N.M. Admin. Code § 15.6.20.18 - RESULTS OF CONTEST
A contest of mixed martial arts may end under the following results.
A. Knockout (KO): as soon as
a fighter becomes unconscious due to strikes, his opponent is declared the
winner (because MMA rules allow ground fighting, the fight is stopped to
prevent further injury to an unconscious fighter).
B. Submission: a fighter may admit defeat
during a match by:
(1) tapping three times on
his opponent's body;
(2) tapping
three times on the mat or floor; or
(3) verbal announcement.
C. Technical knockout (TKO).
(1) Referee stoppage: the referee may stop a
match in progress if:
(a) a fighter becomes
dominant to the point where the opponent is unable to intelligently defend
himself from attacks (this may occur as quickly as a few seconds);
(b) a fighter appears to be unconscious from
a grappling hold; or
(c) a fighter
appears to have developed significant injuries (such as a broken bone) in the
referee's view.
(2)
Doctor stoppage: the referee will call for a time out if a fighter's ability to
continue is in question as a result of apparent injuries (such as a large cut).
The ring doctor will inspect the fighter and stop the match if the fighter is
deemed unable to continue safely, rendering the opponent the winner. However,
if the match is stopped as a result of an injury from illegal actions by the
opponent, either a disqualification or no contest will be issued instead. In
order to avoid doctor stoppages, fighters employ cut men, whose job is to treat
cuts and hematomas between rounds to prevent them from becoming significant
enough to cause a doctor stoppage.
D. Decision: if the match goes the distance,
then the outcome of the bout is determined by three judges. The judging
criteria are organization-specific via the scorecards, including:
(1) unanimous decision;
(2) split decision;
(3) majority decision;
(4) draw; or
(5) technical decision.
E. Forfeit: a fighter or his representative
may forfeit a match prior to the beginning of the match, thereby losing the
match.
F. Disqualification: a
"warning" will be given when a fighter commits a foul or illegal action or does
not follow the referee's instruction. Three warnings will result in
disqualification. Moreover, if a fighter is injured and unable to continue due
to a deliberate illegal technique from his opponent, the opponent will be
disqualified.
G. No Contest: in the
event that both fighters commit a violation of the rules, or a fighter is
unable to continue due to an injury from an accidental illegal technique, the
match will be declared a "no contest".
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