In every game, there are rules to follow. With the modern mixed martial arts, several rules are imposed. Through time, the rules changed significantly ever since the Pankration showed up to Japanese shoot wrestling and up to the UFC. As the sport spread out among spectators and fighters, it was agreed upon that rules must not be to a minimal but to an extent, thus, amendments were made. Some of the main motivators for the changes in rules were due to the protection of the fighter’s health, shedding the image of a barbaric bout and most of all, being recognized and appreciated as a sport.

MMA includes different fighting methods or techniques using several forms of martial arts like judo, taekwondo and even karate. This made the people who are concerned with keeping the participants safe to make additional rules in order to maintain an organized competition that avoids any mishaps. New rules involve weight class introductions which was a significant factor. Some of the rules are as follows:

1. Gloves (open-fingered) – introduced to encourage participants to use their hands to strike another participant so as allowing captivating matches, gloves protect the fists when giving out a punch, and reduce any occurrence of cuts.

2. Time – limit in time were emphasized in order to avoid tenacious and long fights. Limiting the time also gives the competitors the chance to conserve their strength for the following round. Technically, matches that doesn’t have any time limit become dull and seem to complicate the airing of events.

3. Stand-up rule – here, the referee has the capacity to stand the fighters up when it’s becoming as if both of them are already resting on the ground or if they are not perceived to be advancing to any dominant position.

4. Clothes – men are usually required to wear shorts, thus being the only attire permissible. To be able to attain leg flexibility combined with durability, there are now different shorts made for MMA fighting.

The gloves mentioned were introduced by Shooto promotion originally coming from Japan. Its use has become mandatory and were adopted later on by the UFC, developing MMA into a regulated event. In the United States, state boxing and athletic commissions have played a very important role introducing the additional sets of rules for the reason that they envisioned MMA to be more similar to boxing.

Some shows have the capacity to use rules that can become more restrictive out of less or inexperienced fighters battling it out for the first time. Europe and Japan has no regulating power and authority to regulate competitions therefore their fighting organizations have greater liberty in developing rules and structuring the event to a much accepted degree.

One of the major prohibitions in MMA is performing a head butt against an opponent. This was no longer an accepted method because, even if it requires lesser effort, head butts can lead to serious damages most especially to the brain. The notion of head butting was taken from the wrestler’s method of taking down their opponent, assaulting them and making a major finish.

A mixed martial arts match will be announced to be victorious if the judges say so after the time allotted has already relapsed, a signal of stopping the fight was made by the referee or by the events doctor, committing a submission, knockout, or if the corner man of the competitor’s side threw a towel.