RESUME OF THE GENERAL RULES

The ADCC Submission Fighting tournements are competitions open to practitioners and athlets coming from any grappling/wrestling discipline, martial art, team or Federation, as long as they know the  rules and the regulation applied (Official Abu Dhabi Championship Rules).

The fighting area must be a 8 m x 8 m tatame, at least, where the only presences admitted are the ADCC referees and the fighting athlets with one respective coach waiting at the corner: other athlets preparing for the next matches are not allowed to stopover in the area, even in the case of warming-up, but they could stay in the area appropriately reserved to them (warming up area or in the stand seats). 

The two athlets enter into the tatami reaching the center of the fighting area, the first one called has to wear the related colored wrist-band: after the salutation to each other and to the referee, they can start the fighting at the referee “FIGHT!” call.

The following protections are admitted but not mandatory: mouthpiece, groin protection, ear protection, elbow or knee padded protection without steel or plastic rigid parts and wrestling shoes. GI, kimono, T-shirts and rashguard are optional.

It is not allowed to wear metal objects of any nature.

If the fighters go out of the fighting area, the referee will call "STOP!" and the fight will restart  in the center of the mat, with the fighters in the same position they were when they left the mat or when they were stopped. If the fighters were standing, they will start again standing facing each other in the center of the fighting area.

The competion has always to be based on sportsmenship and fairplay and all the fighters must know and understand that:   

COMPETITION

Direct elimination tournement. If the winner of the match decides not to continue, he will be replaced by his losing opponent.

POINTS

Each position must be established for three seconds (3) in order for points to be awarded. When changing multiple positions, points will be awarded only for the position that has been established for three (3) seconds and that has not been countered by neutral positions or by opponent defense lasting at least 3 seconds. The 3 seconds rule is also applied to define if fighters position is standing or on the ground.

PENALTIES

• Walking back avoiding to engage the fight, passivity in standing or ground fighting :

  • The passive fighter will be warned twice and then he will be punished for passivity : - 1 point;

  • After the third warning, the penalty will be applied at each warning : - 1 point;

• When a fighter disengages from contact and start backing up avoiding to fight and to clinch : - 1 point;

• When a fighter from standing pull down his opponent in his guard: - 1 point;

• When a fighter voluntarely jumps into the guard or goes from the standing position to a non standing position by any means and remains down for three seconds (3) or more : - 1 point .

If any coach or competitor disrespects, threatens or abuses the referee, his staff and/or other competitors, in any shape or form, they will be immediately disqualified from the competition together with the team.  According to the gravity of the situation the competitor and/or the coach and/or the team will be banned from events organized by ADCC Circuit and its partners.

WAYS TO WIN

• Submission: if one competitor gives up by tapping the leg, the arm or verbally;

• Points: by score points at the end of the fighting time;

• Referee decision:

  • if the referee feels one competitor is unable to defend himself or to give up by tapping the mat, the referee will declare the winner. These rules will be applied even if the referee realizes that one competitor’s life is in danger;

  • if one fighter breaks the rules twice, he will be disqualified by the referee. In case of uncorrect or extremely violent behaviours the referee can immediately disqualify the athlet;

  • injury or bleeding cut: the referee will stop the match for maximum five minutes (5) to permit the medical treatments and eventually the mat cleaning. If the injured fighter is not able to continue the fight, the opponent will be declared winner. If one fighter intentionally hurts the opponent, he will be immediately disqualified.

COMPETITORS DIVISION

MEN CLASS A Champions:     professional and advanced fighters, over 18 years-old

MEN CLASS B Beginners:       amateur fighters, over 18 years-old

MEN JUNIORES (under 18):   under 18 years-old fighters

WOMEN:  

WEIGHT CATHEGORIES

MEN CLASS A Champions:     Kg    -66   -77   -88   +88

MEN CLASS B Beginners:       Kg    -65   -70   -76   -83   -91   +91

WOMEN:                                 Kg    -60   +60

MEN JUNIORES (under 18):   Kg    -60   +60

FIGHTING TIME LIMITS

MEN CLASS A Champions:                          8 min (first 4 minutes without points)

MEN CLASS B Beginners and WOMEN:       5 min (first 2 minutes without points)

MEN JUNIORES (under 18):                         5 min (first 2 minutes without points)

In the finals of each division, for the first part of the match without points, only negative points will be awarded.

One 2 minutes extra round is applied in the case of a draw, negative and positive points are called since the beginning of fight.

The winner will be declared by referee decision in the case of a draw at the end of the extra round; the referees can call a second extra round just in case the judgment of the result is still draw and doubtful.  

CHAMPIONS DIVISION - LEGAL TECNIQUES

• Any kind of choke (except for using the hand to close the wind pipe);

• Any armbar, shoulder lock, elbow lock or wrist lock;

• Any leg bar, leglock lock, knee lock, foot lock or ankle lock (heel hook allowed).

CHAMPIONS DIVISION - ILLEGAL TECNIQUES

• No striking/kicking of any kind;

• No eye gouging or fish hooking;

• No grabbing the ears;

• No hair pulling;

• No biting;

• No thumbing, scratching and pinching;

• No finger or toe holds (at least 4 fingers has to be controlled);

• No touching or hitting the groin area;

• No slippery substances allowed on body or clothing;

• No Full Nelson, no Crucifix lock standing or on the round, no Cross face guillotine head lock. Half Nelson is allowed because the fighter can move one side of the body and defending himself;

• Intentionally takedown landing on the head or on the neck;

• No use of  T-shirts or shorts to hold the opponent is allowed;

• No intentionally slam the opponent to open his guard (unjustified slam). Only justified slam is allowed (for defending a submission attempt).

BEGINNERS, WOMEN and JUNIORES - LEGAL TECNIQUES

• Any kind of choke (except for using the hand to close the wind pipe);

• Any armbar, shoulder lock, elbow lock or wrist lock;

• Any legbar and the ankle lock (applied with hands control in figure four position). Heel hook NOT allowed.

BEGINNERS, WOMEN and JUNIORES - ILLEGAL TECNIQUES

• No neck lock or neck crank of any kind;

• No heel hook. No knee lock (twisting motion not allowed);

• No slam action of any kind (justidied and unjustified slam are both NOT allowed);

• No takedown the opponent holding only his head or by twisting his head;

• No striking/kicking of any kind;

• No eye gouging or fish hooking;

• No grabbing the ears;

• No hair pulling;

• No biting;

• No thumbing, scratching and pinching;

• No finger or toe holds (at least 4 fingers has to be controlled);

• No touching or hitting the groin area;

• No slippery substances allowed on body or clothing;

• Not Allowed and Danger: No Full Nelson, no Crucifix lock standing or on the round, no Cross face guillotine head lock. Half Nelson is allowed because the fighter can move one side of the body and defending himself;

• No intentional take down the opponent, landing him on the head or on the neck;

• No use of  T-shirts or shorts to hold the opponent is allowed; 

Fighters and trainers must have full knowledge and comprehension of the rules.

During the competition the video proof is not admitted and referees don't have to give technical explanations about rules. 

Referees’ decisions/judging cannot be overruled during the competition; trainers and/or fighters have the right to file a precise written claim within 48 hours from the end of the competition.