The Winter Heat event in Valdosta, GA, on 1/27, will feature a day tournament that is open to all interested in competing. Divisions in the day tournament will include point kickboxing, grappling/submission grappling, and light contact MMA!
For more information on this event, please read the rules document. Please note that all contact/striking in this event will be light - with no intention of injury to opponents. This event is designed for non-fighters, whether they be kids, casual martial arts students, or future fighters.
Those interested in entering for the event need to open the entry form, print and complete. Then, mail the form with a $30 money order to the given address. Please note that entries after January 20th will cost $35.
The evening following the day tournament will be a full MMA card. Please see www.valdostamac.com for more information.
"Time limits: 3 minutes; all are single elimination rounds.
Striking will be continuous with light contact. Referee, judges, tournament coordinator, promoter, or other specified designee shall be empowered to rule regarding contact.
Required equipment shall consist of IMF MMA Sparring Gloves (or similar as approved by tournament coordinator or his designee), Shin Pads, Knee Pads, Mouth guard, & Groin cup of males. Male competitors will be required wear a shirt or rash guard.
Allowed techniques: All strikes allowed by the International Sport Combat Federation Amateur MMA Rules, see www.iscfmma.com. However, all contact will be light, as determined by tournament coordinator or his designee. Competitors not wearing Knee Pads may not use knee strikes at all. No slams or high amplitutude throws will be allowed.
Excessive contact, blind techniques and other violations of rules and procedures will result in a warning and/or disqualification.
Throws, take downs, or trips may be done if the person doing the technique has a part of their body (other than their feet) make contact with the mat before any part of the opponents body lands on the mat.
There will only be one warning given. The second time there is a violation a penalty point will be given to the opponent. The third violation will result in a disqualification.
There will be three judges and one referee.
The three judges shall evaluate the fighters as the match continues. The judges shall select a match winner based on the criteria specified at http://www.iscfmma.com/ISCFRules6.htm .
The referee shall be in charge of keeping order and running the competition area. They shall not participate in any part of the scoring with the exception of issuing point deductions if needed.
Competitors, instructors/coaches, and spectators will obey the referee at all times.
In the event of a non-disqualification stop of a match, points will be tallied
normally as if the match had ran the full time limit. Should the winner be unable to continue to the next round, then the other competitor may continue instead.
If a protest is to be lodged, the appropriate procedure is as follows:
c. The student's instructor/coach will politely approach the referee and briefly describe the problem.
d. The referee will attempt to amicably resolve the situation,
c. If this is not accomplished, the tournament promoter or his designee will be brought in to resolve the matter,
d. Parents and other spectators are not to participate in the dispute resolution procedure. Failure to proceed in accordance with the above mentioned dispute resolution procedure will result in the immediate disqualification of the competitor, in whose name the complaint is made."
No head shots standing or on the ground, full contact otherwise
Shin pads required
Target areas are from neck down
Knees to body/legs allowed, including on the ground
Slams from takedowns allowed, no spiking
No slamming to escape submission
No elbows
No strikes to joints
No striking when you are standing and opponent is grounded, and vice versa
These are GREAT rules, very safe. Injuries very rare.
I've competed in 'semi-contact' and 'point-sparring' karate tournaments and could imagine how you might incorporate takedowns/submissions into them, not sure what it would be like though.
I can't make out the scoring rules from the link - it talks about knockdowns etc
Nice flying armbar... Was it me or did it look like at least the guy in the blue Gi had sandbagged massively, or at least shouldn't have been at the event...
This tournament is not being promoted with the intention of making money from sales of spectator tickets. The intent of this, just like NAGA-type grappling tournaments, is to offer a competitive outlet to those who are not ready for full contact MMA.
The good guys in that vid train out of Warriormac which is where Carlos Newton trains.
So they train and compete in MMA.
The guys in red I think were from Ottawa and uhhh ..don't train so hard.
Anyways unfortunately those who put on Sport Ju Jitsu events in Southern Ontario do so in conjunction with grappling and kids and adult divisions and end up doing too much and subsequently don't organize it so well (sigh)
The point however is that there exists light contact striking and grappling formats such as this and Combat Sambo but they don't call themselves or bill themselves as light contact MMA or misrepresnt themselves in the MA arts hierarchy.