CS.C KNOWLEDGE

UNDERSTAND THE FIGHT.

Learn more about rules, scoring, weight classes, organizations and other foundations of combat sports.

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BASICS

The essentials for understanding combat sports events and results.

MMA, boxing, kickboxing, Muay Thai and bare knuckle

Boxing permits punches only. Kickboxing adds kicks and usually knees, while Muay Thai also uses elbows and extended clinching. MMA connects stand-up and ground fighting. Bare knuckle is gloveless boxing under a regulated ruleset.

How is a fight card structured?

A fight card is the complete list of bouts at an event. Early prelims open the show, followed by prelims and the main card. The co-main event is the penultimate featured bout and the main event closes the event.

KO, TKO, submissions and decisions

A KO ends the bout when an athlete can no longer defend after legal impact. A TKO is a referee, doctor or corner stoppage. A submission follows a tap, a decision follows the judges’ scores, and a no contest records no winner.

MMA

Rules, scoring and weight classes in mixed martial arts.

MMA rules explained

Professional MMA allows striking, kicks, takedowns and submissions. Most bouts use three five-minute rounds and championship bouts use five. Eye gouging, biting, attacks to the spine or back of the head and manipulation of small joints are among the core fouls.

How is an MMA fight scored?

Under the Unified Rules, the winner of a round receives ten points and the loser nine or fewer. Effective striking and grappling come first. Aggressiveness and control are only considered when the effective offense is even.

MMA weight classes compared

The familiar Unified Rules limits run from strawweight to heavyweight. UFC, OKTAGON and PFL select different classes from that framework. ONE uses the same names ten pounds higher and combines weigh-ins with hydration testing.

BOXING

Competition rules and divisions in boxing.

Boxing rules in Germany: the DBV system explained

Olympic-style boxing in Germany is governed by the German Boxing Federation’s competition rules. The 2025 version applies through October 31, 2026, before a completely rewritten 108-section rulebook takes effect on November 1.

Boxing weight classes: every limit explained

Seventeen divisions from minimumweight to heavyweight form the common professional boxing standard. Limits are defined in pounds. WBC also recognizes bridgerweight up to 224 pounds, while the other major world bodies do not consistently do so.