he fought for a title in France, so he unfortunately lost on points, though.
00:03:09.729 --> 00:03:15.211 Then my other brother, he was the Gateng champion in boxing.
00:03:15.211 --> 00:03:19.230 My oldest brother used to be the middleweight kickboxing champion.
00:03:19.230 --> 00:03:21.883 Then you get my sister.
00:03:21.883 --> 00:03:23.429 She's an artist, she's actually… Okay.
00:03:24.300 --> 00:03:25.506 So totally other side then.
00:03:25.639 --> 00:03:29.651 Yeah, so I mean, the paving for success has been paved out for us.
00:03:29.651 --> 00:03:31.826 Yeah, and then obviously me a bit of background.
00:03:31.826 --> 00:03:36.151 I was ranked number five on the SA rank list in boxing.
00:03:36.151 --> 00:03:40.330 I was the heavyweight champion in mixed martial arts.
00:03:40.330 --> 00:03:45.390 I was also number one contender in mixed martial arts in the middleweight division.
00:03:45.390 --> 00:03:57.245 Believe it or not, that's 83 kilograms, the light heavyweight division 93 kilograms, and now I'm at 172 kilograms in power slap number two in the world.
00:03:57.466 --> 00:04:01.788 You've kind of paved the way and I think it's given you quite an edge over the competition.
00:04:01.788 --> 00:04:02.088 I think.
00:04:02.400 --> 00:04:04.782 Definitely I mean in all the sports combined.
00:04:04.782 --> 00:04:05.591 I think Definitely I mean in all the sports combined.
00:04:05.591 --> 00:04:07.555 I've got seven professional licenses.
00:04:07.555 --> 00:04:10.207 I'm undefeated in Muay Thai on two fights.
00:04:10.207 --> 00:04:14.776 I've got one loss in K-1 or kickboxing.
00:04:14.776 --> 00:04:17.326 In other words, yeah, I've got my professional license.
00:04:17.326 --> 00:04:21.802 All of them, even bare-knuckle boxing, although to COVID that never happened, but I got the license.
00:04:21.802 --> 00:04:23.103 That's a bit about me.
00:04:23.663 --> 00:04:28.608 But then how did you go from all of that to slapping Oaks for a living?
00:04:28.627 --> 00:04:30.329 Obviously, the COVID happened.
00:04:30.329 --> 00:04:40.536 Yeah, got married, got unfit as hell and slap fight was the only other thing than chess what I can actually do.
00:04:40.536 --> 00:04:42.437 So I decided slap fight.
00:04:42.437 --> 00:04:50.432 Okay, but now you saw this on TV or whatever, and decided, okay, yeah, to slap Oaks for a living looks like fun.
00:04:50.432 --> 00:04:51.377 Well, I never thought it would be this big.
00:04:51.377 --> 00:05:00.151 To be honest, yeah, it's actually grown quite fast but at the same time, for me trying it out, this grows rapidly and insanely.
00:05:00.399 --> 00:05:03.601 Yeah, Okay, but let's just talk about trying it out.
00:05:03.601 --> 00:05:04.142 So what did you?
00:05:04.142 --> 00:05:11.228 Just go to the closest pub there and decide, you know, get a couple of slaps, give a couple of slaps and see how it goes professional athletes.
00:05:11.247 --> 00:05:30.992 so by law it's actually not allowed for any professional athlete to compete against a non-licensed athlete.
00:05:30.992 --> 00:05:32.862 In any case, I decided you know what?
00:05:32.862 --> 00:05:37.165 I'm still going to try it out, just to feel it Knocked the guy out.
00:05:37.165 --> 00:05:42.247 At first he got a fright because obviously he's knocked out.
00:05:42.247 --> 00:05:42.970 Yeah.
00:05:45.004 --> 00:05:50.127 Luckily he survived that and we became best friends after that.
00:05:50.127 --> 00:05:51.564 Since then, I'm hooked.
00:05:51.564 --> 00:05:57.348 I'm like you know, this is a new thing at my weight division and fitness level.
00:05:57.348 --> 00:05:59.286 This is definitely the new sport.
00:05:59.286 --> 00:06:02.911 Sure, we hosted another one in South Africa.
00:06:02.911 --> 00:06:05.826 Also won that one on points.
00:06:05.826 --> 00:06:13.553 That video actually went viral before TikTok took it down for dangerous acts, Okay.
