“MMA” (Mixed Martial Arts) means hand-to-hand combat, subject to established restrictions written in the Unified Rules or other regulations imposed by KSW, allowing the use of a combination of techniques from various martial arts disciplines such as grappling, submissions, kicks, and strikes.
“Hand-to-hand combat” means any form of competition in which strikes are exchanged with the goal of injuring the opponent.
“Hand-to-hand combat fighter” means a person who takes part in hand-to-hand combat.
Unless KSW approves a bout in a different weight category, MMA and exhibition fights are contested in the following divisions:
• Strawweight 115 lbs (52.2 kg)
• Flyweight 125 lbs (56.7 kg)
• Bantamweight 125–135 lbs (61.2 kg)
• Featherweight 135–145 lbs (65.8 kg)
• Lightweight 145–155 lbs (70.3 kg)
• Welterweight 155–170 lbs (77.1 kg)
• Middleweight 170–185 lbs (83.9 kg)
• Light Heavyweight 185–205 lbs (93 kg)
• Heavyweight 205–265 lbs (120.2 kg)
• Super Heavyweight over 265 lbs
For non-title bouts, a one-pound allowance is permitted (1 lb = 0.5 kg). In title fights, fighters must not exceed the permitted weight limit for their division.
KSW may, at its discretion, allow a fight at a contracted weight (commonly referred to as “catchweight”). For example, KSW may permit a fight with an upper limit of 177 lbs if it deems such a contest fair and safe.
KSW may also approve a fight between two athletes, one weighing 264 lbs and the other 267 lbs, if it determines that the contest remains fair and safe, even though, technically, the fighters belong to two different weight classes.
In all weight categories, the hand wraps for each fighter shall consist only of soft gauze, not exceeding 2 inches in width and 15 yards in length, and no more than 10 feet of surgical tape, 1 inch in width.
Adhesive surgical tape shall be applied directly to each hand in the wrist area for protection. The tape may be wrapped around the hand twice and may extend to cover the knuckles of the closed fist.
The gauze must be applied evenly across the hand.
Bandages and tape must be applied to the fighter’s hands in his locker room, in the presence of a KSW cutman as well as the opponent’s manager or chief corner. A fighter may waive the right to have his representative present during the hand-wrapping of his opponent.
Under no circumstances may a fighter be fitted with gloves until the KSW cutman has approved the hand wraps.
All fighters must wear a mouthguard for the fight, which shall be inspected and approved beforehand by the event physician.
A round will not begin until both fighters have their mouthguards in place.
If a fighter accidentally loses his mouthguard during the fight, the referee shall, at the first available moment that does not interfere with the action (particularly offensive action), stop the contest and allow the fighter to reinsert the mouthguard.
All male fighters must provide and wear a groin protector, which shall be inspected and approved by the KSW cutman.
All female fighters are prohibited from using groin protectors.
All fighters must use gloves of at least 4 ounces provided by KSW. As a rule, without special permission from the commission, no gloves larger than 6 ounces may be used. The weight of certain glove sizes, such as XXL–XXXXL, may exceed 6 ounces.
All gloves must be supplied and approved by KSW. No fighter may use his own gloves.
Each fighter must wear MMA shorts, kickboxing shorts, boxing shorts, or cycling-style shorts approved by KSW.
Shirts and gis are prohibited, except for female fighters, who may wear KSW-approved tops.
Shoes and any type of foot protection are prohibited.
Each fighter must be clean and well-groomed.
Excessive use of slippery substances and other materials, including hair gels, creams, and sprays applied to the face, hair, or body, is prohibited. The referee inside the cage or a KSW representative may require such substances to be removed before the contest.
A KSW representative shall assess whether a fighter’s head or facial hair poses a risk to his own health or to his opponent, or interferes with officiating and conducting the bout. If such hair presents a danger, the fighter will not be allowed to compete unless the issue is resolved to the satisfaction of the KSW representative.
Fighters may not wear any jewelry or piercings during the bout.
Each non-title MMA fight consists of 3 rounds, with each round lasting no longer than 5 minutes. The interval between rounds is 1 minute.
Each title MMA fight is contested over 5 rounds.
