Raton’s Trujillo has slapped his way to a title shot

Robert Trujillo, the slapping pride of Raton, will compete for the vacant Power Slap lightweight title on Friday at The Fountainebleu in Las Vegas, Nevada.

What’s Power Slap? For the uninitiated, it’s essentially what the name suggests. Two competitors stand, separated by a waist-high table, and take turns slapping each other with all the force each can muster.

Neither ducking nor flinching on the part of the “slappee” is permitted. A competitor can be disqualified for flinching, for moving either foot from a parallel position in delivering a blow, or for clubbing — landing a blow with other than the flat surface of an open hand.

Competitions consist of three rounds, assuming both contestants can withstand three blows. Most contests don’t go to the judges.

Trujillo, an MMA fighter and a 32-year-old father of two, became a slap fighter in 2023 in hopes of attracting the attention of UFC President Dana White and securing a UFC contract; White also is the founder of Power Slap.

The UFC contract has not come to pass, but Trujillo has thrived in Power Slap. He has a 4-1 record with three knockouts — the other victory earned due to an injury on the part of his opponent — and is riding a four-slap win streak entering Friday’s title contest against Canada’s Dakota McGregor (2-0).

Trujillo’s second-round victory over Dallas Marron in February 2024 was rated one of Power Slap’s 10 most devastating blows of the past year.

The Trujillo-McGregor contest is Friday’s co-main event. Each competitor weighed in on Thursday at 154 1/2 pounds. McGregor won the coin toss and will slap first, a huge advantage — though in the past Trujillo has shown a remarkable ability to take a blow and smile in response.

Power Slap’s roster includes one other New Mexican — Albuquerque MMA fighter Jayme Hinshaw, who trains at FIT-NHB. Hinshaw won her Power Slap debut in December when opponent Pauline Macias was disqualified for two fouls: “stepping,” raising her right heel well off the floor while striking her first blow, and for clubbing, on her third.

Hinshaw was well ahead on the scorecards at the time. She is not scheduled to perform on Friday’s card.