SportsMaze

What you can't watch without

The rules you will see every few minutes, in the order you meet them. Each opens on its answer.

B · Beginner · 6 rules · Step 1 of 4

The fight

  1. How does a mixed martial arts fight work?Mixed martial arts lets two fighters strike and grapple, standing or on the ground, inside a cage or a ring.
  2. How long is an MMA fight?A professional round lasts five minutes, with one minute of rest between rounds.

How fights end and how they are scored

  1. What is the difference between a KO and a TKO in MMA?A knockout is called when strikes leave a fighter unable to defend intelligently.
  2. How does a submission work in MMA?A submission ends the fight when a fighter gives up in a hold.
  3. What do unanimous, split and majority decisions mean in MMA?If a fight goes the distance, three judges' scorecards decide it.
  4. How do judges score an MMA round?Judges score each round on the ten-point must system: the winner of the round gets 10 and the loser 9 or fewer.
I · Intermediate · 5 rulesNext: intermediate rules