Wisconsin Administrative Code › Department of Safety and Professional Services › SPS 1-299 - Professional Services › SPS 190-199 - Unarmed Combat Sports › Chapter SPS 195 - Conducting mixed martial arts sporting events › Section SPS 195.04 - Fouls

Current through June 24, 2024
(1) The referee shall issue a warning. After
				  the initial warning a penalty will be issued. The penalty may be a deduction of
				  points or disqualification depending on the severity of the foul. Any points
				  deducted for any foul shall be deducted in the round in which the foul
				  occurred.
(2) The referee, as soon
				  as practical after the foul, shall call time and notify which contestant is
				  being penalized and the total number of points the contestant is being
				  penalized.
(3) If a bottom
				  contestant commits a foul and in the referee's judgment is not in control,
				  unless the top contestant is injured, the bout shall continue so as not to
				  jeopardize the top contestant's superior positioning at the time.
(4) The referee shall verbally notify the
				  bottom contestant of the foul.
(5)
				  When the round is over, the referee shall notify the judges and the inspector
				  of the foul and the total point deduction.
(6) Only the referee can assess a foul or any
				  point deductions. Judges may not deduct points for what they interpret is a
				  foul.
(7) The referee shall check
				  the fouled contestant's condition to see if they can still participate in the
				  contest.
(8) Disqualification
				  occurs after any combination of 3 fouls or if the referee determines the foul
				  to be flagrant.
(9) If an injury
				  results that is severe enough to terminate the bout, the contestant causing the
				  injury loses by disqualification.
(10) If an intentional foul causes an injury
				  and the bout is allowed to continue, a mandatory 2-point penalty shall be
				  assessed to the contestant committing the foul.
(11) If an injury sustained by a contestant
				  as a result of an intentional foul causes the contestant to be unable to
				  continue at a subsequent point, the injured contestant shall win by a technical
				  decision, if they are ahead on the score cards. If the injured contestant is
				  even or behind on the score card at the time of the stoppage, the bout shall be
				  declared a technical draw.
(12) If
				  a bout is stopped because of an unintentional foul, the referee shall determine
				  whether the contestant who has been fouled can continue or not. If the
				  contestant's chance of winning has not been seriously jeopardized as a result
				  of the foul, and if the foul did not involve concussive impact to the head of
				  the contestant who has been fouled, the referee may order the bout continued
				  after a recuperative interval of not more than 5 minutes. Immediately after
				  stopping the bout or at the end of the round, the referee shall immediately
				  inform the inspector, commissioner, or department representative of their
				  determination that the foul was accidental and unintentional.
(13) If the referee determines either from
				  their observation or that of the ringside physician that the bout may not
				  continue because of the injury from the unintentional foul, the bout shall be
				  declared a no contest if the foul occurred during the first 2 rounds of a
				  non-championship bout, or during the first 3 rounds of a championship
				  bout.
(14) If an unintentional foul
				  renders the contestant unable to continue the bout, or an injury from an
				  intentional foul later becomes aggravated by fair blows and the referee stops
				  the bout because of the injury, after the completion of the second round in a
				  non-championship bout or 3-round bout, or after the completion of the third
				  round of a championship bout or 5-round bout, the outcome shall be determined
				  by scoring the completed rounds and the partial round at which the referee
				  stopped the bout.
(15) A contestant
				  may not be declared the winner of a bout on the basis of their claim that the
				  opponent fouled them unintentionally by hitting them in the groin. If after a
				  recuperative interval of not more than 5 minutes a contestant is unwilling to
				  continue because of the claim of being hit in the groin, the bout will be
				  declared a no contest if the second round has not been completed in a 3-round
				  bout or the third round has not been completed in a 5-round bout.
(16) Types of fouls in a mixed martial arts
				  contest include all of the following:
(a)
				  Butting with the head.
(b) Eye
				  gouging of any kind.
(c)
				  Biting.
(d) Hair pulling.
(e) Fishhooking.
(f) Groin attacks of any kind.
(g) Putting a finger into any orifice or into
				  any cut or laceration on an opponent.
(h) Small joint manipulation.
(i) Striking to the spine or back of
				  head.
(j) Striking downward using
				  the point of the elbow. Arcing elbow strikes are permitted.
(k) Throat strikes of any kind, including
				  grabbing the trachea.
(L) Clawing,
				  twisting or pinching the flesh.
(m)
				  Grabbing the clavicle.
(n) Kicking
				  the head of a grounded opponent.
(o) Kneeing the head of a grounded
				  opponent.
(p) Stomping on a
				  grounded opponent. A contestant is considered grounded when he or she has more
				  than just the sole of their feet on the ground. A downed opponent may kick up
				  to all legal striking points of the body.
(q) Kicking to the kidney with the
				  heel.
(r) Throwing an opponent out
				  of the cage or fenced area.
(s)
				  Holding the shorts or glove of an opponent.
(t) Spitting on an opponent.
(u) Engaging in any unsportsmanlike conduct
				  that causes an injury to an opponent.
(v) Holding the ropes or cage.
(w) Using abusive language or illicit
				  gestures in the cage or fenced area.
(x) Attacking an opponent on or during the
				  break.
(y) Attacking an opponent
				  who is under the care of the referee.
(z) Attacking an opponent after the bell has
				  sounded to end the round.
(za)
				  Flagrantly disregarding the instructions of the referee.
(zb) Timidity, including avoiding contact
				  with an opponent, intentionally or consistently dropping the mouthpiece or
				  faking an injury.
(zc) Interference
				  from anyone working the corner or corner men leaving their area.
(zd) Any act in the judgment of the referee
				  that is detrimental and places an opponent at a disadvantage.
(ze) Spiking.