Caged Aggression in MMA: An In-Depth Explanation

Mixed martial arts (MMA), often referred to as "cage fighting" particularly in the US, has evolved significantly since its early days. This evolution is marked by the development of rule sets that balance aggressive combat with fighter safety. The sport's association with the UFC's octagonal cage has solidified its image, but the essence of MMA lies in its blend of various martial arts disciplines and the strategic use of the fighting area.

Evolution of MMA Rules

Since the early days of Vale Tudo, most rule sets for mixed martial arts (MMA) competitions have evolved. Many different rulesets were created as a result of health, legal, and moral concerns, which give different countries and promotions very different tactics and strategies. Similarly, shoot wrestling organizations, such as Shooto, expanded their rulesets to integrate elements of Vale Tudo into their sport.

The Unified Rules of Mixed Martial Arts are the most prevalent rule set in the world being used currently. All state athletic commissions in the United States that regulate MMA have adopted them, and they are used most notably in the Ultimate Fighting Championship. The Unified Rules are the de facto rules for MMA in the United States and have been adopted by other promotions and jurisdictions worldwide.

Key Motivations Behind Rule Changes

The evolution of MMA rules was driven by several key factors:

• Protection of the health of the fighters: This goal was partially motivated to clear the stigma of "barbaric, no rules, fighting-to-the-death" matches that MMA obtained because of its Vale Tudo and no holds barred roots.
• Weight classes: Weight classes emerged when knowledge about submission holds spread.
• Prohibition of Headbutts: Headbutts were prohibited because it was a technique that required little effort and could quickly turn the match into a bloody mess. Headbutting was common among wrestlers because their skill in takedowns allowed them to quickly transfer bouts to the ground where they could assault opponents with headbutts while not being required to alter their position.
• Gloves: Small, open-finger gloves were introduced to protect fists in punches while still allowing for effective grappling. Gloves were first mandatory in Japan's Shooto league, but are now mandatory in matches for nearly every promotion. Although some fighters may have well conditioned fists, others may not. The small bones in an unprotected and unconditioned fist are prone to break when it hits a torso or forehead with power. MMA rule-sets require the use of small open finger gloves (4-6 oz).
• Time limits: Time limits were established to avoid long fights on the ground with little perceivable action. No time limit matches also complicated the airing of live events.

The Unified Rules of MMA

In April 2000, the California State Athletic Commission (CSAC) voted unanimously in favor of regulations that later became the foundation for the Unified Rules of Mixed Martial Arts. In September 2000, the New Jersey State Athletic Control Board (NJSACB) began to allow MMA promoters to conduct events in New Jersey. On April 3, 2001, the NJSACB held a meeting to discuss the regulation of MMA events. This meeting attempted to unify the myriad of rules and regulations which had been utilized by the different MMA organizations. At this meeting, the proposed uniform rules were agreed upon by the NJSACB, several other regulatory bodies, numerous promoters of MMA events and other interested parties in attendance.

The rules adopted by the NJSACB have become the de facto standard set of rules for professional MMA across North America. All state, provincial, & municipal athletic commissions that regulate MMA have assimilated these rules into their existing unarmed combat competition rules and statutes. On July 30, 2009, a motion was made at the annual meeting of the Association of Boxing Commissions to adopt these rules as the "Unified Rules of Mixed Martial Arts".

Key Aspects of the Unified Rules

• Round Duration: Every round is five minutes in duration with a one-minute rest period in-between rounds.
• Attire: All competitors must fight in approved shorts, without shoes or any other sort of foot padding. Shirts (except in women categories), gis or long pants (including gi pants) are not allowed.
• Gloves: Fighters must use approved light gloves (4-6 ounces) that allow fingers to grab.
• Scoring: The ten-point must system is used for all fights. Three judges score each round with ten points to the winner and nine points or fewer to the other fighter. In New Jersey, the fewest points a fighter can receive is 7. If the round is even, both fighters receive ten points.

