UFC rules, as approved by the
Nevada State Athletic Commission - July 23, 2001
Article 1
The match shall be held in a 7.2 m X 7.2 m boxing ring surrounded by 4-level ropes.
Article 2
Each fighter shall wear regulation gloves provided by the promoter, a protective cup and a mouthpiece.Contact lenses are also prohibited. Gloves sizes for each weight class are as follows:
Flyweight Under --- 50.80kg --- 6 oz.
Bantamweight Under --- 53.50kg --- 6 oz.
Featherweight Under --- 57.15kg --- 6 oz.
Lightweight Under --- 61.23kg --- 8 oz.
Welterweight Under --- 66.68kg --- 8 oz.
Middleweight Under --- 72.57kg --- 8 oz.
Super Middleweight Under --- 76.20kg --- 10 oz.
Light Heavyweight Under --- 79.38kg --- 10 oz.
Cruiserweight Under --- 86.18kg --- 10 oz.
Heavyweight Over --- 86.18 kg --- 10 oz.
Article 3
Matches shall be held in the following manner.
1.
1. One-match fights:
Each match consists of three (3) minutes X five (5) rounds or three (3) minutes X three (3) rounds.
2. Tournament fights:
Each match consists of three (3) minutes X three (3) rounds. In consideration of fighter safety, no fighter shall participate in more than fifteen (15) rounds in one day.
2. hen a fighter is down, and the three (3) minute time is up while referee is still counting, the following shall apply:
1. For all rounds except the final round, the timekeeper signals the end of the round. However, the referee continues to count, and if the counts exceed ten (10) counts, the downed fighter will be considered knocked out.
2. For all final rounds, the timekeeper shall signal the end of the round and the match is completed even if the 'Down' count is not completed. (ie. Fighters may be saved by the bell only in the final round.)
3. The final round in this case is defined as the round prior to the decision in the event that the winner is to be determined by decision. Therefore, an extra round may be considered as the final round.
Article 4
Awarding of points shall be based on the following elements:
1. Whether an effective and accurate attack is recognized, and damage is inflicted on the opponent by authorized fighting techniques. Each match consists of three (3) minutes X five (5) rounds or three (3) minutes X three (3) rounds.
2. Points will be awarded in this priority:
(1) Number of downs
(2) Extent of damage inflicted on the opponent
(3) Number of clean hits
(4) Degree of aggressiveness (points in the offensive)
The dominant fighter shall be awarded a score of ten (10), and points shall be deducted from his opponent.
Article 5
CATEGORY OF OUTCOME
1. DECISION:
Applicable when there is no knockout, technical knockout, or disqualification to decide the winner. Three (3) judges shall award points to each fighter, and the fighter with the higher point total at the end of final round from two (2) out of three (3) judges shall be declared the winner.
2. DRAW:
(a) Applicable when the winner is not determined by a decision of the judges as in Article 5-1.
(b) Applicable when both fighters go down at the same time and neither rises to his feet before or at the call of count nine (9).
3. KNOCKOUT (KO):
(a) Applicable when a fighter does not stand up before the call of count ten (10). Or when a referee decides the fighter cannot stand up within the call of count ten (10).
(b) Applicable when a fighter is judged to have lost his will to continue to fight, even though he has stood up within the call of count ten (10), and/or when a fighter is judged to be incapable of continuing the fight.
© Applicable when a fighter goes down three (3) times in a round (or two (2) times in a tournament fight except in the final match).
4. TECHNICAL KNOCKOUT (TKO):
(a) Applicable when the referee judges that it is impossible to continue the match due to an accidental injury (of neither fighter's fault) to a fighter. Such decisions shall be made in accordance with Article12.
(b) Applicable when a corner man throws a towel into the ring during the course of a match. In the event that the referee does not notice the towel being thrown in, the official observer is authorized to announce the end of match.
© Referee Stop: Applicable when the referee judges that one fighter is overwhelmingly superior to his opponent and the inferior fighter is in a physically perilous condition.
(d) Doctor Stop: Applicable when the official physician judges that it is impossible to continue the match due to an injury or severe damage to a fighter. If a fighter is down and has sustained severe damage, the official physician has the option to stop the match, accordingly to the deliberation.
5. NO CONTEST (NULL and VOID match)
(a) Applicable when both fighters are found to be guilty of a rule(s) violation, match fixing, or collusion.
(b) Applicable when both fighters fail to fight in good faith (a spiritless fight) after repeated cautions and warnings by the referee, and when the referee declares disqualification of both fighters.
© Applicable when both fighters are judged as not being able to continue the match due to an accidental injury of neither fighter's fault in a one-match fight, where the fight is not justified. Article 12 sub-article3-1. shall be observed.
Article 6
EXTRA ROUNDS (tournament fights only)
Extra rounds shall be held in tournament fights to decide the winner in case the match is judged as a draw in accordance with Article5-2.