The referee inside the cage is the sole authority over the bout and the only person authorized to stop the contest. The referee may consult the ringside physician regarding a decision to stop the fight.
The referee, the ringside physician, and the cutman are the only individuals permitted to enter the cage or fighting area during the contest. This rule does not apply to the interval between rounds or after the bout has ended. The physician and the cutman may enter the cage during the fight only at the request of the referee. This rule does not apply to the interval between rounds or after the bout has ended.
All bouts are judged and scored by three judges, each positioned at a different location around the ring/fighting area. The referee inside the cage cannot simultaneously serve as a judge.
The 10-point must system is the standard method of scoring bouts. Under this system, 10 points are awarded to the winner of the round, and 9 points or fewer to the loser, except in the rare case of an even round, which is scored 10–10.
Fights are scored according to the most recent judging criteria of the Association of Boxing Commissions (ABC) in the United States.
The following actions are considered fouls in an MMA bout or exhibition match and, at the referee’s discretion, may result in the fighter being penalized:
• Headbutting
• Eye gouging of any kind
• Biting
• Spitting at an opponent
• Hair pulling
• Putting fingers into an opponent’s mouth
• Any type of groin attack
• Putting fingers into an opponent’s orifices or cuts
• Small joint manipulation
• Strikes to the spine or the back of the head
• Any attack to the throat or grabbing the trachea
• Scratching, pinching, or twisting the skin
• Kicking the head of a grounded opponent
• Kneeing the head of a grounded opponent
• Stomping a grounded opponent
• Grabbing the cage
• Grabbing an opponent’s shorts or gloves
• Using abusive language in the ring/cage
• Unsportsmanlike conduct causing injury to an opponent
• Attacking an opponent between rounds
• Attacking an opponent who is under the care of the referee
• Attacking an opponent after the bell has sounded
• Avoiding contact with the opponent, intentionally or repeatedly spitting out the mouthpiece, feigning injury
• Throwing an opponent out of the ring/fighting area
• Intentionally disregarding the referee’s instructions
• Spiking an opponent onto their head or neck
• Corner interference during the bout
• Throwing in the towel during the bout
• Pointing fingers into the eyes/face of the opponent in a standing position
Disqualification may result from any combination of the above fouls or from a deliberate foul, at the discretion of the referee.
A foul may also be penalized by a deduction of points on the scorecards of the offending fighter. The official responsible for the scorecards, not the individual judges, is tasked with adjusting the total after a point deduction.
Only the referee inside the cage has the authority to penalize a fighter for a foul. If the referee does not sanction the fighter, the judges are not permitted to independently assess whether a foul has occurred, nor may they take such a foul into account when scoring the round.
Procedure in Case of a Foul
When a foul occurs:
• The referee inside the cage stops the fight.
• The referee sends the offending fighter to a neutral corner.
• The referee checks the condition and safety of the fouled fighter.
• The referee assesses the foul and, if appropriate, deducts a point, then informs the Commission representative, the corners, and the official responsible for the scorecards of his decision regarding whether the foul was intentional and whether a point is deducted.
If a fighter on the bottom in a ground position commits a foul and the top fighter is not injured, the fight will resume in the same position, and:
• The referee will verbally inform the bottom fighter that he has committed a foul.
• When the round ends, the referee will evaluate the foul and, if necessary, deduct a point, informing the Commission representative, the corners, and the scorekeeper.
The referee may stop the fight due to the severity of a foul. In the case of a flagrant foul, the offending fighter shall be disqualified.
Low Blows
A fighter struck with a low blow has up to 5 minutes to recover from the foul, provided the ringside physician determines that he is capable of continuing the contest.
If the fighter indicates that he can continue before the 5 minutes have elapsed, the referee shall resume the fight.
If the fighter uses the full 5 minutes and still cannot continue, the fight shall be stopped, and the outcome will be determined based on the number of rounds and time elapsed up to the stoppage, in accordance with Section 16.
Fouls Other Than Low Blows
If an MMA contest is stopped due to an accidental foul, the referee shall determine whether the fouled fighter is able to continue. If the fouled fighter’s chance of winning has not been significantly diminished by the foul, and the foul was not a blow to the head that could cause a concussion, the referee may order the fight to continue after a recovery period not exceeding 5 minutes. Immediately upon stopping the action, the referee must inform the Commission representative of his assessment as to whether the foul was accidental.
