UFC Rules and Regulations

[Shaolin Wookie]

CMA guys constantly catch flack for the "What would you do if...." questions that MMA guys are throwing around, especially concerning groundfighting. I recently made a very brief foray into the BJJ world, but quit due to a bizarre "lucky punch" type of incident that caused some drama there. Despite that, I knew the sport wasn't for me, and what I mean by that is: I didn't enjoy it enough to dish out $150.00/month of my meager annual pay to train in something that isn't as enjoyable and fulfilling to me (even in a non-martial sense) as CMA. But this thread isn't about that.

Then I read a book by Sam Sheridan, and he mentioned how UFC fighters and MMA fighters are basically fighting to kill. When someone got knocked out or choked out, or submitted, the victor basically has the knowledge that he could have killed his opponent. He made a good argument, and I bought it for a while....but reflection on some of his other comments seemed to undermine it.

For instance....did the Gracies play a big part in setting up the UFC and getting its rules hammered out?

If so, that would certainly make it seem geared towards favoring groundwork. Personally, I think groundwork is very adaptable and effective. But it has its weaknesses, too. My brother "sucker-kneed" a purple belt that shot in to do a double leg takedown. He didn't knee him on purpose. He just flinched, like a pussy. The guy was furious.....but it made me think about its efficacy. An out of shape guy in his late twenties flinches and sucker knees a purple belt in the forehead, and rattles his brain. Was it a fluke? Or is a design flaw in the takedown? Do UFC rules compensate for flaws?

I checked the UFC official website for the rules on UFC fights, and they are as follows: as listed by http://www.ufc.com/index.cfm?fa=LearnUFC.Rules

Fouls: [Top]
1. Butting with the head.
2. Eye gouging of any kind.
3. Biting.
4. Hair pulling.
5. Fish hooking.
6. Groin attacks of any kind.
7. Putting a finger into any orifice or into any cut or laceration on an opponent.
8. Small joint manipulation.
9. Striking to the spine or the back of the head.
10. Striking downward using the point of the elbow.
11. Throat strikes of any kind, including, without limitation, grabbing the trachea.
12. Clawing, pinching or twisting the flesh.
13. Grabbing the clavicle.
14. Kicking the head of a grounded opponent.
15. Kneeing the head of a grounded opponent.
16. Stomping a grounded opponent.
17. Kicking to the kidney with the heel.
18. Spiking an opponent to the canvas on his head or neck.
19. Throwing an opponent out of the ring or fenced area.
20. Holding the shorts or gloves of an opponent.
21. Spitting at an opponent.
22. Engaging in an unsportsmanlike conduct that causes an injury to an opponent.
23. Holding the ropes or the fence.
24. Using abusive language in the ring or fenced area.
25. Attacking an opponent on or during the break.
26. Attacking an opponent who is under the care of the referee.
27. Attacking an opponent after the bell has sounded the end of the period of unarmed combat.
28. Flagrantly disregarding the instructions of the referee.
29. Timidity, including, without limitation, avoiding contact with an opponent, intentionally or consistently dropping the mouthpiece or faking an injury.
30. Interference by the corner.
31. Throwing in the towel during competition.



That's a lot of rules, man. Many of them are to groundwork's advantage. There are some great strikers who succeed in the UFC (W. Silva, being one). Yet, many of the rules protect a prospective shooter going in for a takedown. For instance, no knees to the face during a shoot, or downward elbows to head or spine when they "shoot" or "dive" in. You can't use the environment. It's just a pen.

So, I'm going to turn the tables a little bit. What would MMA guys do in these situations? How would you counter them? If the opponent uses "Timidity" to his advantage, and doesn't strike wildly off-balance because he doesn't have to, and there's no scoring involved, how would you defeat him? How would you deal with a big elbow coming down on your spine during a take-down? Some of those blows it doesn't take much to do real damage. I'm thinking Todd Bertuzzi NHL sucker punch from four years back.......so you can't really write it off and say, maybe it'll just hurt....

This isn't a flame post. IF anything, I'd like to know if there is a counter to these illegal strikes in case I ever need them. The more respectable MMA vets around here refer to MMA as sport fighting. Is it because of hte rules, or what? Is MMA really self-defense, or just street fighting?

[Shaolin Wookie]

This statement shouldn't be taken out of context by either side of the MMA vs the world equation.....but it is kind of strange:

"While this is a highly intense sport, fighter safety is of paramount concern to UFC ownership and management: it is noteworthy that no competitor has ever been seriously injured in a UFC event. "

There haven't been any serious injuries? I thought I heard of a Japanese guy getting his eye gouged out in one match, and he fought through it and won....but is still blind in that eye. I've seen 2 videos of some MMA matches where dudes threw MT roundhouses and broke their legs cleanly in two. That's a crippling break......for life.

