Virginia Administrative Code › Title 18 - PROFESSIONAL AND OCCUPATIONAL LICENSING › Agency 120 - DEPARTMENT OF PROFESSIONAL AND OCCUPATIONAL REGULATION › Chapter 40 - VIRGINIA PROFESSIONAL BOXING AND WRESTING EVENTS REGULATIONS › Part VIII - Event Licensing and Conduct Standards for Kick Boxing and any Similar Contests › Section 18VAC120-40-411.20 - Mixed martial arts rules

Current through Register Vol. 40, No. 24, July 15, 2024
A.
				  The fighting ring shall be in the shape of a square or an octagon. A square
				  ring shall not be less than 18 feet square within the ropes and shall not
				  exceed 20 feet square inside the ropes. An octagon ring shall not be less than
				  18 feet (from any side to the opposite side) inside the ropes and shall not
				  exceed 32 feet (from any side to the opposite side) inside the ropes. It shall
				  be canvas and padded in a manner approved by the department or its contractor.
				  The fighting area shall not be more than four feet from the floor and shall
				  have suitable steps or a ramp for use by the contestants. It may be enclosed by
				  a fence made of material that will not permit a contestant to fall out or break
				  through it onto the floor or in spectator area, including, but not limited to,
				  vinyl coated chain link fencing. The fence shall provide two separate entries
				  into the ring. All metal parts shall be covered and padded in a manner approved
				  by the department or its contractor and shall not be abrasive to the
				  contestants. Ring stools shall be of the type approved by the department or its
				  contractor.
B. All contestants are
				  required to wear a mouthpiece during competition. The mouthpiece shall be
				  subject to examination and approval by the ringside physician. The round cannot
				  begin without the mouthpiece in place. If the mouthpiece becomes involuntarily
				  dislodged during competition, the referee shall call time and clean and
				  reinsert the mouthpiece at the first opportune moment, without interfering with
				  the immediate action.
C. Male
				  contestants shall wear a groin protector of a type approved by the department
				  or its contractor. Female contestants shall wear a chest protector during
				  competition, of a type approved by the department or its contractor.
D. Gloves shall be new for all main events
				  and in good condition or they must be replaced. All contestants shall wear
				  either four, five, or six ounce gloves that are supplied by the promoter and
				  approved by the department or contractor. Contestants may not supply their own
				  gloves.
E. Each contestant shall
				  wear two pair of shorts with the top pair being either mixed martial art
				  shorts, biking shorts, or kick boxing shorts. The second pair shall be worn
				  underneath. Gi's or shirts and shoes are prohibited during
				  competition.
F. All contestants
				  shall be cleanly shaven immediately prior to competition, except that a
				  contestant may wear a closely cropped mustache. Hair shall be trimmed or tied
				  back in such a manner as not to interfere with the vision of either contestant
				  or cover any part of a contestant's face.
G. Each nonchampionship contest shall consist
				  of three five-minute rounds with a one-minute rest period between rounds. Each
				  championship contest shall consist of five five-minute rounds with a one-minute
				  rest period between rounds.
H. The
				  referee and ringside physician are the sole arbiters of a bout and are the only
				  individuals authorized to enter the ring area at any time during competition or
				  to stop a contest.
I. All bouts
				  will be evaluated and scored by three judges. The 10 point must system will be
				  the standard system of scoring a bout. Judges will evaluate mixed martial arts
				  techniques, such as effective striking, effective grappling, control of the
				  fighting area, and effective aggressiveness and defense. Scores will be
				  weighted in the following order:
1. Effective
				  striking, judged by determining the total number of legal heavy strikes landed
				  by a contestant.
2. Effective
				  grappling, judged by considering the amount of successful executions of a legal
				  takedown or reversals. Factors considered will be take downs from standing
				  position to mount position, passing the guard to mount position, and bottom
				  position contestants using active, threatening guard.
3. Control of the fighting area, judged by
				  determining who is dictating the pace and location and position of the bout.
				  Factors considered will be countering a grappler's attempt at takedown by
				  remaining standing and legally striking, taking down an opponent to force a
				  ground fight, creating threatening submission attempts, passing the guard to
				  achieve mount, and creating striking opportunities.
4. Effective aggressiveness and defense,
				  judged by moving forward and landing a legal strike and avoiding being struck,
				  taken down or reversed while countering with offensive attacks.