The Association of Boxing Commissions has published a guideline of what judges in the US should consider most when scoring a round. "Effective striking/grappling" (defined as legal strikes that inflict more damage on one fighter in that round, as well as successful takedowns, reversals, and submission attempts) is seen as the primary criterion, with judges also asked to take each round on its own merits rather than consider cumulative impact of strikes. "Effective aggression" (where judges consider who made more of an effort to finish the fight in that round) is a secondary criterion, followed by cage generalship and dictating the pace of the fight.

When a foul is charged, the referee in their discretion may deduct one or more points as a penalty. If a foul incapacitates a fighter, then the match may end in a disqualification if the foul was intentional, or a "no contest" if unintentional.

Immediately following a contest, each contestant shall be given a medical examination by a physician appointed by the commission. In order to detect the presence of any prohibited substance, a contestant shall submit to any pre-contest or post-contest urinalysis or other laboratory procedure that is ordered by the physician appointed by the commission. Collection of specimens for urinalysis testing shall be conducted or supervised by a commission official.

Alternative Rule Sets

While the Unified Rules are widely adopted, other organizations have their own sets of regulations:

• PRIDE: The first round is ten minutes in duration and the second and third rounds are five minutes in duration. If the match reaches its time limit then the outcome of the bout is determined by the three judges. The fight is scored in its entirety and not round-by-round. After the conclusion of the bout, each judge must decide a winner. Matches cannot end in a draw. In the event that a fighter is injured by illegal actions, then at the discretion of the referee and ring doctor, the round is resumed after enough time has been given for the fighter to recover. If both fighters are on the verge of falling out of the ring or become entangled in the ropes, the referee will stop the action. The fighters must immediately stop their movements and will then be repositioned in the center of the ring in the same position. If fighters commit the following actions, they shall be given a yellow card by officials: Stalling or failure to initiate any offensive attack, making no attempt to finalize the match or damage the opponent, and holding the opponent's body with the arms and legs to produce a stalemate. Bushido bouts consist of two rounds; the first lasting ten minutes and the second lasting five. In full PRIDE rules, a total of three yellow cards results in a red card (disqualification).
• ONE Championship: ONE Championship MMA rule set uses the Global MMA Rule Set which blends a combination of Best Practices from Asian and Non-Asian Rules. Unlike the UFC, ONE does not allow weight cutting, ONE will assign an athlete their weight class based on their "walking weight" (based on the daily training weight). An athlete's "walking weight" is monitored regularly throughout the time an athlete is with contracted to ONE. Upon arrival at the start of event week athletes' weights will be checked. Every athlete must be within the restrictions of the contracted weight class or catchweight limit. During event week, all athletes participate in a combined weigh-in and hydration test. Every athlete must submit a urine sample for a hydration check. If the athlete passes this test, he or she can weigh-in. On event day, those athletes who made weight and passed the hydration test on the previous day do not have to weigh-in. If an athlete fails the hydration test on event day, he or she is not permitted to compete. Should an athlete pass the hydration test but weigh-in above the restrictions of the contracted weight class, then the bout may take place at a catchweight if the athlete is within 5 percent of their opponent's official weight, and if the opponent agrees to competing at this catchweight. Post-bout weight may not exceed 5 percent over the weight class or catchweight limit. Third offense - athlete will be penalized 50 percent of their purse. The referee may choose to issue Cautions, Warnings, Yellow Cards or Disqualifications based on the nature, severity, and repetition of the fouling behavior. When the action slows in the standing position, the referee will give the command "action". When the action slows on the ground, the referee will give the commands "improve your position" or "work to finish". If the action has not increased, the referee may stand the athletes or penalize with a yellow card. If a yellow card is displayed, the bout will resume from the standing position. Cageside judges may display a red or blue marker as a signal to the referee and cornermen that the athlete from the corner displayed is stalling. A caution is given in the event of a minor violation. In the event of repeated or a more significant violation, the referee will issue an official warning to the fighter. Any flagrant disregard for the rules or stalling, may result in a yellow card. A yellow card will result in a 10% deduction in the athlete's prize money (purse) and may factor in the judges' decision. Each yellow card is a successive 10% deduction from the athlete's earnings. At the referee's discretion an athlete may be disqualified based on repetitive or severe fouling. In the event that a bout lasts the rounds, the decision for winner will go to the judges score. The scoring in ONE is significantly different to that of the Unified Rules in that matches are scored in their entirety, and not round-by-round.
• RIZIN Fighting Federation: RIZIN Fighting Federation uses a ruleset largely similar to that of PRIDE's, which is appropriate given the involvement of longtime Japanese MMA promoter Nobuyuki Sakakibara in both promotions. Men's fights in RIZIN are either two rounds with Round 1 lasting 10 minutes and Round 2 lasting 5 minutes, or 3x5 minute rounds. Championship fights in RIZIN are 3x5 minute rounds, as are all women's MMA matches, and all matches are held in a ring in order to allow for both MMA and kickboxing fights to be held on the same card. Judging is done based on the entirety of a fight and the criteria goes damage/effective aggression, effort to finish the fight, and ring generalship, in that order. Soccer kicks and knees to the head of a grounded opponent are both legal. Uses A, B, and C levels. In case of a knockdown (when any part of a competitor's body touches the mat solely as the result of a strike) the referee will perform a 10-count. The competitor has until the count of 10 to return to a standing position. Three knock downs in a single round will end the bout. Does not use judges. Prohibits elbow strikes to the head, kicking by a fighter in the standing position to the face and head of a fighter in the ground position (When both fighters are in the ground position, kicking to the face and head of the opponent fighter is allowed). Knee kicking to the face and head of a fighter in the state of any ground position including 4-point position etc.

