Viam Chao Rules

The format of Viam Chao competition rules are to facilitate clear victory conditions and to maintain safe competition conditions for all participants. Viam Chao is a full contact sport that includes striking with all parts of the body except the head, grappling, and takedowns (transitions) to include tackles, sweeps, and throws.

There are two formats: traditional (with striking) and submission (no striking).

The following rules are for tournament bouts of the traditional format.

## Victory Conditions

Victory is achieved if any of the following conditions are met:

* knockout
* accumulation of the most points
* referee stoppage (technical knockout)
* excessive bleeding
* injury resulting in inability to continue

If, after the standard 3 rounds, there is a tie, an additional 1-minute sudden death round is added and the first person to score is declared the winner. These extension rounds may be added indefinitely. One may also win if their opponent commits 3 fouls during the totality of the match, resulting in disqualification.

Championship bouts are 5 rounds instead of 3.

## Participants

Only two participants will compete against each other at a time. Participants need not be ranked in Viam Chao in order to compete. All styles are welcome. Each participant shall wear a distinctive colored judo or jiu-jitsu kimono top to assist score keepers and judges. These are grey and blue.

Fighters will compete against the same sex and may also be separated by weight and/or age. Competitors are also separated by experience level:

* Novice - grey and blue belt
* Intermediate - red and green belt
* Advanced - brown and black belt

Participants may choose to compete in a higher level, and should if they have experience in other arts (they should compete at the highest level earned in any art). Participants with experience in wrestling, professional or amateur fight experience (mma, boxing, kickboxing, etc.) may not compete at the novice level. Participants should be placed in the comparable category for their rank; in other words, a blue or purple belt in BJJ would compete at the intermediate level.

Participants may not compete if they have a communicable disease, illness, clear injury, or open sores or wounds. Oils, Vaseline, or other lubricants may not be used.

### Equipment

Each participant must have the following:

* mouth guard
* mma fight gloves
* judo/bjj jacket in grey or blue
* fight shorts
* boxing head protector
* groin protector
* shin guards

Hands are to be wrapped with either gauze or boxing handwraps beneath the mma gloves, and gloves will be secured with athletic tape prior to competing.

Optional gear:

* rash guard
* forearm, knee or elbow pads

## Rounds

Fighters will compete for 3 standard rounds of receding time (6 minutes total):

* Round 1: 3 minutes
* Round 2: 2 minutes
* Round 3: 1 minute

Extension rounds for tie-breakers are always 1 minute.

Championship bouts are 5 rounds of receding time (15 minutes total):

* Round 1: 5 minutes
* Round 2: 4 minutes
* Round 3: 3 minutes
* Round 4: 2 minutes
* Round 5: 1 minute

Rounds are used with receding time to advance the action in a bout.

## Points

In the event of both fighters avoiding knockout, the one with the most points shall be the winner. These will be accumulated throughout the course of each round and added together at the end. If possible, one neutral scorekeeper should be assigned to each participant. Corner judges may also be used to assist. Points are awarded as follows:

* **Standing Submission (vs grounded opponent)** = 5 points
* **Standing Submission (vs standing opponent)** = 4 points
* **Ground Submission** = 3 points
* **Knockdown** = 3 points
* **Takedown** = 2 points
* **Return to Standing** = 1 point

### Strikes

Strikes can be done from standing or while grounded; a standing fighter may not strike a grounded opponent. However, a grounded fighter may strike a standing opponent.

To be considered grounded, at least one knee or the torso must be on the ground (back or front).

Strikes to the groin, throat, neck or spine, back of the head, or knee result in a foul. Strikes may be done with any body part except the head.

### Takedowns and Knockdowns

Transitions include takedowns (knock-downs, sweeps, throws, and tackles). A takedown does not count if a fighter slips or falls. The takedown must be the primary cause of the transition. Pulling guard or going to the ground intentionally results in the opposing player scoring a takedown.

Not all throws are legal. Suplexes and other throws which would result is an opponent landing on the head are prohibited. A takedown also may not occur while either fighter is attempting a standing submission.