1. When a winner is not decided after three (3) 3-minute rounds (five (5) rounds in some cases), one (1) extra 3-minute round shall be held. The result of this extra round shall be an independent judgement that does not take the first three (3) rounds (or first five (5) rounds in some cases) into account.
2. When the result of the extra round [the fourth (4th) round, or sixth (6th) round] is a draw, a final extra 3-minute round shall be held. If the result of this final extra round is also a draw, the judgement shall be conducted based on the flow of the entire match as a whole from round one (1), and a winner shall be decided by considering even the slightest difference.
Article 7
AUTHORIZED FIGHTING TECHNIQUES
The following fighting techniques are authorized.
Punches: Straight punches, hooks, uppers, and backspin
s.
Kicks: Front kicks, low kicks, middle kicks, high kicks, side kicks, back kicks, inner thigh kicks, jumping kicks, and knee kicks.
The following restrictions apply to the use of the backspin
.
(a) The authorized area of contact for the backspin
shall be the area of the glove where it bends at the wrist and beyond to the tip of the glove.
(b) If an area other than the authorized area of contact hits and injures the opponent by accident, Article 12, sub-article 3 shall apply.
Article 8
FOUL TECHNIQUES
A fighter who executes a foul technique shall be penalized with a caution, warning, or a point reduction. Two (2) cautions shall lead to one (1) warning for the first two (2) cautions; however, a warning shall be given for any cautions thereafter. Two (2) warnings shall lead to a point reduction, and three (3) point reductions in one (1) round shall be grounds for disqualification. This clause shall not apply in cases where the judges rule that the foul technique as unintentional.
(a) The following are defined as fouls:
1. Using the head to deliver a
.
2. Using the elbow.
3. Attacking the opponent in the groin (attacks to the groin with knee kicks or hand techniques shall be considered as low-
s and will be ruled as fouls).
4. Using techniques from wrestling or judo such as throwing or submission techniques.
5. Thumbing, choking or biting on the opponent.
6. Attacking the opponent while he is down or in the process of getting up.
7. Attacking the opponent while the referee is intervening to separate the fighters.
8. Holding the ropes to attack the opponent, or to avoid the attack from the opponent.
9. However, this is not applicable in the situation in case the referee determines that it is inevitable to hold the ropes.
10. Using offensive or insulting language.
11. Attacking the back of the head with a punch (the side of the head and the area around the ears are not considered as the back of the head and are valid target areas).
12. Attempting to cause the opponent to fall out of the ring.
13. Voluntarily exiting the ring during the course of a match.
(b) A point reduction may be given immediately to a fighter if the judges find that a foul technique was inflicted with malicious intent.
© A caution shall be given to a fighter who repeatedly charges inside the opponent's arms, with his head held low (ie. to avoid attack). This shall be considered as inducing a head-butt. In case that either of the fighters gets cut from a head-butt and is bleeding, the fighter who has caused the other to get cut shall receive a one (1) point reduction, even if the head-butt was not intentional. However, if the referee finds the head-butt to have been intentional, a reduction of two (2) points shall be given. If both fighters get cut and are bleeding, a one (1) point reduction shall be given to each fighter.
(d) A caution, warning, and a point reduction shall be given to a fighter who repeatedly uses holds and clinches that are not accompanied by attacks, and are judged as being defensive/passive in nature (ie. to avoid attack). The same applies to grasping and holding the opponent immediately after launching an attack (ie. to avoid a counter-attack) and may also result in a point reduction. Two (2) cautions will sum up to one (1) warning, and the next caution shall be a deduction of one (1) point. This particular caution shall be counted separately and not cumulative with other cautions.
(f) Continuously holding the kicking leg of an opponent is judged as a foul. However, a single attack, while holding the leg is authorized. Continuous attack while holding a leg is a foul. If a fighter does not take any action while holding the kicking leg, the referee shall call a break. Holding the kicking leg and using a throwing technique is also a foul.
Article 9
DISQUALIFICATION
A fighter shall be disqualified when:
1. A fighter intentionally uses a foul technique.
2. A fighter fails to follow the referee's instructions during a match.
3. A fighter is late for a match or does not show up at all.
4. A fighter exhibits ill-mannered behavior or a malicious attitude during a match.
5. The referee determines that a fighter does not have the will to fight.
6. When a fighter receives three (3) point reductions within one (1) round, counting two (2) warnings as one (1) point reduction.
7. The official physician deems a fighter unfit to fight as a result of a medical check.
8. A corner man has entered in the ring or touched one of the fighters during the match.
9. A fighter is found to have broken other rules.
Article 10
In accordance with Article 5-4.(d), where a fighter is overwhelmingly superior to his opponent, the referee has the option to stop the fight and declare a victory for the superior fighter before the end of the match.
Article 11
If a fighter is injured, the judges and the official physician shall confer to decide whether the fight shall continue or not. The official physician shall not give any treatment to the injured area during the course of the match.
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