If a fighter is fouled with a strike deemed illegal by the referee, the referee shall stop the action and the clock. The referee may direct the injured fighter to the ringside physician, who will assess whether the fighter can continue. The physician has up to 5 minutes to make this determination. If the ringside physician rules that the fighter is fit to continue, the referee shall restart the contest. Unlike in the case of a low blow, the injured fighter does not have 5 minutes to recover but must resume fighting when instructed by the referee.
In cases of fouls other than a low blow, if the injured fighter is deemed unable to continue by the referee, the bout shall be stopped immediately. If the referee decides the fighter cannot continue—even if 5 minutes have not yet elapsed—the fighter is not entitled to use the remaining time, and the fight must be stopped.
If the referee elects to seek the opinion of the ringside physician, the medical evaluation must not exceed 5 minutes. If the examination exceeds 5 minutes, the fight cannot be restarted, and the bout must be stopped.
Strikes to the Back of the Head
Strikes to the back of the head are defined as the area extending from the crown of the head downward in a width of 5.08 cm (2 inches) to the line between the tops of the ears. Below that line, the prohibited area expands to cover the entire nape of the neck.
A grounded fighter is defined as:
• A fighter who has both feet and any other part of the body (except the hands) in contact with the floor.
• A fighter who is lying on the mat.
Note: When a fighter has both feet and one hand or fist on the mat, stomps and kicks to any part of the body (other than prohibited areas) are legal, since the fighter is considered to be in a standing, not grounded, position.
If an injury occurs during the fight as the result of a legal technique and is severe enough to stop the contest, the injured fighter loses by Technical Knockout (TKO).
If an injury occurs during the fight as the result of an intentional foul, as determined by the referee, and is severe enough to stop the contest, the offending fighter loses by Disqualification.
If an injury occurs during the fight as the result of an intentional foul, as determined by the referee, but the injured fighter is able to continue, the referee shall instruct the scorekeeper to deduct two points from the scorecards of the offending fighter.
If an injury occurs during the fight as the result of an intentional foul, as determined by the referee, and the injured fighter is able to continue at first but later cannot, the injured fighter shall win by Technical Decision if he was ahead on the scorecards at the time of the stoppage. If he was tied or behind on the scorecards, the fight shall be declared a Technical Draw.
If a fighter injures himself while attempting to commit a foul, the referee shall not take any action in his favor, and the injury shall be treated as if it resulted from a legal action.
If an injury occurs during the fight as the result of an unintentional foul, as determined by the referee, and is severe enough to immediately stop the contest, the fight shall be declared a No Contest if the stoppage occurs before the completion of two rounds in a three-round bout or before the completion of three rounds in a five-round bout.
If an injury occurs during the fight as the result of an unintentional foul, as determined by the referee, and is severe enough to immediately stop the contest, the fight shall be decided by Technical Decision in favor of the fighter who was ahead on the scorecards at the time of the stoppage, but only if the stoppage occurs after the completion of two rounds in a three-round bout or after the completion of three rounds in a five-round bout.
Unfinished rounds shall be scored under the same criteria as completed rounds, with the judges evaluating the fighters from the beginning of the round up to the point of stoppage.
The VAR system (video review) is located under the cage and can be used to watch replays of a situation that, in the opinion of the referee inside the cage, requires review.
• Only the referee inside the cage may decide to use VAR.
• The referee may leave the cage to review the footage personally in order to confirm the final decision, or he may rely on the opinion of the VAR referee, who is delegated by the head referee (this must be a referee officiating inside the cage at the event, not a judge).
• VAR may be used both during a break in the fight and after the bout has ended.
Submission
• Physical tap-out
• Verbal submission
Knockout
• When the referee stops the fight (TKO)
• When an injury caused by a legal action is severe enough to stop the fight (TKO)
• When a fighter loses consciousness due to a strike or kick (KO)
Decision
• Unanimous Decision – all three judges score the fight for the same fighter
• Split Decision – two judges score the fight for one fighter, the third for the other
• Majority Decision – two judges score the fight for one fighter, the third scores a draw
Draw
• Unanimous Draw – all three judges score the fight as a draw
• Majority Draw – two judges score the fight as a draw
• Split Draw – each judge scores the fight differently
Disqualification
Forfeit
Technical Draw
Technical Decision
No Contest
During the official morning weigh-in from 09:00 to 11:00, each fighter has a maximum of three attempts to make weight.
