1. Contestants' eligibility and classification

  1. Amateur Mixed Martial Arts contestants shall be divided into the following categories:
    1. Senior: 19 years and over
    2. Youth A: Ages 16–18
    3. Youth B: Ages 14–15
    4. Youth C: Ages 12–13
  2. Furthermore, Amateur Mixed Martial Arts contestants shall also be divided into the following experience level classes:
    1. Pre-Novice Amateur Class: Any contestant who has five or less completed verifiable amateur combative sport contests.
    2. Novice Amateur Class: Any contestant who has between 6-10 verifiable amateur combative sport contests.
    3. Open Amateur Class: Any contestant who has 11 or more verifiable amateur combative sport contests.
    4. No contestant shall compete against an opponent that is outside of their class unless approved by the Commissioner.
  3. Each contestant must have signed the Athlete Code of Conduct, Concussion Code of Conduct, and rules declaration.
  4. No person will compete in an Amateur Mixed Martial Arts competition unless they have completed a physical examination conducted by an Ontario licenced physician for the competitive calendar year.

2. Weigh-ins

  1. Tournament Competition:
    1. Contestants competing in an open tournament style competition shall weigh-in each day they are scheduled to compete. All weigh-ins must commence no more than 4 hours prior to the beginning of the competition and must be completed no less than 2 hours before the beginning of the competition.
    2. Weigh-in procedures will be repeated daily for multi-day competitions.
    3. Divisions:
      1. Senior - 19 years and up (Male):
        • 115 lbs; 125 lbs; 135 lbs; 145 lbs; 155 lbs; 170 lbs; 185 lbs; 205 lbs; 265 lbs; over 265 lbs
      2. Senior - 19 years and up (Female):
        • 105 lbs; 115 lbs; 125 lbs; 135 lbs; 145 lbs; 155 lbs; 170 lbs; over 170 lbs
      3. Youth A – 16–18 (Male):
        • 115 lbs; 125 lbs; 135 lbs; 145 lbs; 155 lbs; 170 lbs; 185 lbs; 205 lbs; 265 lbs; over 265 lbs
      4. Youth A – 16–18 (Female):
        • 105 lbs; 115 lbs; 125 lbs; 135 lbs; 145 lbs; 155 lbs; 170 lbs; over 170 lbs
      5. Youth B – 14–15 (Male and Female):
        • 88 lbs; 97 lbs; 105 lbs; 115 lbs; 125 lbs; 135 lbs; 145 lbs; 155 lbs; 170 lbs; over 170 lbs
      6. Youth C – 12–13 (Male):
        • 68 lbs; 75 lbs; 82 lbs; 88 lbs; 97 lbs; 105 lbs; 115 lbs; 125 lbs; over 125 lbs
      7. Catch weight divisions may be added at the time of the tournament.
      8. For both B and C Youth in the upper weight category, there cannot be a weight difference of greater than 11 lbs.
  2. Single Bout Competition (Club Show):
    1. Contestants competing in an Amateur Mixed Martial Arts bout shall weigh-in the day of the bout within 3 hours of the first bout.
    2. A contestant who is overweight shall be allowed one hour to make the weight required by their agreement but is prohibited from taking part in the bout if, during that hour, they lose more than one percent of their weight as shown on the weigh-in.
    3. The maximum weight difference allowance between opponents shall be:
      1. 4 lbs: under 148 lbs;
      2. 9 lbs: between 148–165 lbs;
      3. 11 lbs: between 165–200 lbs;
      4. 24 lbs: between 200–265 lbs; and
      5. No limit when contestants are over 265 lbs.

3. Pre-bout medical examination

  1. Each contestant shall submit to a pre-bout medical examination conducted by an Ontario licenced physician completed no later than one hour before the bout.

4. Second weigh-in if contest postponed

  1. If an amateur mixed martial arts contest or exhibition is postponed for 24 hours or more, a second weigh-in and an additional pre-bout medical examination shall be required on the day of the contest.

5. Event dressing rooms and supplies

  1. The promoter must provide suitable dressing rooms for the contestants and officials.
  2. The promoter must provide a suitable room for the conduct of post-bout medical examinations.

6. Contestant appearance

  1. To participate in a bout, a contestant shall:
    1. trim or tie back hair with soft and non-abrasive materials, in such a way as to not interfere with the vision of either contestant, or cover any part of the contestant’s face
    2. trim or contain facial hair with soft and non-abrasive materials, in such a way as to not interfere with the safety of the contestant and maintain the integrity of the contest or exhibition;
    3. trim finger and toe nails;
    4. remove all jewelry and accessories;
    5. remove any dentures or removable false teeth;
    6. remove eyeglasses or goggles;
    7. remove any rigid or hard contact lenses;
    8. not wear facial cosmetics;
    9. not use excessive grooming creams, lotions, sprays or similar products on the hair or any portion of the body; and
    10. not apply grease, petroleum jelly or any other similar substance on any part portion of the body, except a light application of petroleum jelly on the eyebrows, under the eyes and on the bridge of the nose, which may be reapplied between rounds.

