ABC says old weight classes just fine, clears up "back of the head" definition and more
The Association of Boxing Commissions recently held its annual conference in New Orleans, and a number of revisions and clarifications to the Unified Rules of Mixed Martial Arts were approved by the attending members.
The revisions, submitted by a committee established in 2008 that includes the heads of some of the largest and most influential athletic commissions in the nation, were intended to establish uniformity across the membership of the association.
Among the topics addressed were the addition of weight classes first discussed on 2008, a clearer definition of "the back of the head," and the place of downward striking elbows in the sport.
"To me, weight classes was the main issue," Nick Lembo, the legal counsel for the New Jersey Athletic Control Board and committee head, told MMAjunkie.com (
www.mmajunkie.com). "I think it was crucial that they stay intact."
At the ABC's 2008 conference, a set of guidelines was introduced that called for the addition of several weight classes to the current nine-division system. That resolution was met with great resistance when it was first announced, and the updated Unified Rules uphold the previous set of guidelines.
One-pound allowances for non-title fights will still be allowed, as would catchweight contests that can be arranged at any weight limit.
The committee also approved a new definition of the "back of the head" which combines the previous "headphone" and "mohawk" descriptions.
"With the 'back of the head,' we wanted to get uniformity," Lembo said. "Some people were deadset on the 'headphone.' Some people didn't have a problem with the mohawk. But I just think for the growth of the sport...it should just be the same (across the country)."
Th actual submission from the commission reads:
"Strikes are not permissible in the nape of the neck area up until the top of the ears. Above the ears, permissible strikes do not include the Mohawk area from the top of the ears up until the crown of the head. The crown of the head is found where the head begins to curve.
In other words, strikes behind the crown of the head and above the ears are not permissible within the Mohawk area. Strikes below the top of the ear are not permissible within the nape of the neck area."
Or as Lembo put it, "Basically, if a punch touches the ear, it should be OK."
The commission upheld the definition of downward elbows as only applying to strikes that move directly from ceiling to floor, or "12 to 6," and agreed that the blows would remain illegal.
Blows delivered with any angle other than ceiling to floor, i.e. straight elbows to the top of the head delivered with an opponent in your guard, are not considered illegal strikes.
Lembo said a final area he also felt was crucial was the clarification of the handling of accidental fouls.
"The accidental fouls, I felt that was important, too," Lembo said. "I think that will clear up some misunderstanding that when you're not fouled by a low blow, you're not guaranteed five minutes."
According to the clarified rules, in the case of an accidental foul other than a low blow, a five minute recuperative period may be implemented, but the fighter is not guaranteed that rest.
From the commission:
"If a contest or exhibition of mixed martial arts is stopped because of an accidental foul, the referee shall determine whether the unarmed combatant who has been fouled can continue or not. If the unarmed combatant's chance of winning has not been seriously jeopardized as a result of the foul, and if the foul did not involve a concussive impact to the head of the unarmed combatant who has been fouled, the referee may order the contest or exhibition continued after a recuperative interval of not more than five minutes. Immediately after separating the unarmed combatants, the referee shall inform the commission's representative of his determination that the foul was accidental.
If a fighter is fouled by a blow that the referee deems illegal, the referee should stop the action and call for time. The referee may take the injured fighter to the ringside doctor and have the ringside doctor examine the fighter as to their ability to continue on in the contest. The ringside doctor has up to five minutes to make their determination. If the ringside doctor determines that the fighter can continue in the contest, the referee shall as soon as practical restart the fight. However, unlike the low blow foul rule, the fighter does not have up to five minutes of time to use at their discretion.
For a foul other than a low blow, the fouled fighter is not guaranteed five minutes of recovery time. If deemed not fit to continue by the referee or ringside physician, the referee must immediately call a halt to the bout. If the fighter is deemed not fit to continue by the referee or ringside physician but some of the five minute foul time is still remaining, the fighter cannot avail himself of the remaining time.
If the referee stops the contest and employs the use of the ringside doctor, the ringside physician's examinations shall not exceed five minutes. If five minutes is exceeded, the fight cannot be re-started and the contest must end."
A number of other topics were addressed or clarified, including the amount of material and style of handwrap available to mixed martial artists, as well as the elimination of the six-ounce weight limit on gloves necessitated by massive-handed competitors such as Brock Lesnar and Shane Carwin making their way into the sport.
Amateur regulations, the elimination of all greasing products other than Vaseline applied to the face, the procedure for tracking deducted points, the approval of five-minute rounds in female fights, the approval of linear knee strikes and a suggestion of mixed martial arts ID cards were all addressed by the committee.
One rule that will not change is the oft-contested "knees to the head of a grounded opponent" debate.
According to the report, "The entire committee believes that this maneuver should continue to remain as a foul."
The changes to the unified rules will need to be ratified by each commission, though Nevada State Athletic Commission Executive Director Keith Kizer said many of the more active commission, including his own, have already made the adjustments.
"I don't think there were a lot changes that were made, at least to the commissions that were already active in the MMA world," Kizer said. "This will probably have a bigger effect on the states coming in, the states like Massachusetts, and some other states who are about to pass [regulation], or just passed it, like South Carolina. It gives them a good guideline to go on, and hopefully they'll enact them. It's up to each commission to do it, obviously, under federalism. But we hope that's what happens. The more uniformity, the better."
Lembo also said he saw no reason why each commission wouldn't be on board with the updated regulations.
"[The update Unified Rules] were voted on, and they could have been voted on as guidelines or voted on as something that everybody should put in place," Lembo said. "It was voted on that in the spirit of uniformity, everyone should conform to these rules – every jurisdiction."
The near 15,000-word document can be viewed in its entirety here.
