UFC Fight Pass Invitational Rules and Scoring

Referees and Judges

• The referee is the only person who can assign positive points or enforce stalling penalties.
  • Judges, with unanimous consent, can adjust points assigned in error.
    • Judges may correct points if the referee assigns an incorrect amount.
    • Orange flag on judges table will indicate point correction.

• Judges will have indicators to signal the referee when they feel:
  • Warning should be given (Yellow)
  • Stalling should be enforced (Red)
  • Referee will take judge’s notice into consideration but will retain sole discretion on call and enforcement of Warnings and Stalling penalty.

• Referee, following a warning notification, can enforce a stalling penalty. In their sole discretion, referee may:
  • Apply a negative point.
  • Reset position.
  • Both - Negative point and reset position.
    • This is the most extreme and shall be applied as a last resort.

• If there is no submission and OT ends with a tie in points, the three judges will determine the winner.
  • The match will be judged in its entirety. Regulation Time and OT performance will impact final judging result. The main and most impactful judging criteria is who is the aggressor and is initiating the action.

Positive Points

There is no repeat scoring. The athlete cannot voluntarily give up position to score from the same position or digress to and/or from a less dominant position to score. Scoring positions must be held for 3 seconds before points are awarded.

• Passing the guard = 2 points.
  • Guard Pass must result in a controlling position.
• All Sweeps & Reversals = 2 points.
  • Reversal is when an athlete changes the position from bottom to top and establishes control for 3 secs or more. A sweep into a submission will not be awarded points until the submission is escaped.

• Knee on belly = 2 points.
  • The opposite leg must be extended out with knee off ground for entire 3 seconds for points to be awarded.

• Takedown – all takedowns = 2 points
  • Points will be awarded once opponent is on the mat and a controlling position is established for 3 seconds.
    • Takedown into another scoring position will result in cumulative points.
      • i.e. a takedown into mount is 6 points – 2 for takedown, 4 for mount position.
    • Takedown into opponent submission attempt will not be awared points until submission is escaped and controlling position is held for 3 seconds.
• Mount Position = 4 points
  • Both knees must be touching the floor. Your opponent’s back must be on the floor. Both knees must be below the shoulder line.
• Back Mount with both hooks or body triangle = 4 points.
  • Both hooks and body triangle are acceptable. Switching from hooks to body lock or vice versa does not result in additional points.

Penalties (Negative Points)

• Stalling and passivity will be determined by the referee when one athlete is purposely slowing the pace, aggression, or flow of the match with no apparent strategy to progress, move to a more dominant position or set up a submission.
  • Stalling can be called from any position including front or back mounted positions if the referee determines there is no attempt to progress to submission or stay active.
  • Passivity can be defined as an athlete who avoids contact or engagement with their opponent.

• When referee determines an athlete is stalling:
  • Referee will announce ‘Stalling Warning’ to the athlete.
  • The first stalling warning will be given the longest grace period.

• Intentionally leaving or fleeing the mat to avoid engagement, takedown or submission can result in a point deduction (1, 2, 3, 4 points) or disqualification at the referee discretion.

• Illegal guard pull will result in a negative point (-1 point) if pulled at any point in the match, Regulation Time or Overtime.
  • Illegal Guard pull is when one athlete pulls into any guard that does not result in an engaged position.
  • Legal guard should contain one of the following examples within 3 seconds of initiating the action:
    • Pulling into an engaged guard such as butterfly, closed, or DLR.
    • Connection between athletes such as shin to shin, wrist control, or collar tie
    • Immediate move into offensive attack such as sweep, wrestle up or submission attack.
    • There are multiple possibilities for legal guard with the key point of the guard pull being to initiate action. Other legal moves include:
      • dropping into leg attacks
      • falling into leglock
      • flying submissions

• A fighter who voluntarily jumps to guard or goes from standing position to a non-standing position by any means and remains down for 3 seconds or more will result in a illegal guard pull infraction.

• A fighter cannot flee or run from a guard pull, they must defend, break or engage the position. Fleeing or running from a guard pull or attack will result in a 1 point penalty.

• A fighter who disengages from contact and begins backing up to avoid engagement will result in a 1 point deduction.