7. Hand wraps

  1. The hand wrapping materials shall only include for each hand, soft gauze not over two inches wide and not more than 60 feet in length and no less than 30 feet in length, adhesive athletic tape not over one inch wide and not more than 30 feet in length and no less than 15 feet in length.
  2. The promoter shall supply all hand wrapping materials for each contestant.
  3. A single strip of the adhesive athletic tape or a single strip of soft gauze in 7.1 may be placed flat between the fingers on each hand.
  4. The tape may cross the back of the hand twice to form a single “X” and extend to cover and protect the knuckles when the hand is clenched to make a fist.
  5. A contestant shall not apply water or any other substance to their hands or hand wraps.
  6. The hand wraps shall be evenly and smoothly distributed across the hand and are subject to the inspection and approval of an official.
  7. The promoter must provide personnel to wrap hands.
  8. Gloves shall not be placed on the hands of a contestant prior to the approval of the hand wraps.

8. Gloves

  1. The promoter of an Amateur Mixed Martial Arts contest shall provide suitable gloves for each contestant. The gloves provided for every contestant shall be of the same type.
  2. The gloves shall be in good condition, or they must be replaced.
  3. All contestants shall wear gloves with protective padding weighing a minimum of no less than 6 ounces. The gloves for amateur competition shall be recognised as visibly different to those used under professional rules and have the aesthetic of such, as they are a larger and more rounded glove.
  4. A contestant’s gloves shall not be twisted, manipulated, or altered in any way, before or after being placed on a contestant’s hands.
  5. The Velcro shall be closed and there shall be placed on the wrists of the gloves, over the Velcro, adhesive tape.
  6. Contestants are not permitted to supply their own gloves.
  7. Gloves are to be open handed with finger and thumb loops to facilitate grappling.

9. Seconds

  1. A contestant is responsible for the conduct of their seconds.
  2. Each contestant shall have no more than:
    1. four seconds, for championship bouts; and
    2. three seconds, for all other bouts.
  3. During the progress of any round, seconds shall remain seated and shall not engage in disruptive behavior.
  4. During all timeout procedures, there shall be no coaching of a contestant permitted by their seconds.
  5. After the timekeeper signals the end of a round:
    1. two of the contestant’s seconds may enter the competition area and up to two of their seconds may step onto the outer perimeter of the competition area between rounds; and
    2. a third neutral second supplied by the promoter for the express purpose of treating contestant lacerations may enter the competition area between rounds.
  6. A second who enters the competition area between rounds shall not assist a contestant to their corner unless the bout has been terminated by the referee or medical practitioner.
  7. A second shall leave the competition area promptly when the timekeeper signals that there are 10 seconds remaining in the rest period between rounds, removing any obstructions and wiping the corner clean.
  8. The only materials which may be present in a contestant’s corner for use by a second are:
    1. petroleum jelly
    2. enswells
    3. cotton swabs
    4. gauze pads
    5. bottled water
    6. a clear plastic sport water bottle
    7. a clear plastic spray bottle
    8. ice contained in a bag
    9. a bucket for carrying ice
    10. clean towels
    11. clean sponges
    12. adhesive athletic tape
    13. bandage scissors
  9. The lead second of a contestant may, by stepping onto the outer perimeter of the competition area, indicate to the referee at any time during the contest or exhibition that they wish to stop the bout.
  10. Between rounds of a bout, the lead second may request the referee to:
    1. visit their corner to discuss any point relevant to the bout;
    2. comment on any injury to their contestant;
    3. request that a medical practitioner examine their contestant; or
    4. request that the referee stop the bout.
  11. Where a lead second has requested the referee to stop a bout in 9.9 or 9.10:
    1. the referee shall stop the bout; and
    2. the lead second’s contestant shall be declared the loser of the bout by technical knockout.
  12. Following the conclusion of a bout, a contestant and their seconds shall remain in or near the competition area until the result of the bout has been announced, unless in the opinion of a medical practitioner it is not in the interest of the health and safety of the contestant to remain in the competition area.
  13. Following the announcement of the bout result, a contestant and at least one of their seconds shall promptly report to the room designated for a post-bout examination by a ringside medical practitioner.

10. Referees

  1. A referee shall exercise authority, direction and control over all bouts of Amateur Mixed Martial Arts.
  2. Before the start of each bout under their direction, the referee shall give instructions on the rules and conduct of the bout to each contestant and their seconds in the dressing room.
  3. During the pre-bout instructions, the referee shall identify each contestant’s lead second, and inform them that they will be responsible for the conduct of all the contestant’s seconds during the progress of the bout.
  4. Before the start of each bout, and from time to time as they shall see fit during the progress of the bout, the referee shall check the contestants’ gloves, equipment, and persons to assure that no unsafe or improper conditions exist.
  5. During the progress of the bout the referee shall monitor the condition of the contestants and shall have the authority to stop a bout where in their opinion, or the opinion of the ringside medical practitioner, it is not in the interest of the health and safety of the contestant to continue in the bout.
  6. The referee shall enforce the rules of the sport they are officiating, as set out in this rule set.