Iowa Admin. Code r. 875-177.4 - Contestants
(1)
Time between matches. No contestant shall be permitted to
compete if the contestant participated in a boxing, wrestling, kickboxing,
judo, or mixed martial arts event within the previous five-day
period.
(2)
Age
restrictions. No contestant under the age of 18 years shall be
permitted to participate in any event except by special permission of the
commissioner.
(3)
Proper
attire. Contestants must wear proper athletic attire. Athletic attire
of opposing contestants shall be of contrasting colors.
(4)
Body protection. All
male contestants shall wear a foul proof protective cup. All female contestants
shall wear foul proof pelvic area protection and breast protection.
(5)
Mouth protection. Each
contestant shall wear a mouthpiece throughout each match . If the mouthpiece is
knocked from a contestant 's mouth, it shall be washed and then
replaced.
(6)
Gloves. Gloves shall be approved martial arts gloves. All
gloves shall be approved by the commissioner.
(7)
Hand protection. Only
one roll of cotton gauze surgical bandage, not to exceed 2 inches in width and
10 yards in length, shall be used for the protection of each hand. Only one
winding of surgeons' adhesive tape, not more than 11/2 inches in width,
may be placed directly on the hand to protect that part of the hand near the
wrist. The tape may cross the back of the hand twice, but shall not extend
within 1 inch of the knuckles when the hand is clenched to make a fist.
Practice wraps (training hand wraps) may be used in lieu of gauze and
tape.
(8)
Hair
protection. Where necessary, hair shall be secured in a manner that it
will not interfere with the vision or safety of either contestant .
(9)
Weighing contestants.
a. The promoter shall arrange for each
contestant to be weighed in Iowa during the 24-hour period prior to the
event .
b. Accurate scales shall be
furnished by the promoter.
c. An
official who has been approved by the commissioner shall weigh each contestant
and accurately record the contestant 's name and weight and the date and time.
The weight records shall be submitted to the commissioner on the date of the
event .
d. All contestants scheduled
for an event shall be weighed on the same date.
e. Contestants shall be weighed in the
presence of their opponents and without shoes, clothes or equipment.
f. Unless both contestants weigh more than
205 pounds, there shall not be a weight difference of more than 20 pounds
between opponents without the commissioner's consent.
g. No less than two weeks before the event ,
the promoter shall notify the commissioner when and where contestants will be
weighed.
(10)
Examination of contestants. On the day of the event , at a time
and place to be approved by the commissioner, the ringside physician shall
conduct a rigorous physical examination to determine the contestant 's fitness
to participate in an MMA match . A contestant deemed not fit by the physician
shall not participate in the event .
Notes
State regulations are updated quarterly; we currently have two versions available. Below is a comparison between our most recent version and the prior quarterly release. More comparison features will be added as we have more versions to compare.
(1) Officials. Officials shall consist of three judges, two referees, the physician or physician assistant, and the timekeeper.
(2) Referee. The referee is charged with the enforcement of all rules of the commissioner which apply to the performance and conduct of contestants and their seconds while in the ring. The referee shall wear latex gloves at all times while in the ring.
(3) Timekeeper. The timekeeper shall keep an exact record of time taken out at the request of a referee for an examination of a contestant by the physician or physician assistant, replacing a glove or adjusting any equipment during a round. The timekeeper shall notify contestants at the beginning and end of each round. The timekeeper shall be impartial and shall not signal interested parties at any time during a match .
(4) Participants. The contestants, seconds and managers are subject to approval by the commissioner.
(5) Weighing of contestants. Rescinded IAB 6/30/10, effective 8/4/10.
(6) Scoring. Three judges shall score each match by evaluating striking, grappling, control of the cage, aggressiveness, and defense. The significance and number of legal strikes shall receive the greatest weight. The number of legal takedowns and reversals shall receive the second greatest weight. Control of the cage shall receive the third greatest weight. Aggression shall receive the fourth greatest weight. Defense shall receive the least weight. The winner of a round shall always receive a score of 10. The score for each round shall be one of the following:
a. If the contestants were evenly matched and neither dominated the round, the score shall be 10-10.
b. If a contestant won a round by a close margin, the score shall be 10-9.
c. If a contestant overwhelmingly dominated a round, the score shall be 10-8.
d. If a contestant totally dominated a round, the score shall be 10-7.
(7) Length of match . Each match shall consist of no more than three rounds with no more than five minutes per round. However, the commissioner may authorize experienced contestants to compete in up to five rounds of up to five minutes each. There shall be a one-minute rest period between rounds. An overtime round shall not be allowed.
(8) Persons allowed in the cage. No person other than the two contestants and the referee shall enter the cage during the match . However, the physician or physician assistant may enter the cage to examine a contestant upon the request of the referee.
(9) Seconds.
a. Unless special permission is granted by the commissioner, there shall be no more than two seconds. Before the start of the match , each corner shall notify the referee of the name of the chief second.
b. Seconds shall not enter the cage except as authorized by this paragraph. The chief second may enter the cage after the timekeeper indicates the termination of the round, and the chief second must leave before the beginning of a round.
c. Before leaving the ring at the start of the round, the seconds shall remove all obstructions, buckets, stools, bottles, towels and robes from the ring floor and ring enclosure.
d. Seconds shall not smoke in the ring or corners and shall not wear a hat or cap while working in the corner.
e. Seconds shall wear latex gloves at all times while attending any contestant .
f. Seconds shall not throw or splash water upon a contestant . Excess water on the floor of the cage shall be wiped up immediately. Water discharged from the mouth of a contestant shall be caught in a bucket.
(10) Decorum of officials and participants.
a. Except as allowed in this subrule, a promoter, official, or participant shall not:
(1) Intentionally or recklessly strike or injure a person;
(2) Speak or act in a threatening manner toward a person; or
(3) Damage, destroy, or attempt to damage or destroy property.
b. The commissioner may immediately suspend the promoter's license if the promoter does not comply with paragraph 177.4(10)"a" or if the promoter does not take appropriate action to curtail activities in violation of paragraph 177.4(10)"a" by an official or a participant.
c. The commissioner may immediately suspend the authorization to participate in the event of an official or a participant who does not comply with paragraph 177.4(10)"a."
d. A contestant is exempt from subparagraphs 177.4(10)"a"(1) and (2) while interacting with the contestant 's opponent during a round. However, if the round is stopped by the physician or physician assistant or referee for a time out, subparagraphs 177.4(10)"a"(1) and (2) shall apply to a contestant .