Cage vs. Ring: Strategic Implications

In Japan, Brazil and some European countries such as the Netherlands an area similar to a standard boxing ring is used, but with tighter ropes and sometimes a barrier underneath the lowest rope to keep grappling athletes from rolling out of the ring. The choice of cage or ring is more than aesthetic, however, as it impacts the type of strategies that a fighter can implement.

For example, a popular and effective strategy in a cage is to pin an opponent into the area where the fence meets the mat, and then pummel him with strikes. Randy Couture is well known for this tactic. Defensively, the cage is often used as support to fend off take-down attempts, or as a support to get from underneath an opponent (known as "walking up the cage"). These positions are not possible in a roped ring.

On the other hand, the roped ring can result in entangled limbs and fighters falling through the ropes, requiring the referee to sometimes stop the fight and reposition the fighters in the center, as well as carrying the possibility for either fighter to sustain an injury. In either a cage or ring, a fighter is not allowed to grab the fence or ropes.

Fighter Safety and Conduct

Competitors shall wear UWW approved head guards, gloves, knee pads and shin-instep guards of their assigned red or blue colour. They shall also wear personal groin and mouth guards. Competitors may wear a chest protector. Protection gear may not contain any metal part whatsoever.

MMA has a reputation of a dangerous, bloodthirsty spectacle, and while clearly risky - there have been three confirmed fatalities - the sport is now considered by many to be no more dangerous than boxing. And like boxing, its advocates argue that it promotes discipline and is a good way for young people to channel their aggression.

O'Donnell said: "Too many young men are walking around full of aggression and anger. The whole world is pressurised, and this is a release. If you had a gym like this [the Diesel gym in east London] on every estate, there'd be a lot less crime."

Training and Fitness

The multi-disciplinary nature of MMA makes it a uniquely difficult sport. The image may be of a fight-to-the-death free-for-all, but it is actually incredibly skillful, and successful fighters need to be extremely disciplined with their training. If you too want to be a MMA hero, or if you just want a body like one, there are no shortcuts.

Tommy Gunn, an undefeated cage fighter turned trainer, told me where to start. "Three words: cardio, cardio, cardio", he said. Excellent cardiovascular fitness is mandatory - without it, you'll never stay the course. Rounds typically last five minutes with a one-minute break in between. That's two agonizing minutes longer than a typical round of boxing, although the fight itself is much shorter - generally three or five rounds in total.

After endurance, strength will be your most important physical attribute inside the cage. Perhaps surprisingly, weightlifting isn't a big part of the MMA scene. The emphasis is very much on 'real-world' training and controlling your own body. So to build strength, perform lots of squats, sit-ups and press-ups. More dynamic exercises include throwing yourself to the ground (sprawling) then springing up into a star jump; leap-frogging a partner then turning and going through their legs; and dragging yourself along the ground with your arms.

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