00:06:13.553 --> 00:06:14.862 And then what happened?
00:06:14.862 --> 00:06:26.305 Piles Lab contacted me via that video, Okay, and at first I thought you know, for me, a normal South African, to get contacted by Dana White.
00:06:26.305 --> 00:06:27.809 I mean, what's the chances?
00:06:27.809 --> 00:06:28.651 Yeah, yeah.
00:06:29.379 --> 00:06:35.093 And then I said you know, if this is really a low scam, organize a Zoom call and we chat.
00:06:35.093 --> 00:06:37.444 And the Zoom call was organized.
00:06:37.444 --> 00:06:38.908 Couldn't believe it.
00:06:38.908 --> 00:06:40.331 I'm like I'm in, when do I fly?
00:06:40.331 --> 00:06:43.865 Yeah, yeah, so this happened last year October.
00:06:43.865 --> 00:06:44.666 Okay.
00:06:44.666 --> 00:06:49.904 So, then I got chosen to be in the season season two of PowerSlam Road to the Title.
00:06:49.904 --> 00:06:53.250 So that's basically the same as Ultimate Fighter.
00:06:53.250 --> 00:06:53.711 Yeah.
00:06:53.711 --> 00:06:59.826 You have to do two fights a week apart.
00:06:59.826 --> 00:07:04.283 The winner gets a PowerSlam contract, the losers go out.
00:07:04.564 --> 00:07:05.728 And where did you come in there?
00:07:06.620 --> 00:07:07.665 I won both of them.
00:07:08.208 --> 00:07:08.408 Okay.
00:07:08.899 --> 00:07:11.028 So yeah, then I got a contract and then I moved.
00:07:11.028 --> 00:07:13.949 A year later I'm sitting in Vegas.
00:07:14.802 --> 00:07:16.064 So how many fights have you had?
00:07:16.064 --> 00:07:18.331 Professional fights, slap fights, yeah.
00:07:18.920 --> 00:07:21.730 Professionally under the power slap banner five.
00:07:21.730 --> 00:07:23.423 Three wins, two losses.
00:07:23.423 --> 00:07:33.105 I lost on the title bout on one point and I lost for the finals in the road to the title due to disqualification.
00:07:33.144 --> 00:07:41.004 Just for the people that don't know and have never actually seen this can you just break down how the slap championship actually works, like the rules and the strategy and things like that?
00:07:41.004 --> 00:07:41.968 How do you actually win?
00:07:42.360 --> 00:07:50.201 Obviously anyone wants to see the knockout and the slow motion effect of getting knocked out.
00:07:50.201 --> 00:07:54.552 If you don't understand the rules or never seen it before, you think it's insane.
00:07:54.552 --> 00:08:01.550 Well, obviously it is insane, but there's a bit of rules towards it as well.
00:08:01.550 --> 00:08:03.418 So you get the defender, the one that takes the slap.
00:08:03.418 --> 00:08:09.173 So basically his stomach needs, or lower waist needs, to touch the table.
00:08:09.173 --> 00:08:16.464 The table is basically standing in the middle of the two sort of strikers, if I can say it like that.
00:08:16.464 --> 00:08:23.112 Yeah, with his hand behind his back, I'm holding like a pool noodle, okay.
00:08:23.112 --> 00:08:33.910 So with that pool noodle you are allowed to tense your traps From there you need to keep the position, so you're not allowed to flinch or move or any of that.
00:08:33.910 --> 00:08:44.692 But you're also standing on a block, basically like a cube, okay, which both of your feet need to either touch or partly be in.
00:08:44.692 --> 00:08:52.669 So then when you get the slap and you move out of that, it's sort of like a point score system type of thing, okay.
00:08:53.380 --> 00:08:54.605 So now for the striker.
00:08:54.605 --> 00:08:59.772 You don't get slapped like a normal boxer would throw a boxing hook.
00:08:59.772 --> 00:09:04.991 So a striker, both feet have to be flat on the floor.
00:09:04.991 --> 00:09:10.889 You're not allowed to lift your heels or pivot your feet when you strike.
00:09:10.889 --> 00:09:20.557 You're not allowed to bend your arm or hit with the palm of your hand or hit in a cup holding position with your hands.
00:09:20.557 --> 00:09:26.273 Right From there, when you're allowed to strike, it's basically only on the cheek.
00:09:26.273 --> 00:09:30.855 So anything higher than the level of your eye level, that's a foul.