Is this statement purely PR?

[Shaolin Wookie]

Alright....I'll admit it. This is a flame post. And that statement should be taken out of context.....ahahahaha

Here's the rules that surprised me:

8. Small joint manipulation.
17. Kicking to the kidney with the heel.
24. Using abusive language in the ring or fenced area.
23. Holding the ropes or the fence.
20. Holding the shorts or gloves of an opponent.
13. Grabbing the clavicle.


Seriously, though, I figure rule 22 is just a joke.

[Knifefighter]

For instance....did the Gracies play a big part in setting up the UFC and getting its rules hammered out?

Rorion Gracie was one of the original founders of the UFC. The orginal UFC had only three rules:
1- No eye gouging
2- No biting
3- No fishhooking
Everything else was legal.

One of the reasons Rorion left (and took Royce with him) was that he felt the UFC was becoming too much of a sport and too much less like a real fight.

If so, that would certainly make it seem geared towards favoring groundwork.

If anything, the current rules favor the standup portion of fighting (this is more exciting to most fans). There are no rules that put the fighters down onto the ground if there is a stalemate while standing. However, standing the fighters back up after a hard-won takedown is the norm in all MMA events these days.

If so, that would certainly make it seem geared towards favoring groundwork. Personally, I think groundwork is very adaptable and effective. But it has its weaknesses, too. My brother "sucker-kneed" a purple belt that shot in to do a double leg takedown. He didn't knee him on purpose. He just flinched, like a pussy. The guy was furious.....but it made me think about its efficacy. An out of shape guy in his late twenties flinches and sucker knees a purple belt in the forehead, and rattles his brain. Was it a fluke? Or is a design flaw in the takedown?

It is the context. If you are just working grappling takedowns, you don't expect to get kneed. If you are working MMA takedowns, you do.

That being said, a knee to the face is a very effective way to stop a takedown in MMA fighting, not because of a "design flaw" in the takedown, but because it is a good counter.

That's a lot of rules, man. Many of them are to groundwork's advantage.

1. Butting with the head.
2. Eye gouging of any kind.
3. Biting.
4. Hair pulling.
5. Fish hooking.
6. Groin attacks of any kind.
8. Small joint manipulation.
9. Striking to the spine or the back of the head.
10. Striking downward using the point of the elbow.
11. Throat strikes of any kind, including, without limitation, grabbing the trachea.
12. Clawing, pinching or twisting the flesh.
14. Kicking the head of a grounded opponent.
15. Kneeing the head of a grounded opponent.
16. Stomping a grounded opponent.
17. Kicking to the kidney with the heel.
18. Spiking an opponent to the canvas on his head or neck.
19. Throwing an opponent out of the ring or fenced area.
20. Holding the shorts or gloves of an opponent.
23. Holding the ropes or the fence.

Each of these restrictions would be more advantageous to a grappler than they would be for a standup fighter.

Yet, many of the rules protect a prospective shooter going in for a takedown. For instance, no knees to the face during a shoot, or downward elbows to head or spine when they "shoot" or "dive" in.

Disallowing knees to the face during a shoot definetly would help a grappler out.

The elbows to the back of the head and spin, have not effect, however.

What would MMA guys do in these situations? How would you counter them? If the opponent uses "Timidity" to his advantage, and doesn't strike wildly off-balance because he doesn't have to, and there's no scoring involved, how would you defeat him?

Being extremely defensive definitely can be an advantage in keeping a superior opponent from beating you. The MMA fighter would need to stalk and cut of the ring.

How would you deal with a big elbow coming down on your spine during a take-down?

Pretty much just continue to finish the takedown.

IF anything, I'd like to know if there is a counter to these illegal strikes in case I ever need them.

