1. Weigh-ins

  1. A licenced contestant who is under contract to take part in a professional combative sport bout shall weigh in at a time and place designated by the Commissioner, not less than 8 hours or more than 36 hours prior to the scheduled start of the contest or exhibition.
  2. The Commissioner must approve the official scale for the weigh-in, and its placement.
  3. The official scale is to be made available to each contestant at least one hour before the weigh-in, during which time the contestants may weigh themselves on the official scale.
  4. At the weigh-in, each contestant is to be weighed by a person authorized by the Commissioner in the presence of the opponent, or a representative of the opponent, unless otherwise approved by the Commissioner.
  5. A contestant shall not weigh in wearing any clothing, other than their undergarments.
  6. A contestant who is overweight shall be allowed one hour to make the weight required by their contract but is prohibited from taking part in the bout for which they are under contract if, during that hour, they:
    1. lose more than two per cent of their weight as shown on the weigh-in, if the weigh-in is held on the day of the contest or exhibition
    2. lose more than three per cent of their weight as shown on the weigh-in, if the weigh-in is held prior to the day of the contest or exhibition
  7. Where a contestant remains overweight, the Commissioner shall allow the bout to be held if both contestants consent to the weight difference in writing, and the official weight of both contestants is within weight difference allowance in 1.8.
  8. The maximum weight difference allowance between opponents shall be:
    1. three pounds, where one contestant weighs up to and including 115 pounds
    2. four pounds, where one contestant weighs more than 115 pounds, up to and including 125 pounds
    3. five pounds, where one contestant weighs more than 125 pounds, up to and including 135 pounds
    4. seven pounds, where one contestant weighs more than 135 pounds, up to and including 170 pounds
    5. nine pounds, where one contestant weighs more than 170 pounds, up to and including 185 pounds
    6. twelve pounds, where one contestant weighs more than 185 pounds, up to and including 205 pounds
    7. 25 pounds, where one contestant weighs more than 205 pounds, up to and including 265 pounds
    8. no limit, where both contestants are over 265 pounds
  9. Where the difference in weight between contestants is greater than 1.8, the Commissioner may, in their discretion, allow the bout to be held, unless they consider the difference in weight:
    1. to be too great to allow for a fair bout to be held or
    2. to not be in the interest of the health and safety of one of the contestants
  10. If a participant under contract to take part in a bout does not make the weight required by their contract, and the bout is allowed to proceed, the opponent is entitled to any weight forfeit set out in the contract.

2. Pre-bout medical examination

  1. Each contestant shall submit to a pre-bout medical examination by a ringside medical practitioner assigned by the Commissioner, at a time and place determined by the Commissioner.

3. Second weigh-in, if contest postponed

  1. If a professional combative sport 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.

4. Event dressing rooms and supplies

  1. The promoter must provide suitable dressing rooms for the contestants and officials, as approved by the Commissioner.
  2. The promoter must provide bottled water, clean towels and ice in each dressing room designated for contestants.
  3. The promoter must provide a suitable room for the conduct of post-bout medical examinations, as approved by the Commissioner.
  4. No person other than representatives of the Commissioner, licenced contestants, managers, seconds, promoters, matchmakers and ringside medical practitioners shall be in the dressing rooms, unless approved by the Commissioner.

5. Consumption of food, beverages and other substances

  1. Upon reporting to their assigned dressing room, a contestant shall consume no food, beverage, or other substance other than the bottled water supplied by the promoter in 4.2, unless:
    1. a contestant’s licence has a Therapeutic Use Exemption for the use of the substance, approved by the Commissioner or
    2. the food, beverage or other substance is otherwise approved by the Commissioner
  2. Requests to consume food, beverages, or other substances, other than the bottled water supplied by the promoter or a substance approved in a Therapeutic Use Exemption, shall be submitted to the Commissioner no later than the weigh-in.
  3. The Commissioner shall only approve the consumption of food and beverages other than bottled water if both contestants in a bout have been supplied the same food and beverages in the same quantity.
  4. No food, beverage or other substance may be consumed by a contestant in the competition area other than the bottled water supplied by the promoter in 4.2.