### Returns to Standing

A return must be done while under resistance to score a point. Simply returning to standing while the opponent is at a distance or not resisting does not count. Fighters may either continue to engage the downed opponent (attempting a standing submission) or back off and force a reset.

### Knock-downs

A knockdown is the highest scoring takedown (3 points). In order for this to be awarded, the strike must be the primary cause of the opponent being grounded. A sweep that incorporates a slight strike is not considered a knockdown, but a takedown.

### Submissions

A submission is a joint lock or choke that causes an opponent to tap. More points are awarded for submitting from standing than while on the ground.

### Forbidden Submissions

The following are disallowed, and result in disqualification:

* flying submissions (such as flying armbar)

## Grappling Considerations

Grappling may take place while standing or grounded. It is defined as any manipulation of the opponent's body apart from striking, mostly grabbing, pushing, pulling, etc.

Fingers and toes may be grabbed, so long as all of them are grabbed together. Any less is considered small joint manipulation and is a foul. Simple grabbing of the fingers may not be used as a submission, but to move to some other technique.

Striking is permitted during grappling as long as no fouls are committed.

### Signaling Submission

Signaling submission may be done in the following ways:

* tapping your opponent
* tapping the mat with hands or feet
* verbally submitting
* screaming in pain while placed in a submission

## Penalties and Disqualification

### Fouls

The following are considered fouls and result in a warning. 3 warnings in one bout results in disqualification:

* Attempting a takedown while either fighter is attempting a standing submission
* Headbutting
* Groin strike
* Throat strike
* Striking the knee
* Striking the back of the neck or spine
* Eye strike (accidental)
* Fish hooking
* Covering the mouth and nose to prevent breathing
* Grabbing or using your weight to crush the windpipe
* Scratching (intentional)
* Hair pulling or grabbing
* Striking a grounded opponent from standing
* Slamming an opponent during grappling
* Small joint manipulation (attacking less than all fingers or toes)
* Spitting out the mouthpiece (intentional)
* Causing an intentional equipment malfunction
* Disregarding or disrespecting referee
* Corner interference

A foul may result in a referee resetting the fighters to starting positions. A fighter is disqualified if they accrue 3 fouls during the match.

### Stalling

The referee may deduct 1 point from any fighter they perceive to be stalling.

### Disqualification

The following will result in disqualification:

* biting
* executing a takedown while either fighter is attempting a standing submission
* eye gouging or striking (intentional)
* doing a forbidden technique
* spiking an opponent's head
* intentionally leaving the mat before the end of the match
* getting 3 fouls in a match
* intentionally harming an opponent outside of typical conduct
* if a foul results in an injury that bars the opponent from continuing the match
* attacking the referee

## Injury

In the event of an injury, the match shall be stopped for the following periods of time:

* just long enough for a medic to determine a fighter may continue or not
* up to 3 minutes to recover from a foul if the foul results in an injury

## Refereeing

The purpose of the referee is to facilitate a safe match. They are to monitor for any activity and stop the match for safety reasons. These include fouls, knockouts, submissions, gear malfunction, etc. They are to notify score keepers of any point deductions. They may also halt the match at their discretion, and may call for medical personnel at any time to assess fighters.

Referees will also check fighter gear prior to the start of the match for integrity. They will also check for any prohibited items, such as jewelry.

## Score Keeping

If possible, there should be one neutral score keeper for each participant. Additional judges may be used to allocate points (people who call out the points for the score keeper). The referee may also serve as a scoring judge to assist score keepers by calling out points from transitions and good submission attempts. The referee will also call out any deductions.

## Child and Novice Rules

Children and those in the Novice category are prohibited from doing certain moves:

* chokes except rear naked, triangle variations, and those involving the jacket
* submissions involving the lower extremities (toe holds, knee bars, heel hooks, leg locks, etc.)
* grabbing the fingers

Referees may call the match if they believe a submission may result in an injury.