8. Bout Rules (Abridged)
Synopsis of Rules, Scoring, and Match Operations Match Structure
Divisions:
Novice, Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced (based on experience/belt level).
Match Times:
Novice – 3 minutes
Beginner – 5 minutes
Intermediate – 5 minutes
Advanced – 5 minutes
Victory Conditions:
Submission
Points
Technical superiority (15-point lead)
Disqualification (illegal actions, 4 cautions, or passivity)
Injury, unconsciousness, or forfeit
Overtime rules if tied
Illegal Techniques
Heel hooks
Knee reaping
Neck cranks/spine locks
Spikes/slams (lifting & forcefully slamming)
Small joint manipulation (<4 fingers/toes)
Throat/trachea chokes with fingers
Grabbing NoGi clothing (rash guards, shorts)
Scoring System
All positions must be controlled for 3 seconds before points are awarded.
1 Point
Near finish submission attempt (3+ seconds, opponent escapes).
Standing out-of-bounds (opponent forced out without submission in play).
2 Points
Takedown ending in guard (opponent dropped but stays in guard).
Snap-down/takedown to knees (control from behind).
Opponent pulls guard (if top player maintains control for 3 sec).
Reversal to guard (sweep or escape to top in guard).
Opponent unintentionally escapes out of bounds during your submission attempt.
3 Points
Takedown to side control.
Reversal to side control.
Guard pass (clearing hip line, holding side control for 3 sec).
4 Points
Mount position (knees below armpit line, 3 sec hold).
Back control with hooks + arms secured (3 sec hold).
Tie Scores
The athlete who has the least amount of Penalties wins the match.
The athlete with the highest point value wins the match.
(Example: Red has 4 points [4 Back Control] and Blue has 4 points [2 Takedown, 2 Knee on Belly]. Red wins because his point value for 4 points was greater than Blue. )
Last to Score The last athlete to score wins the match.
Penalties
Passivity/Stalling:
Verbal warning → caution after 20 sec.
Each caution = 1 point to opponent.
4 cautions = disqualification.
Illegal moves: Also accrue cautions (combine with stalling cautions).
Match Flow (Referee/Operations)
Check athletes’ division eligibility (skill, GPA ≥ 2.0, etc.).
Start match with timekeeper tracking regulation time.
Award points for positions after 3 sec of control.
Track cautions for stalling, passivity, and illegal actions.
Stop match if submission, injury, or technical superiority occurs.
If time expires → highest points wins.
If tied → follow overtime procedure.
Team Scoring Breakdown
Positive Team Points
Individual Match Wins: Each victory (by submission, points, or technical superiority) contributes to the team’s overall score.
Advancing in Tournament Brackets: Winning athletes progress and add points toward team totals (exact scoring structure may depend on the event format, e.g., duals vs. open tournament).
Responsibility of Coaches
Coaches are responsible for:
Verifying correct division entry for each athlete.
Ensuring academic eligibility (minimum 2.0 GPA).
Maintaining sportsmanship (team penalties can extend to coaches).
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