6. Contestant appearances

  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, if the contestant is participating in a mixed martial arts bout
    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
    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 Commissioner shall approve all hand wrapping materials, which shall only include for each hand, soft gauze not over two inches wide and not more than 60 feet in length and adhesive athletic tape not over one inch wide and not more than 30 feet in length.
  2. The promoter shall supply all hand wrapping materials for each contestant unless a contestant chooses to supply their own materials. The promoter shall supply the same materials for each contestant.
  3. A contestant who chooses to supply their own hand wrapping materials shall supply sufficient materials to allow their opponent the opportunity to use the same materials, unless their opponent waives this privilege.
  4. All hand wrapping materials shall be submitted to the Commissioner for approval at the weigh-in. The Commissioner, or an official assigned by the Commissioner, shall retain custody of all hand wrapping materials until they are applied to a contestant’s hands.
  5. A contestant’s hand wraps shall be applied in the dressing room in the presence of an official assigned by the Commissioner and, upon request, a representative of the contestant’s opponent.
  6. A contestant may waive their privilege of witnessing the wrapping of their opponent’s hands by failing to make a timely request for such privilege or by failing to attend at the time of wrapping.
  7. 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.
  8. 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.
  9. A contestant shall not apply water or any other substance to their hands or hand wraps.
  10. The hand wraps shall be evenly and smoothly distributed across the hand and are subject to the inspection and approval of an official assigned by the Commissioner.
  11. An official assigned by the Commissioner shall sign the hand wraps to indicate approval.
  12. A contestant may elect to not wrap their hands.
  13. Gloves shall not be placed on the hands of a contestant prior to the approval of the hand wraps unless the contestant has elected to not wrap their hands.

8. Gloves

  1. The promoter of a professional combative sport contest or exhibition shall provide suitable gloves for each contestant. The gloves provided for each contestant and their opponent shall be of the same type.
  2. A contestant may choose to supply their own gloves. A contestant that chooses to supply their own gloves, shall supply a second pair of gloves of the same type to allow their opponent the opportunity to use the same type of gloves, unless their opponent waives this privilege.
  3. The gloves shall be new in all bouts
  4. Contestants shall wear mixed martial arts gloves approved by the Commissioner, with an open palm, open fingers, an open thumb and velcro closure system, which weigh no less than 4 ounces and no more than 8 ounces.
  5. Gloves approved for use by the Commissioner may have a weight allowance of up to five percent over or under the weight set out in 8.4.
  6. All gloves shall be submitted to the Commissioner for approval no later than the weigh-in. The Commissioner, or an official assigned by the Commissioner, shall retain custody of all gloves until they are placed on a contestant’s hands.
  7. A contestant’s gloves shall be put on in the dressing room in the presence of an official assigned by the Commissioner and, upon request, a representative of the contestant’s opponent.
  8. A contestant may waive their privilege of witnessing the putting on of their opponent’s gloves by failing to make a timely request for such privilege or by failing to attend at the time of putting on the gloves.
  9. A contestant’s gloves shall not be twisted, manipulated or altered in any way, before or after being placed on a contestant’s hands.
  10. Velcro shall be closed and there shall be placed on the wrists of the gloves, over the velcro, adhesive tape.
  11. An official assigned by the commission shall sign the tape in 8.10 to demonstrate approval of the gloving process.

