UFAF Presents
 

UFAF World Championships

TOURNAMENT RULES
 



Tournament Rules are still being updated for 2024, please check back!!!

 

 

NEW FOR 2024 - UFAF KRAV MAGA Demo Team Competition Rules

Click here for the complete updated 2023 rules for Team Fighting.

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED! - Click here for more info


UFAF World Championships Rules (2023)

Tournament Rules Committee (TRC)

Tournament Director:Chuck Elias
UFAF Board Liaison/Arbitrator:Chip Wright
ITC Event Liaison: Tara Cox
Tournament Committee:John Presti

Tournament Officials and Staff Responsibilities

Director

        •        Oversees the running of the tournament and supervises the integration of all its parts

        •        Liaison to:

                  •        ITC event coordinator

                  •        Judge coordinator

                  •        Volunteer coordinator

                  •        Event security

                  •        Event registration desk

                  •        Venue management and event staff

        •        Sets competition divisions for TRC approval

        •        Determines division ring assignments, and makes any necessary adjustments during tournament

        •        Produces and installs ring signs and corresponding floor charts

        •        Facilitates laying out and rearranging the mats, chairs, and stanchions, as necessary for different events

        •        Leads tournament rules meeting

        •        Orders trophies, medallions, and other awards

        •        Maintains/supplies all necessary paperwork and tournament material

        •        Compiles tournament results for publication by UFAF

Arbitrator

Settles, explains, and handles any complaints or protests that may arise.

Judge Coordinator

Enlists and assigns judges.  Ensures that there are always judges in each ring.

Center Judge

Runs all aspects of competition in the ring.  Thoroughly familiar with rules.  Responsible to see that all other judges are aware and informed when rules applications are necessary during competition.  Directs scorekeepers and timekeepers in the execution of ring logistics (competitors/coaches entering/leaving the ring, etc.).

Judge

Age requirement - 18 years old

Apprentice Judge

Age requirement - 16 years old.  Max one apprentice judge per ring.  May not be center judge.  May be excluded from certain divisions, such as high-ranking divisions, etc.

Scorekeeper/Timekeeper

Each ring shall have one (1) scorekeeper and one (1) timekeeper.

The Scorekeepers and Timekeepers must be eighteen (18) years old or older, or one (1) adult (18+) in combination

with a minor whose actions can be accounted for by the 18+ adult.

Scorekeeper Duties

        •        Sit at a table just outside the ring and on the right hand side of the judges

        •        Wear appropriate identification reflecting official status

        •        Gather and shuffle tournament ID’s from all division players

        •        Draw ID’s one at a time to determine competitors’ order of competition for the division

        •        Record the competitors’ names on the score sheet

        •        Perform a roll call in ensure all competitors are in proper order

        •        Call players “up” and “on deck” before each performance or match

        •        Tally and check the judges’ scores

        •        Announce scores

        •        Work by direction of the center judge to facilitate ring logistics (competitors/coaches entering/leaving the ring, etc.)

Timekeeper Duties

        •        Keep time for all divisions of competition where time is a factor

        •        Sit at a table just outside the ring and on the right hand side of the judges

        •        Wear appropriate identification reflecting official status

Head Statistician

        •        Responsible for Scorekeeper/Timekeeper/Volunteer Staff education and actions during the tournament

        •        Lead Scorekeeper/Timekeeper/Volunteer Staff  clinics each year, one for each day of competition

        •        Assigns scorekeepers, timekeepers, and volunteer staff to rings and other work stations

        •        Working together with center judge or higher tournament officials in hearing and resolving scorekeeping and timekeeping issues at ringside with scorekeepers, timekeepers, judges, competitors, parents, coaches, and school owners

Assistant Statistician

        •        Must be 16 years old or older

        •        Positioned near awards table

        •        Wear appropriate identification

        •        Guide division place winners to the awards table/platform

        •        Announce over the microphone all of the division winners as they approach the awards platform

        •        Organize all completed division score sheets

        •        Complete black belt grand champion paperwork for all black belt first place winners

        •        Collect Norris Cup mailing information from all grand champion winners

Awards Coordinator

        •        Each of the two awards coordinators must be eighteen (18) years old or older, or one (1) adult (18+) in combination with a minor whose actions can be accounted for by the 18+ adult

        •        Positioned next to statistician

        •        Wear appropriate identification

        •        Unbox, sort and arrange awards on the awards table according to division

        •        Exchange division winner coupons from first through third place competitors for the corresponding awards

        •        Guide winners to the awards platform for photos

        •        Maintain adequate supply of competitors medals in each ring

        •        Deliver Awards Dinner awards to Awards Dinner organizers

Runner

        •        Must be 16 years or older

        •        Wear appropriate identification.

        •        Gather and deliver completed division score sheets to statistician

General Rules and Division Information

Pre-registration for the ITC event and tournament is required to compete.  Exceptions to this policy will be rare and truly exceptional, and must be approved by the Tournament Rules Committee.

Divisions are set, governed, and modified by the Tournament Rules Committee.  (Individual committee members recuse themselves from committee decisions in which they have personal interest.) Males will not fight females.  The order of competition, including byes, will be decided ringside by the shuffling and drawing of competitor tournament ID’s by the scorekeeper.

