MMA Rules Explained: A Beginners Guide to Understanding Fights
New to watching MMA? Here is everything you need to know about scoring, fouls, weight classes, and how fights are decided.
How Fights Are Scored
MMA uses the 10-Point Must System, borrowed from boxing. Each round is scored by three judges independently:
- The winner of the round receives 10 points.
- The loser receives 9 (or 8 for a dominant round, 7 for an overwhelmingly dominant round).
- A 10-10 round is possible but extremely rare.
After all rounds, the scores are tallied. The fighter with the higher total wins by decision. If all three judges agree, it is a Unanimous Decision. If two agree and one disagrees, it is a Split Decision.
How Fights End
Knockout (KO)
A fighter is knocked unconscious or unable to intelligently defend themselves. The referee stops the fight.
Technical Knockout (TKO)
The fighter is conscious but unable to effectively continue. This can be due to accumulated damage (strikes), a bad cut, or the corner throwing in the towel.
For more on this topic, see our guide on How to Cut Weight Safely for MMA or BJJ Competition.
Submission
A fighter applies a joint lock or choke, and the opponent signals surrender by tapping (physically tapping their opponent or the mat, or verbally saying “tap”). Common submissions include rear naked choke, armbar, triangle choke, and guillotine.
Decision
If the fight goes the distance (all scheduled rounds), the judges’ scorecards determine the winner.
For more on this topic, see our guide on Is It Safe to Start BJJ or MMA if You’re Overweight?.
Weight Classes (UFC)
| Division | Weight Limit |
|---|---|
| Strawweight | 115 lbs |
| Flyweight | 125 lbs |
| Bantamweight | 135 lbs |
| Featherweight | 145 lbs |
| Lightweight | 155 lbs |
| Welterweight | 170 lbs |
| Middleweight | 185 lbs |
| Light Heavyweight | 205 lbs |
| Heavyweight | 265 lbs |
Fouls (Illegal Techniques)
- Strikes to the back of the head or spine
- Eye gouging and fish-hooking
- Groin strikes (accidental groin strikes allow a 5-minute recovery)
- Head-butting
- Small joint manipulation (bending fingers or toes)
- 12-6 elbows (striking straight down with the point of the elbow)
- Kicking or kneeing a grounded opponent’s head (varies by rule set)