1. All contests and exhibitions of mixed martial arts must be conducted under the official rules of the World Kickboxing Association (WKA) and be in compliance of all State and Federal regulations.

REQUIREMENTS FOR A RING OR FENCED AREA.
1. Mixed martial arts contests and exhibitions may be held in a ring or in a fenced area.
2. A ring used for a contest or exhibition of mixed martial arts must meet the following requirements:
(a) The ring must be no smaller than 18 feet square and no larger than 32 feet square within the ropes.
(b) The ring floor must extend at least 18 inches beyond the ropes. The ring floor must be padded with ensolite or another similar closed-cell foam, with at least a 1-inch layer of foam padding. Padding must extend beyond the ring ropes and over the edge of the platform, with a top covering of canvas, duck or similar material tightly stretched and laced to the ring platform. Material that tends to gather in lumps or ridges must not be used.
(c) The ring platform must not be more than 4 feet above the floor of the building and must have suitable steps for the use of the unarmed combatants.
(d) Ring posts must be made of metal, not more than 3 inches in diameter, extending from the floor of the building to a minimum height of 58 inches above the ring floor, and must be properly padded in a manner approved by the commission. Ring posts must be at least 18 inches away from the ring ropes.
(e) There must be five ring ropes, not less than 1 inch in diameter and wrapped in soft material. The lowest ring rope must be 12 inches above the ring floor.
(f) There must not be any obstruction or object, including, without limitation, a triangular border, on any part of the ring floor.
3. A fenced area used in a contest or exhibition of mixed martial arts must meet the following requirements:
(a) The fenced area must be circular or have at least eight equal sides and must be no smaller than 20 feet wide and no larger than 32 feet wide.
(b) The floor of the fenced area must be padded with ensolite or another similar closed-cell foam, with at least a 1-inch layer of foam padding, with a top covering of canvas, duck or similar material tightly stretched and laced to the platform of the fenced area. Material that tends to gather in lumps or ridges must not be used.
(c) The platform of the fenced area must not be more than 4 feet above the floor of the building and must have suitable steps for the use of the unarmed combatants.
(d) Fence posts must be made of metal, not more than 6 inches in diameter, extending from the floor of the building to between 5 and 7 feet above the floor of the fenced area, and must be properly padded in a manner approved by the commission.
(e) The fencing used to enclose the fenced area must be made of a material that will prevent an unarmed combatant from falling out of the fenced area or breaking through the fenced area onto the floor of the building or onto the spectators, including, without limitation, chain link fence coated with vinyl.
(f) Any metal portion of the fenced area must be covered and padded in a manner approved by the commission and must not be abrasive to the unarmed combatants.
(g) The fenced area must have two entrances.
(h) There must not be any obstruction on any part of the fence surrounding the area in which the unarmed combatants are to be competing.

DURATION OF MATCHES
1. A professional non-championship contest or exhibition of mixed martial arts must not exceed three rounds in duration.
2. A professional championship contest of mixed martial arts must be five rounds in duration.
3. An amateur non-championship contest of mixed martial arts must not exceed three rounds in duration.
4. An amateur championship contest of mixed martial arts must be three rounds in duration
5.A period of unarmed combat in a contest or exhibition of mixed martial arts must be 5 minutes in duration. A period of rest following a period of unarmed combat in a contest or exhibition of mixed martial arts must be 1 minute in duration.

WEIGHT CLASSES OF UNARMED COMBATANTS;
WEIGHT LOSS AFTER WEIGH-IN.
1. Except with the approval of the WKA representative, the classes for unarmed combatants competing in contests or exhibitions of mixed martial arts and the weights for each class are shown in the following schedule:
Flyweight................................................................... up to 125 lbs.
Bantamweight............................................... over 125 to 135 lbs.
Featherweight............................................... over 135 to 145 lbs.
Lightweight..................................................... over 145 to 155 lbs.
Welterweight................................................. over 155 to 170 lbs.
Middleweight.................................................. over 170 to 185 lbs.
Light Heavyweight........................................ over 185 to 205 lbs.
Heavyweight.................................................. over 205 to 265 lbs.
Super Heavyweight.............................................. all over 265 lbs.

2. After the weigh-in of an unarmed combatant competing in a contest or exhibition of mixed martial arts:
(a) Weight loss in excess of 2 pounds is not permitted for an unarmed combatant who weighed in at 145 pounds or less.
(b) Weight loss in excess of 3 pounds is not permitted for an unarmed combatant who weighed in at over 145 pounds.

3. The weight loss described in subsection 2 must not occur later than 2 hours after the initial weigh-in.

4. All fighters are required to pass a physical exam prior to the fight and the promoter reserves the right to require HIV testing, hepatitis B and /or C and EKG testing. WKA requires compliance with state and federal requirements.

HYGIENE AND PROPER ATTIRE FOR UNARMED COMATANTS.
An unarmed combatant competing in a contest or exhibition of mixed martial arts:

1. Must wear shorts approved by the commission or the commission’s representative.

2. May not wear shoes or any padding on his feet during the contest.

3) All combatants must be clean and tidy in appearance. No facial or body adornments of any kind are allowed to be worn during contest (i.e. Rings, studs, etc.). Hair, moustaches, beards, goatees length cannot present a potential hazard to the safety of the combatants, or interfere with the supervision and conduct of the contest.

4) The referee or WKA representative has right to insist on compliance and enforcement of all rules and regulations before the contest may commence or continue.

