<?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>
<regulation prefix="Regulation" num=".12" citation="COMAR 09.14.18.12" title_num="09" subtitle_num="14" chapter_num="18" heading="Fouls.">
  <paragraph num="A.">
    <text>The following acts are prohibited:</text>
    <paragraph num="(1)">
      <text>Head butts;</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(2)">
      <text>Groin strikes;</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(3)">
      <text>Thumbing or eye gouging;</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(4)">
      <text>Biting;</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(5)">
      <text>Spiting at the opponent;</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(6)">
      <text>Hair pulling;</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(7)">
      <text>Attacks to the throat;</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(8)">
      <text>Striking your opponent while grounded;</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(9)">
      <text>Strikes directed to the back of the head or the spine;</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(10)">
      <text>Tripping or sweeping an opponent;</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(11)">
      <text>Hip, shoulder, or leg throws;</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(12)">
      <text>Grasping the opponent’s lower back while also forcing an opponent's spine to hyperextend;</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(13)">
      <text>Intentionally falling on a downed opponent, pressing elbow or knee upon the opponent;</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(14)">
      <text>Wrestling, back or arm locks or any similar judo or wrestling hold;</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(15)">
      <text>Attempting to pile-drive an opponent's head into the canvas;</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(16)">
      <text>Catching an opponent's kick and pushing an opponent for more than one step in any direction without attempting to deliver an attacking technique;</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(17)">
      <text>If a fighter’s leg is caught while kicking, the opponent may not intentionally ground themselves;</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(18)">
      <text>Striking a downed fighter or fighter entangled in the ropes;</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(19)">
      <text>Failure to obey the referee’s commands;</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(20)">
      <text>Striking on a break;</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(21)">
      <text>Striking after a bell;</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(22)">
      <text>Holding the ropes/cage or using the ropes/cage while striking or clinching;</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(23)">
      <text>Holding the opponent’s shorts;</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(24)">
      <text>Timidity or causing intentional delays in the action;</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(25)">
      <text>Unsportsmanlike behavior including use of abusive language and/or gestures; and</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(26)">
      <text>Attacking an opponent who is under the care of the referee.</text>
    </paragraph>
  </paragraph>
  <paragraph num="B.">
    <text>Time Considerations for Fouls.</text>
    <paragraph num="(1)">
      <text>Low Blow.</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>A fighter who has been struck with a low blow as called by the referee, is allowed up to 5 minutes to recover from the foul, as long as, in the ringside physician’s opinion, the fighter may possibly continue on in the contest.</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>If the fighter states that they can continue before the 5 minutes of time have expired, the referee shall restart the fight as soon as practical.</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(c)">
        <text>If the fighter goes over the 5 minutes time allotment, the fight cannot be restarted and the contest must come to an end with the outcome determined by how the low blow occurred the round, and time in which the fight was stopped.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(2)">
      <text>Eye Poke.</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>A fighter, who has received an eye poke as called by the referee, is allowed up to 5 minutes to recover from the foul as long as the ringside physician confirms the fighter may possibly continue in the contest once recovered.</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>If the fighter states that they can see and wishes to continue before the 5 minutes of time have expired, and confirmed by the ringside physician, the referee shall restart the fight as soon as practical.</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(c)">
        <text>If the fighter goes over the 5 minutes time allotment, the fight cannot be restarted and the contest must come to an end with the outcome determined by how the eye poke occurred, the round, and time in which the fight was stopped.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
  </paragraph>
  <paragraph num="C.">
    <text>Intentional Fouls.</text>
    <paragraph num="(1)">
      <text>If an intentional foul causes an injury, and the injury is severe enough to terminate the bout immediately, the fighter causing the injury shall lose by disqualification.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(2)">
      <text>If an intentional foul causes an injury and the bout is allowed to continue, the referee shall notify the authorities and deduct two points from the fighter who caused the foul. Point deductions for intentional fouls will be mandatory.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(3)">
      <text>If an injury caused by an intentional foul results in the contest being stopped in any round after half of the scheduled rounds have been completed, by either another legal or illegal strike, the judges will score the incomplete round and:</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>If the injured fighter is ahead on the scorecards, he shall be declared the winner by a Technical Decision; or</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>If the injured fighter is behind or even on the scorecards, the contest shall be declared a Technical Draw.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(4)">
      <text>If a fighter injures themselves while attempting to intentionally foul their opponent, but is able to continue fighting, the referee shall take no action and treat the injury as if produced by a fair blow. If the referee determined the fighter who injured themselves is unable to continue, that fighter will lose by Technical Knockout/Knockout.</text>
    </paragraph>
  </paragraph>
  <paragraph num="D.">
    <text>Accidental Fouls.</text>
    <paragraph num="(1)">
      <text>If an accidental foul causes an injury severe enough for the referee to terminate the bout immediately, the bout will result in either a No Contest or Disqualification if stopped before:</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>A completed 2 rounds of a scheduled 3 round bout; or</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>A completed 3 rounds of a scheduled 5 round bout.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(2)">
      <text>If an accidental foul causes an injury severe enough for the referee to terminate the bout, the bout will result in a Technical Decision awarded to the fighter who is ahead on the score cards at the time the bout is stopped immediately, after:</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>A completed 2 rounds of a scheduled 3 round bout; or</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>A completed 3 rounds of a scheduled 5 round bout.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(3)">
      <text>If a fighter, during the course of a round, visibly loses control of bodily function (vomit, urine, feces), the fight shall be stopped by the referee and the fighter shall lose the contest by a Technical Knockout (TKO) due to Medical Stoppage.</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>In the event a loss of bodily function occurs in the rest period between rounds, the ringside physician shall be called in to evaluate if the fighter can continue. If the fighter is not cleared by the ringside physician to continue, that fighter shall lose by a Technical Knockout (TKO) due to Medical Stoppage</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>If fecal matter becomes apparent at any time, the contest shall be halted by the referee, and the offending fighter shall lose by a Technical Knockout (TKO) due to Medical Stoppage.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
  </paragraph>
</regulation>