1. Butting with the head.- positioning and a good vale tudo guard.
2. Eye gouging of any kind. - same as above
3. Biting. - postitioning.
4. Hair pulling- same as 3.
5. Fish hooking- turning into the hook and biting .
6. Groin attacks of any kind.- positioning.
8. Small joint manipulation.- postitioning.
9. Striking to the spine or the back of the head. - postitioning and knowledge of takedowns.
10. Striking downward using the point of the elbow. - postitioning.
11. Throat strikes of any kind, including, without limitation, grabbing the trachea. - postitioning
12. Clawing, pinching or twisting the flesh. - postitioning
14. Kicking the head of a grounded opponent.- postitioning
15. Kneeing the head of a grounded opponent. - postitioning
16. Stomping a grounded opponent. - postitioning
17. Kicking to the kidney with the heel. - guard passing ability.
18. Spiking an opponent to the canvas on his head or neck. - takedown defense and a good vale tudo guard.
19. Throwing an opponent out of the ring or fenced area. - takedown defense.
20. Holding the shorts or gloves of an opponent. - knowledge of gi fighting.
23. Holding the ropes or the fence. - experience working against the ropes and fence, utliizing strikes and takedowns.

The more respectable MMA vets around here refer to MMA as sport fighting. Is it because of hte rules, or what? Is MMA really self-defense, or just street fighting?

MMA is now much more of a sport than it used to be. However, it is still closer to real fighting than pretty much anything else that is available, other than challlenge matches or real life fights.

[Shaolin Wookie]

I actually think you answered everything........

That's weird. I'm so used to backbiting and bickering on this forum....

Thanks KF.

[Shaolin Wookie]

KF...you've been in the game for a long time. I'm not a UFC hound....I think it's good to watch every once and a while if it's on....just to pick up some tips...so I'm not as well-versed in its history as you probably are.

You know of any serious injuries that have occured in the UFC?

[Oso]

One of the reasons Rorion left (and took Royce with him) was that he felt the UFC was becoming too much of a sport and too much less like a real fight.

while that may be true, i would think that a large part of it was that the UFC, as it stood then, was getting banned in state after state.

does anyone know why Rorian didn't take it the same direction as Zuffa/Dana White?

There's been a lot of publicity lately about UFC/MMA replacing boxing. Personally, I think it would be great if there were a big time money making venue for martial artists to have a shot at being very well paid professionals. To that end, the UFC had to start adopting better rules for safeguarding the fighters.

[CLFLPstudent]

while that may be true, i would think that a large part of it was that the UFC, as it stood then, was getting banned in state after state.

This is true. I know it was years before you could watch UFC PPV events in New York because of the limited rules. They allowed the early ones, but after a few New York banned them from television. I seem to remember a rule ( that doesn't seem to exist anymore) where if you were striking a downed opponent, you had to do it with an open hand. Maybe that was before they made you wear the 4(?) oz gloves and it was mainly bareknuckle?

But the events back then were much more difficult as you had to fight multiple times in a night, not once every few months....

-David

[MasterKiller]

does anyone know why Rorian didn't take it the same direction as Zuffa/Dana White?.

I think what KF said. Rorion was more into the Vale Tudo style, and Dana White/Zuffa went the sport route in order to build the popularity.

Personally, I like watching Pride better, but I wouldn't fight under those rules.

[splinter]

You know of any serious injuries that have occured in the UFC?

I haven't seen every single UFC, but I know that in one episode of The Ultimate Fighter, one of the fighters (I forget which) took a high round house kick that ended up breaking his forearm, but won the fight anyway. Does that count as serious?

I suspect their claim only applies to the UFC since Dana White took over. I'm sure there were plenty more serious injuries when there were only three rules.

If you want real statistics on it though, you should consider other MMA venues such as Pride or Vale Tudo where the rules are slightly different.

[SevenStar]

KF...you've been in the game for a long time. I'm not a UFC hound....I think it's good to watch every once and a while if it's on....just to pick up some tips...so I'm not as well-versed in its history as you probably are.

You know of any serious injuries that have occured in the UFC?

there has been one death. It was in a show in some country, maybe in europe, I can't recall. But, the guy died from repeated head trauma. I guess the ref didn't stop the fight soon enough.

EDIT: I just checked google. Douglass Dedge was his name. The fight happened in ukraine.

[Oso]

if there has been just one death in a mma event...and Al Dore has had multiple deaths...


AND


NPM is the quintessential mixed martial art having been formed from 18 other styles.

[Shaolin Wookie]

there has been one death. It was in a show in some country, maybe in europe, I can't recall. But, the guy died from repeated head trauma. I guess the ref didn't stop the fight soon enough.

EDIT: I just checked google. Douglass Dedge was his name. The fight happened in ukraine.

Man...I know Thai Boxing isn't MMA....but they have plenty of deaths each year...some even in professional bouts.

[Judge Pen]

The elbows to the back of the head and spin, have not effect, however.

Then why is there a rule against it?

[Judge Pen]

Are there any drug, pain-killer, or perfromance enhancement regulations in the UFC?