METHOD OF JUDGING.
1. Each judge of a contest or exhibition of mixed martial arts that is being judged shall score the contest or exhibition and determine the winner through the use of the following system:
(a) The better unarmed combatant of a round receives 10 points and his opponent proportionately less.
(b) If the round is even, each unarmed combatant receives 10 points.
(c) No fraction of points may be given.
(d) Points for each round must be awarded immediately after the end of the period of unarmed combat in the round.

2. After the end of the contest or exhibition, the announcer shall pick up the scores of the judges from the commission’s desk.

3. The majority opinion is conclusive and, if there is no majority, the decision is a draw.

4. When a WKA representative has checked the scores, he shall inform the announcer of the decision. The announcer shall inform the audience of the decision over the speaker system.

ACTS CONSTITUTING FOULS.
The following acts constitute fouls in a contest or exhibition of mixed martial arts:

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 any 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.

32. Use of Liniments and body oils.

FOULS: DEDUCTION OF POINTS; EFFECT OF LOW BLOW.
1. If an unarmed combatant fouls his opponent during a contest or exhibition of mixed martial arts, the referee may penalize him by deducting points from his score, whether or not the foul was intentional. The referee may determine the number of points to be deducted in each instance and shall base his determination on the severity of the foul and its effect upon the opponent.

2. When the referee determines that it is necessary to deduct a point or points because of a foul, he shall warn the offender of the penalty to be assessed.

3. The referee shall, as soon as is practical after the foul, notify the judges and both unarmed combatants of the number of points, if any, to be deducted from the score of the offender.

4. Any point or points to be deducted for any foul must be deducted in the round in which the foul occurred and may not be deducted from the score of any subsequent round.

5. An unarmed combatant may not be declared the winner of a contest or exhibition of mixed martial arts on the basis of his claim that his opponent fouled him by hitting him in the groin. If an unarmed combatant falls to the floor of the ring or fenced area or otherwise indicates that he is unwilling to continue because of a claim of being hit in the groin, the contest or exhibition must be declared to be a technical knockout in favor of the unarmed combatant who is willing to continue.

FOULS: ACCIDENTAL.
1. If a contest or exhibition of mixed martial arts is stopped because of an accidental foul, the referee shall determine whether the unarmed combatant who has been fouled can continue or not. If the unarmed combatant’s chance of winning has not been seriously jeopardized as a result of the foul and if the foul did not involve a concussive impact to the head of the unarmed combatant who has been fouled, the referee may order the contest or exhibition continued after a recuperative interval of not more than 5 minutes. Immediately after separating the unarmed combatants, the referee shall inform the commission’s representative of his determination that the foul was accidental.

2. If the referee determines that a contest or exhibition of mixed martial arts may not continue because of an injury suffered as the result of an accidental foul, the contest or exhibition must be declared a no contest if the foul occurs during:
(a) The first two rounds of a non-championship contest or exhibition; or
(b) The first three rounds of a championship contest or exhibition.

3. If an accidental foul renders an unarmed combatant unable to continue the contest or exhibition after:
(a) The completed second round of a non-championship contest or exhibition; or
(b) The completed third round of a championship contest or exhibition,
the outcome must be determined by scoring the completed rounds and the round during which the referee stops the contest or exhibition.

4. If an injury inflicted by an accidental foul later becomes aggravated by fair blows and the referee orders the contest or exhibition stopped because of the injury, the outcome must be determined by scoring the completed rounds and the round during which the referee stops the contest or exhibition.

RESULTS OF CONTESTS.
A contest of mixed martial arts may end under the following results:

1. Submission by:
(a) Physical tap out.
(b) Verbal tap out.

2. Technical knockout by the referee stopping the contest.

3. Decision via the scorecards, including:
(a) Unanimous decision.
(b) Split decision.
(c) Majority decision.
(d) Draw, including:
(1) Unanimous draw.
(2) Majority draw.
(3) Split draw.

4. Technical decision.

5. Technical draw.

6. Disqualification.

7. Forfeit.

8. No contest.

CLASSIFICATION OF FIGHTERS
1) WKA representative and officials must ensure that combatants compete in the correct class.

2) Classification is normally effected by each combatant’s coach and should be recorded by officials.

3) In the event a combatant is unclassified, this must be rectified by officials before matching takes place. This is done by ascertaining the number of wins that the fight has (not the number of fights which is unimportant) and classifying him accordingly.

4) WKA standard for classes:
Class D – Submission Wrestling Division, open to all levels. (Rules: see Addendum A)
Class C – Novice MMA, Rule Restrictions: no elbow or knee strikes to head grounded or standing; closed fist strikes allowed to the head while grounded. After 5 wins in class, progress to Class B.
Class B – Intermediate MMA, Rule Restrictions: no elbows and knees allowed to head while standing, elbows to head while grounded (no downward strike using point of elbow), closed fist strikes to head of grounded opponent, After 5 wins in class, combatant may progress to Class A.
Class A – Advanced and/or Professional MMA, Full Rules; combatants who have acquired a level to be licensed as professional fighters

5) A combatant can move up a class, but is not allowed to move down a class once a combatant competes at that class. He may not stay in the class after he has achieved the set number of wins.

CORNERMEN AND SECONDS
1) The cornermen and seconds are limited to three and only one may enter the ring between rounds

2) The cornermen and seconds are restricted to an area not to exceed six feet to either side of their corner.

For Thai Boxing Rules and Regulations, Click HERE.