Mixed Martial Arts Pride Fighting Championship Rules

Pride Fighting Championships has rules similar to those of the Ultimate Fighting Championship in the United States. Unlike the UFC, where matches take place inside an octagon shaped cage, Pride Fighting Championship holds its bouts in a square, roped ring.
 
  Other notable differences between PRIDE FC and the UFC are:
  Kicking and kneeing the head of a downed opponent, and stomping a downed opponent, are allowed in Pride Fighting Championships, but not in the Ultimate Fighting Championships. Elbows to the head and face are allowed in the Ultimate Fighting Championships, but not in the Pride Fighting Championships.
 
  Weight Classes
  It should be noted that PRIDE Fighting Championships doesn’t divide their fighters with weight divisions, a fighter may be booked to fight an opponent of any weight class. Weight divisions are only used for championship title bouts to crown a champion among that weight class.
  Middleweights: At least 93kg. Or 205 lb.
  Welterweights: Less than 83 kg or 183 lb.
  Lightweights: less than 73kg or 160 lb.
 
Match length
Pride matches are three rounds long. The first round lasts ten minutes, the second and third last five minutes each, with two-minute intermissions between each round.
 
  Matches are won by:
  Submission: A fighter taps either his opponent or the mat three times or submits verbally.
  Knockout: A fighter falls from a legal blow, and is either unconscious or unable to continue immediately.
  Technical Knock Out: The referee stops the match when he sees one fighter is completely dominant to the point that his opponent will be injured.
  Physician Stops the Fight: If a fighter is injured in a fair fight, and can’t continue his match, the ring doctor will determine if the fighter can continue or not. If he cannot, the opponent will be declared the winner. If a player is deemed unfit to continue by the ring physician, due to an illegal method, the offender will be disqualified.
  Forfeited Matches: A fighter’s corner throws in the towel, and calls an end to the fight.
 
  Three judges decide who the winner is based on the match going the distance, and the effort made to finish the fight by knock out or submission, damage to the opponent, standing combinations, ground control, takedown, takedown defense, aggressiveness and weight.

Disqualifications: Yellow cards, or warnings, are given, along with a 10% deduction in the purse when a fighter commits an illegal action, or fails to follow the referee’s instructions. Three warnings result in a disqualification.
 
  No Contest: In the event both sides commit a rule violation, the bout is considered No Contest.
 
  Fouls:
  -No head butting, eye gouging, hair pulling, biting or fish hooking.
  -No attacking the groin
  -No strikes (kicks, elbows, punching) to the back of the head; which includes the occipital region and the spine. The sides of the head and the area around the ears are not considered the back of the head.
  -No small joint manipulation (control of four or more fingers/toes is necessary).
  -No elbow strikes to the head and face.
  -No intentionally throwing your opponent out of the ring.
  -No running out of the ring.
  -No purposely holding the ropes. Fighters cannot purposely hang an arm or leg on the ropes. Hanging on the ropes will result in an immediate warning.
  -No kicks or knees to the head or the face of an opponent who falls face down.
  -No application of oil, ointment, spray, Vaseline, massaging cream, hair cream, or any other substances are permitted to any part of the fighter's body before and during the fights. The discovery of any of these substances will result in a disqualification.

>>Get Your FREE Copy of Street Fighter Secrets<