00:09:30.855 --> 00:09:35.355 Anything lower than your jawline is a foul.
00:09:35.355 --> 00:09:41.974 So in a normal fight which lasts 3 slaps or 3 rounds, if you have 2 fouls it's a disqualification.
00:09:41.974 --> 00:09:53.096 And on title fights, which is 5 rounds, if you have 3 fouls it's also disqualification and obviously a knockout is a win straight up well, it depends.
00:09:53.177 --> 00:10:00.254 If you knock out someone but you twist it or lift your feet, you get disqualified, and then the guy that got knocked out wins.
00:10:00.254 --> 00:10:10.258 It sounds like a bittersweet victory, sort of yeah, because I mean, no one wants to win a match like that.
00:10:10.258 --> 00:10:10.619 Yeah.
00:10:10.619 --> 00:10:15.735 But obviously due to the rules there's possibilities to do it.
00:10:15.735 --> 00:10:21.953 But then also another thing which most of the people out there won't know to do power slap.
00:10:21.953 --> 00:10:26.839 In between each match they do medical testing.
00:10:26.839 --> 00:10:30.429 So you're not allowed to use any banned substance, steroids or any of that.
00:10:30.429 --> 00:10:30.851 Yeah.
00:10:31.846 --> 00:10:33.990 They do urine tests, blood tests, they do MRI tests.
00:10:33.990 --> 00:10:37.153 Blood tests, they do MRI tests, they do EKG tests.
00:10:37.153 --> 00:10:43.331 They test you fully to make sure you're 100% healthy, before and after each competition.
00:10:43.331 --> 00:10:47.956 Sure, and believe it or not, I had my last competition in Abu Dhabi.
00:10:47.956 --> 00:11:01.556 Now, I think, the 25th of October, and I'm the healthiest out of nearly anyone on that card and I'm the heaviest I'm 380 pounds, meaning 172 kilograms.
00:11:01.725 --> 00:11:03.392 But I've seen the size of your hands.
00:11:03.392 --> 00:11:04.971 They're not average size hands either.
00:11:06.166 --> 00:11:07.753 Well, they're not so big as well.
00:11:07.753 --> 00:11:17.236 But now the thing is, it's definitely not the size of the hand, because the bigger your hand is, if you're out with one centimeter on a slap on the face, you get fouled.
00:11:17.236 --> 00:11:21.235 So I would say the smaller your hands is, the more advantage you have.
00:11:21.235 --> 00:11:23.812 Okay, but then again it also comes down to technique.
00:11:24.445 --> 00:11:25.730 Now, how do you train for this?
00:11:25.730 --> 00:11:28.635 Are you just practicing slaps all day against the wall, or what?
00:11:29.245 --> 00:11:31.293 Well, to be honest, you train like a bodybuilder.
00:11:31.293 --> 00:11:32.667 You just don't eat like one.
00:11:32.667 --> 00:11:33.749 So you lift the weights.
00:11:33.749 --> 00:11:37.735 You've got specific muscles in your shoulder which you need to train.
00:11:37.735 --> 00:11:47.063 Your flexibility needs to be on par, your legs need to be strong, because you're pushing from the legs, so anything sort of bodybuilding-wise or strongman-wise.
00:11:47.063 --> 00:11:47.164 Okay.
00:11:47.164 --> 00:11:52.248 But obviously I don't eat like one, so I take more carbs than protein.
00:11:52.607 --> 00:11:58.215 Yeah, because you want to be bigger and stronger, right yeah so I don't go to the gym and actually get slapped.
00:11:58.215 --> 00:12:03.421 Yeah, because how do you prepare yourself to be slapped?
00:12:04.323 --> 00:12:08.796 Well, obviously mentally, because you know it's coming and you have to stand and take it.
00:12:08.796 --> 00:12:13.235 So mentally you have to be like 200% fit on that.
00:12:13.235 --> 00:12:18.115 A mental game I would say that's throughout life.
00:12:18.115 --> 00:12:21.355 I mean whatever happens is mental.
00:12:21.355 --> 00:12:25.870 I mean since the day or since the morning you wake up, you decide you want to get out of bed or not.
00:12:25.870 --> 00:12:26.433 Yeah.
00:12:26.433 --> 00:12:28.972 You decide you want to get dressed or not.
00:12:28.972 --> 00:12:30.572 You decide you want to go to work or not.