9. Seconds

  1. To be eligible to act as a second for a professional combative sport contest or exhibition, a person must hold a valid second’s licence issued by the Commissioner.
  2. Each contestant shall submit to the Commissioner for approval, no later than the weigh-in, the names of their seconds, and assign a lead second.
  3. A contestant is responsible for the conduct of their seconds.
  4. Each contestant shall have no more than:
    1. four seconds, for championship bouts or main event bouts
    2. three seconds, for all other bouts
  5. During the progress of any round, seconds shall remain seated and shall not engage in disruptive behavior.
  6. During all timeout procedures, there shall be no coaching of a contestant permitted by their seconds.
  7. 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
    2. a third neutral second supplied by the promoter for the express purpose of treating contestant lacerations may enter the competition area between rounds.
  8. A second who enters the competition area between rounds in 9.7 shall not assist a contestant to their corner unless the bout has been terminated by the referee or medical practitioner.
  9. 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.
  10. Unless approved by the Commissioner, the only materials which may be present in a contestant’s corner for use by a second are:
    1. adrenalin, in a sealed manufacturer’s vial, premeasured in a 1/1,000 solution
    2. avetine
    3. thrombin
    4. petroleum jelly
    5. enswells
    6. cotton swabs
    7. gauze pads
    8. bottled water
    9. a plastic sport water bottle
    10. a plastic spray bottle
    11. ice contained in a bag
    12. a bucket for carrying ice
    13. clean towels
    14. clean sponges
    15. adhesive athletic tape
    16. bandage scissors
  11. The following materials shall not be present in a contestant’s corner for use by a second:
    1. monsel solution
    2. any substance with an iron base
    3. liquid bandage
    4. smelling salts
    5. any other item not approved by the Commissioner
  12. 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.
  13. 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 assigned by the Commissioner examine their contestant
    4. request that the referee stop the bout.
  14. Where a lead second has requested the referee to stop a bout in 9.12 or 9.13:
    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
  15. 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 assigned by the Commissioner it is not in the interest of the health and safety of the contestant to remain in the competition area.
  16. 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 assigned by the Commissioner.

10. Referees

  1. A referee assigned by the Commissioner shall exercise authority, direction and control over all bouts of professional combative sport.
  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 of 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 appointed by the Commissioner, 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.

11. Announcers

  1. The promoter shall provide an announcer for each contest or exhibition, who shall be the master of ceremonies.
  2. The promoter shall provide for the use of the announcer, a public address system in good working order.
  3. The announcer shall:
    1. at the beginning of each professional combative sport bout, introduce the contestants, announce their names and weights and the particulars of the bout
    2. announce the result of the professional combative sport bout at its conclusion
    3. not make any announcements that in the opinion of the Commissioner compromise the integrity of a professional combative sport bout
  4. The announcer may announce a contestant by their alias, provided the use of such alias is approved by the Commissioner and that the contestant’s true and legal name was disclosed to the Commissioner in their licence application.

12. Video replay

  1. The use of video replay shall only be permitted where there is timely access to video replay technology immediately outside of the competition area, which must:
    1. be capable of both audio and visual playback
    2. allow for the recording to be rewound, paused and played back at both regular speed and in slow motion
    3. be approved by the Commissioner prior to the start of the contest or exhibition
  2. Video replays shall only be initiated by the referee or an alternate referee assigned by the Commissioner.
  3. The referee or alternate referee shall only initiate a video replay between rounds or at the conclusion of the bout.
  4. Video replays shall only be reviewed by the referee or alternate referee and be made available without audio commentary.
  5. Video replay may only be used to determine:
    1. whether a contestant was down due to a legal blow, foul or any other reason
    2. whether a contestant was injured due to a legal blow, foul, or any other reason
    3. any other question related to a bout ending sequence
  6. Unless approved by the Commissioner, the review of a replay must be concluded by:
    1. the end of the one-minute rest period between rounds or
    2. two minutes following the end of the bout
  7. Only the referee may make a decision to change their initial ruling.
  8. To change their initial ruling, the referee must be satisfied that there is indisputable evidence to do so.
  9. If the referee changes their initial ruling, they shall notify the judges and each contestant prior to the start of the next round, or immediately if the contest has concluded.
  10. If the referee’s initial ruling is changed, the judges shall be provided an opportunity to amend their scorecards prior to the timekeeper signalling the start of the next round or immediately if the contest has concluded, if applicable.
  11. A contest that has been stopped by the referee prior to the use of video replay shall not be resumed regardless of the outcome of the replay.