MMA
MMA fouls and illegal techniques: what fighters cannot do
A practical guide to the current ABC Unified Rules: illegal attacks, the grounded-opponent rule, fence and equipment fouls, and what the referee does after an intentional or accidental foul.
Illegal attacks and protected targets
Headbutts, eye gouges, biting or spitting, fish hooking, hair pulling, pile-driving onto the head or neck, strikes to the spine or back of the head, directed throat attacks and groin attacks are fouls. Fighters also may not extend fingers toward an opponent’s face or eyes in the standing position.
Grounded opponents and illegal head attacks
Under the current rule, a fighter is grounded when any body part other than the hands or feet touches the canvas. A grounded fighter may not be kneed or kicked in the head, and stomping a grounded fighter is illegal. Legal throws with an arc are not automatically fouls merely because the head touches the canvas.
Fence, glove and conduct fouls
A fighter may push off the fence, but may not grab it with fingers or toes to control position. Holding an opponent’s gloves or shorts, manipulating small joints, putting fingers into cuts or body openings, attacking after the bell or during a break, and ignoring the referee’s instructions are also fouls.
What the referee does after a foul
The referee calls time, checks the fouled fighter’s safety and decides whether points or recovery time are appropriate. An intentional foul that ends the bout can cause disqualification; if the fight continues after an intentional injury, the current rules require a two-point deduction. For an eye poke or groin foul, an able-to-continue fighter may receive up to five minutes to recover.