00:12:30.572 --> 00:12:33.774 You decide you want to put in fuel to get to the work or not.
00:12:33.774 --> 00:12:42.294 You decide if maybe a couple's done, are you going to pay it or not.
00:12:42.294 --> 00:12:53.849 So all that choices throughout the day in your life I think determines your mindset, mind goal and obviously the motivation of can you do it or can't you do it, do you doubt yourself or not?
00:12:53.849 --> 00:12:58.211 Yeah, I would say mentally it's obviously everyday decisions.
00:12:58.211 --> 00:13:02.894 If you can survive everyday decisions you can definitely do slow fight.
00:13:03.293 --> 00:13:04.715 That's actually some great advice.
00:13:04.715 --> 00:13:06.816 What goes through your head before a match?
00:13:06.816 --> 00:13:09.778 I mean, is it just pure adrenaline, or what are you thinking of?
00:13:09.837 --> 00:13:12.038 Well, for me, I'm obviously focused.
00:13:12.038 --> 00:13:15.461 I must admit the last one at Abu Dhabi.
00:13:15.461 --> 00:13:21.806 There I had some South African support, so you can actually hear them shout give them a PK.
00:13:21.806 --> 00:13:29.350 That was fun because the Minister of Sports was there himself, gaetan McKenzie, and I'm sure I heard him shout it as well.
00:13:29.350 --> 00:13:38.937 And the fun part of it is I thought you know it'd probably be 50 people or 100 people in this crowd know what it means, but it's definitely landing.
00:13:38.937 --> 00:13:40.759 So that was definitely fun.
00:13:40.759 --> 00:13:42.320 But other than that, I'm normally focused.
00:13:42.320 --> 00:13:51.904 But then again, obviously to wait for that slap, that is a tension that you can basically feel in your back because you know it's coming.
00:13:51.904 --> 00:13:56.111 You're not sure if you're going to get knocked out or not, because it can happen to anyone.
00:13:56.111 --> 00:13:59.273 You can either take one or you can't take one.
00:13:59.273 --> 00:14:01.610 Anyone can give one, but not anyone can take one.
00:14:01.812 --> 00:14:03.736 Yeah, have you been knocked out?
00:14:03.946 --> 00:14:08.451 I've been knocked down from the champion For my first time in my career.
00:14:08.451 --> 00:14:13.692 In all the sports the champion has knocked me down the second slap.
00:14:13.692 --> 00:14:14.956 But there's a difference.
00:14:14.956 --> 00:14:20.356 He was on a 17-fight win record with 15 knockouts.
00:14:20.356 --> 00:14:26.456 I was the only guy up to date that got knocked down by him and got back up.
00:14:26.778 --> 00:14:33.111 Yeah, and I was the first slapper that went five rounds with him and you knocked his tooth out, apparently.
00:14:33.985 --> 00:14:35.071 And I knocked his tooth out.
00:14:35.071 --> 00:14:36.210 We saw that video.
00:14:36.210 --> 00:14:37.929 I'm the only one on that.
00:14:39.073 --> 00:14:43.653 Yeah, you know I'm still trying to wrap my head around how you wake up in the morning and go.
00:14:43.653 --> 00:14:46.706 I'm going to go slap somebody for free, you know.
00:14:46.706 --> 00:14:51.953 I mean most people get arrested, especially in the US, so it must be.
00:14:51.953 --> 00:14:52.735 Oh, here's the thing now.
00:14:52.884 --> 00:14:53.125 Yeah.
00:14:53.125 --> 00:14:55.654 So in the US, this is actually sanctioned.
00:14:55.654 --> 00:14:56.830 You get paid for this.
00:14:56.830 --> 00:14:57.331 Yeah.
00:14:57.331 --> 00:15:05.613 So my mindset now on this I think this is the only sports which influencers come and watch.
00:15:05.613 --> 00:15:14.139 I mean, we had Donald Trump at the event, we had Sean Strickland at the event, we had the MrBeast YouTuber at the event.
00:15:14.139 --> 00:15:15.044 We had the Mr Beast YouTuber at the event.
00:15:15.044 --> 00:15:27.357 We had so many influencers Deontay Wilder, actual athletes, influencers at Slap Fight and who can say that influencers or celebs actually come and watch normal boxing or normal MMA?
00:15:27.357 --> 00:15:29.605 Yeah, Not that much.
