Section 192.404. Fouls.

 

(1)  The referee shall issue a warning if conditions that may progress to a foul are observed. 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 from a foul and 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) Intentionally placing 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 at an opponent.

(u) Engaging in any unsportsmanlike conduct that causes an injury to an opponent.

(v) Holding or grabbing the ropes or fence.

(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.

(17)  Illegal strikes to the back of the head, resulting in a foul, include strikes in the nape of the neck area up to the top of the ears, and strikes in the Mohawk area from the top of the ears to the crown of the head, or the area where the head begins to curve, as specified in the ABC's unified rules.

(18)  The following actions are additional fouls for amateur contestants:

(a) Elbow or forearm strikes.

(b) Knee strikes to the head at any time.

(c) Neck cranks or any hold that places a contestant's neck in jeopardy from a crank.

(d) All leg submissions except kneebar and straight ankle locks.

(e) Hand chokes.

(f) Striking against the knees including all strikes to or around the knee joint.

(g) All spine attacks, including strikes and locks.

(h) Dropping an opponent on his or her head or neck at any time.

EmR1032 : emerg. cr., eff. 9-1-10; CR 10-102 : cr. Register April 2011 No. 664 , eff. 5-1-11; CR 14-013 : renum. 192.404 from SPS 195.04 and am. (1), (9), (16) (g), (t), (v), (17), (18) (intro.), (a), (c) to (e), cr. (18) (g), (h) Register August 2014 No. 704 , eff. 9-1-14.