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Basic rules of MMA: 10 questions answered

If you are new to Mixed Marital Arts, this article will help you to learn how fights are regulated in the UFC.

By Amy Kaplan

Referee Herb Dean looks on during a UFC fight
Referee Herb Dean looks on during a UFC fight / Handout/GettyImages
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We assume if you are here reading this, you might be a newer MMA fan. And you're in the right place. In this article we'll break down some of the basic rules you need to know to understand Mixed Martial Arts and how fights are scored, judged, and/or decided.

Here are 10 of the most common questions new viewers have when watching a fight for the first time.

10. Who decided the rules of MMA?

For the sake of this article, we're going to go by the rules that are followed by the United Rules of Mixed Martial Arts. The biggest promotions in the world (UFC, Bellator, ONE Championship, PFL) abide by these rules with some small exceptions depending on the promotion.

The rules were proposed and agreed upon by various athletic commissions in the 2000s and unanimously adopted by the Association of Boxing Commissions (ABC) on July 30, 2009.

9. How many judges are there?

There are three judges each fight that are positioned around the cage. The judges do not judge every fight and rotate throughout the night in order to not overwork the officials.

Judges are assigned prior to fight night.

8. What does an MMA referee do?

A referee is the only other person inside the cage while a fight is happening. Their job is to assure that the rules are followed, assess potential fouls, call off fights when needed, and keep order. A referee is assigned prior to the fight and does not referee every fight. Like judges, they are rotated in and out.

7. What is a no contest?

A no contest usually occurs when a fight is unable to continue due to no fault of the fighter. An example would be if a fighter fouls accidentally (groin strikes, eye pokes, etc.) which makes the fighter unable to continue. The key element here is accidental. If the injury occurs and the referee deems the fighter is at fault, it could end in a disqualification.

6. How do you score an MMA fight?

This is probably the most controversial aspect of MMA rules. There seems to still be a very big difference in how judges score a fight.

According to the rules by ABC, judging criteria is ranked from higher priority to low, as follows:

  • Effective Striking/Grappling
  • Effective Aggressiveness
  • Fighting Area Control

Rounds are scored either 10-10, 10-9, or 10-8 as follows:

  • A 10 – 10 round in MMA is when both fighters have competed for whatever duration of time in the round and there is no difference or advantage between either fighter.
  • A 10 – 9 Round in MMA is where one combatant wins the round by a close margin.
  • A 10 – 8 Round in MMA is where one fighter wins the round by a large margin.

5. What is a draw?

A draw is when the judges cannot agree on a winner, or they agree that a winner cannot be determined. It's rare in MMA, but it does happen.

4. What's the difference between a KO and a TKO?

It's a fine line but there is a difference between a knockout and a technical knockout.

A KO (knockout) means that the losing opponent is unable to defend themselves. Usually it means the opponent has gone unconscious.

A TKO (technical knockout) means the losing opponent is unable to defend themselves due to being overwhelmed by their opponent. This is more common and usually when a referee intervenes when a fighter is being stuck so quick, fast, or hard, that they can't fight back.

3. What is banned in MMA fights?

Contrary to what the early days of MMA represented, there are rules in MMA and not everything is allowed. Some of the most common things people assume are allowed, that aren't, are:

  • Headbutts
  • Biting
  • Eye pokes
  • Groin strikes
  • Hair pulling
  • Fish hooking
  • Fence grabs
  • Strikes to the throat, back of head or spine
  • Some strikes to downed opponents
  • Downward elbows
  • Headstops
  • Grabbing gloves or clothing
  • Small joint manipulation
  • Throwing opponent out of cage

There are many more, but these are some of the more common (or hilarious) fouls.

2. How many rounds are in an MMA fight?

The rounds of MMA fights are three rounds, unless it is a main event or for a title and then the fight is five rounds.

1. How many minutes is each MMA round?

Professional MMA fights are five minutes each, less for amateur fights depending on the state or stipulation.

Next. What does UFC stand for?. dark

If you still have questions about the rules of MMA, we're glad to help.