00:15:29.605 --> 00:15:46.559 So I think, even though we are not coming from a how can I say social influencer like the Americans would, if I can say it like that, like the real celebrities, this is still celebrities coming to watch us slap each other and we're getting paid for that.
00:15:46.559 --> 00:15:47.421 It's even better.
00:15:47.921 --> 00:15:48.802 Yeah, you know.
00:15:48.802 --> 00:15:55.115 I mean, there's nothing like a good PK giving one, but to get paid for it on the other end.
00:15:55.115 --> 00:15:56.187 And how big are the crowds?
00:15:56.890 --> 00:16:04.648 Well, let me tell you, here at Fontainebleau, we got a live event of between 4,000 to 7,000 people.
00:16:04.648 --> 00:16:08.128 Okay, the first one it was at Durango.
00:16:08.128 --> 00:16:11.846 They had 1,000 people in-house, but the influencers level.
00:16:11.846 --> 00:16:15.351 So you only got invited via special parents.
00:16:15.351 --> 00:16:17.952 So only if you're a super huge influencer.
00:16:17.952 --> 00:16:18.374 Yeah.
00:16:18.985 --> 00:16:26.769 So, basically, on media marketing, there were 740 million potential following base from the influencers that were there.
00:16:26.769 --> 00:16:32.765 Okay, and if you can check on TikTok, if you compare PowerSnap, for example, to UFC, ufc's, got 15 million followers.
00:16:32.765 --> 00:16:33.187 Take on TikTok.
00:16:33.187 --> 00:16:40.630 If you compare PowerSlam, for example, to UFC, ufc's got 15 million followers, but only some of the videos reach 1 to 2 million.
00:16:40.630 --> 00:16:48.796 Powerslam got 5 million followers, so three times less, but their viewing gets 356 million views.
00:16:49.395 --> 00:16:51.778 Yeah well, I think it's all got to do with.
00:16:51.778 --> 00:16:54.500 It's a quick sport.
00:16:54.500 --> 00:16:58.841 It's violent, to say the least, and people want to see the knockout.
00:16:58.841 --> 00:17:00.163 I think it's all about it.
00:17:00.163 --> 00:17:00.543 That's decent.
00:17:01.767 --> 00:17:07.865 Whether you're a fan or you're not a fan, you're still going to watch it, because even if you scroll through TikTok that three seconds, you're going to wait.
00:17:07.865 --> 00:17:09.431 That's when the knockout happens.
00:17:09.625 --> 00:17:10.266 Yeah, for sure.
00:17:10.266 --> 00:17:16.217 And also the way that they play it with the slow-mo and the guy's jaw looks like it's going to come off his head.
00:17:16.217 --> 00:17:16.798 Exactly.
00:17:16.798 --> 00:17:19.772 I think that definitely plays a big role.
00:17:19.772 --> 00:17:23.736 Now, Tommy, you're representing South Africa in a pretty unique way.
00:17:23.736 --> 00:17:26.834 How do the people back home feel about what you're doing?
00:17:27.144 --> 00:17:30.974 Well, obviously, family and friends they support me full-out on this.
00:17:30.974 --> 00:17:36.971 Yeah, I've got non-family adventures of fans which also support me in this.
00:17:36.971 --> 00:17:44.392 So basically for my idea back home we got a couple of promotions running.
00:17:44.392 --> 00:17:55.472 So if we can get this sanction in South Africa, I think this is the easiest sport to come from the couch and basically compete and be a superstar.
00:17:55.472 --> 00:18:07.815 Unlike boxing or martial arts or Muay Thai or K-1, you have to do six days of training, two years of effort and motivation to even get on the amateur level.
00:18:07.815 --> 00:18:10.849 But on slap fight, I mean, you can literally come from the couch.
00:18:10.849 --> 00:18:13.452 If you can take a slap, you can be a superstar.
00:18:13.585 --> 00:18:18.112 Well, you just got to go to the clubs on a Friday afternoon and you can pick oaks from there.
00:18:18.765 --> 00:18:21.585 Well, here's the thing, because then you would get locked up back in South Africa.
00:18:21.585 --> 00:18:25.214 So if you know you can take a slap, just come and try it out.
00:18:25.214 --> 00:18:26.530 Sign up and come and do it.
00:18:26.530 --> 00:18:44.276 So my big idea is if I can get kids or youngsters either off of the street into sort of competition style, if I can say it like that make something out of them other than being on maybe, the cell phones, unless you're a gamer or something.