If a fighter does not make weight by 12:00, the fighter has an additional hour to make weight.
If a fighter does not make weight by 12:00, 1 point will be deducted, which will be shown by the cage referee before the start of the first round and recorded on the judges’ scorecards as a point deducted in round 1. In addition to that, financial penalties in accordance with his contract and these regulations will be applied.
• Excess up to 1.0 kg – 10% of total fight purse for missing weight at the official morning weigh-in and an additional 20% for failing after the extra hour
• Excess from 1 kg to 2 kg – 10% for the morning weigh-in and an additional 30% for failing after the extra hour
• Excess from 2 kg to 4 kg – 10% for the morning weigh-in and an additional 40% for failing after the extra hour
• Excess over 4 kg – 10% for the morning weigh-in and an additional 50% for failing after the extra hour
In a title fight both fighters must make the contracted weight:
• If the champion misses weight, he vacates the title even if he wins the fight. The fight will still be contested over 5 × 5-minute rounds.
• If the challenger misses weight, the fight loses its title status. Even if the challenger wins, the belt remains with the champion, and the fight will be contested over 3 × 5-minute rounds.
• If both fighters miss weight, the fight loses its title status, and the champion vacates the title even if he wins. The fight will be contested over 3 × 5-minute rounds.
• If a fighter misses weight by more than 4 kg, his opponent may refuse to participate in the bout.
The morning weigh-in of each fighter takes place in the presence of the KSW head referee (or another referee delegated by him) and is recorded on video. The opponent’s cornerman may also observe the weigh-in.
During the evening weigh-in, fighters are not required to make the contracted weight limit but must strip down to shorts/underwear, step on the scale, and participate in the face-off.
After the weigh-in, fighters are required to fulfill all media obligations.
Each fighter may have a maximum of three cornermen.
The fighter has the right to assistance from his cornermen during the fight, in preparation for the fight, and immediately afterward.
During the interval between rounds, only two cornermen may enter the cage; the others must remain outside.
Cornermen are responsible for ensuring that their fighter has a groin protector and mouthguard.
During the fight (rounds), cornermen must remain outside the ring platform in the designated area.
Cornermen are responsible for cleaning the corner between rounds.
During the fight (rounds), cornermen are prohibited from:
• Entering the ring platform
• Passing through or grabbing the ropes/cage
• Moving around the ring/cage area
• Using offensive language toward the fighter or referee
• Using outside assistance from unauthorized persons
• Physically assisting the fighter without the referee’s permission
During the interval between rounds, cornermen are prohibited from:
• Entering the ring in a number greater than one (in the cage: two)
• Addressing the referee directly
• Approaching the opponent’s corner
• Providing the fighter with solid supplements (e.g., tablets, pills)
• Giving water (or fluids) in glass containers
• Stitching or gluing wounds sustained in the fight
During the fight (rounds), cornermen are allowed to:
• Give instructions to the fighter from outside the ring/cage
• Prepare equipment to assist the fighter during the break (water, ice, etc.)
Violations of cornermen rules may result in warnings or disqualification and may also cause warnings or disqualification of their fighter.
• The first warning is given after the first violation.
• The second warning results in a 10% deduction from the fighter’s purse.
• The third warning results in the cornerman being removed to the locker room and a 20% deduction from the fighter’s purse.
• Further violations result in the fighter’s disqualification.
• A fighter may be disqualified immediately if a violation by his cornermen directly affects the course of the fight to the opponent’s disadvantage.
A fighter’s manager has the right to file a written protest concerning the result of a fight within 48 hours of its conclusion, upon payment of a €1000 deposit to the KSW Federation’s account. The Appeals Commission, consisting of three members, shall review the protest and announce its decision within 48 hours of receiving the protest.
The Appeals Commission is appointed by the head referee.
If the protest is rejected, the KSW Federation will not refund the deposit.
If the protest is upheld, the KSW Federation will refund the deposit.