* Youth divisions are formed by age, not weight.  The jiu-jitsu tournament will have its own separate weight divisions.

* All adult fighters (black belt AND under belt) and all jiu-jitsu players must weigh in at ITC event check-in.

Download or Print the PDF of the World Championships Divisions Here


TOURNAMENT FIGHTING RULES (also applies to Team Fighting)

1.        HAVE FUN AND BE SAFE!

2.        Safety Equipment: mouthpiece, groin cup (males), hand, foot, shin guards, and headgear are required.  Foam-dipped type gloves, or other industry standard sparring gloves are required.  No bag gloves.  Cups cannot be worn outside the uniform.  Ringstar boots or shoes are NOT permitted for sparring competition.  If a competitor has wrong or defective gear, they will have two minutes to correct the situation, or face disqualification.

3.        No formal ringside coaching is permitted during fighting competition (except for Grand Championship divisions).  Informal sideline coaching is allowed.

4.        All fights will end after 2 minutes, or when a 5-point spread has been achieved, whichever comes first.  The person with the most points at the end of 2 minutes wins.  If a 5-point spread occurs any time during the 2 minutes, the fight ends.  If there is a tie score at the end of 2 minutes, the match will be determined by “sudden victory” – first competitor to score will win the match.

5.        It takes a majority vote of all judges to earn a point.  Any judge may call “POINT” when he/she sees a point, but ONLY the center judge may call “STOP” or “BREAK” to stop the fight.  The center judge then calls for a score, and all judges must simultaneously call the point (or indicate that they didn’t see the point).

6.        Legal targets are the head, front and side of the torso, and the groin (male and female).  Illegal targets are the throat/neck, back, and legs.  Head kicks are worth two points.  All other scoring techniques are worth one point.  No head kicks to a downed opponent.  For head kicks, a majority of the judges needs to call two points by holding up two fingers in the direction of the competitor that scored.  If not enough judges indicate two points, the competitor may still receive one point, with majority rule, counting each judge’s score (whether one or two points) as one point.

7.        Black belts may use light contact to score to the head, and light or moderate contact to score to body scoring areas.  Under black belts may use light or no contact to headgear scoring areas, including the face, and light contact to body scoring areas.

8.        The front foot may be checked/swept, boot-to-boot.  The attacker may use either the front or rear foot to attack an opponent’s front foot.

9.        After a takedown, there are 3 seconds during which a point can occur.  Either competitor may be scored upon, or score, during this 3-second period.

10.        When a competitor has one foot outside the boundary line, he/she may NOT score, but he/she may be scored upon.

11.        Forced out vs. Running out: A player is not penalized for fighting out, or being forced out, of the ring, but shall be penalized one (1) point for running out to avoid fighting.

12.        The following will not be tolerated and are grounds for immediate disqualification:

        •        Malicious, intentional attack

        •        Repeated illegal contact

        •        Disrespectful conduct

13.        Penalties: Excessive contact, illegal contact, illegal techniques, contact to non-scoring areas, hitting after a call to stop, out of bounds, and unsportsmanlike conduct are subject to penalty points or disqualification by the center judge or with a majority vote by the judges.  Penalty points may be given on the first infraction.

14.        Point and Penalty: When one player earns a point and, on the same call, the opponent incurs a penalty, the first player is issued two points.  A point and a penalty cannot be given to the same player, at the same time.

15.        Grand Championship

        a.        During Grand Champion fights only, a competitor may have a ringside coach.  Coaching is allowed only from coach’s box or designated area.  Coaches in coach’s boxes shall not call or physically signal points for their player during a break for a call in scoring.  Coaches may enter/exit coach’s box at any time during the match, but only one coach can be in the box at a time.  All others must be in a recognized spectator area.  One penalty point will be awarded by Center Judge for each coaching infraction listed here.

        b.        A player or coach can call one (1) timeout per match for up to 10 seconds when play is already stopped.

        c.        A bye will be issued when needed.  Closest weight divisions will fight each other, and the bye(s) will then fight the next closest weight.


TEAM FIGHTING RULES

(Click here for the complete updated rules for Team Fighting)

 

TOURNAMENT KATA (FORMS) RULES

1.        The first three competitors perform their katas and are then called up individually for scoring after the third competitor performs.  The division then proceeds normally with each competitor being scored following his./her performance.

2.        Scoring: Under belts are to be scored between 6.0 and 8.0, with 7.0 considered average.  Black belts are to be scored between 8.0 and 10.0, with 9.0 considered average.  Tenths must be used to help avoid tie scores.  For example, a judge in a division of 6 black belts with similar skills might score them as follows: 8.7, 9.1, 8.9, 9.1, 9.3, and 9.5.  If there are five judges, the high and low scores will be dropped and the remaining scores added together.  The highest total wins.  If there are only three judges all of the scores will be added together.  Ties will be broken by having the competitors perform again.  They may do the same form or another.  If they still tie, each judge will point to the competitor they think should have the higher score in the tie-breaking performance.  For ties between three or more competitors, a second (or more) show of hands may be required for a process of elimination.  Only ties for third, second, and first need to be broken.

3.        Traditional Kata (competitor must comply with the following criteria, or face disqualification)*

        a.        Competitor’s uniform must conform to UFAF traditional uniform standards for each rank, outlined in UFAF Bylaws Article XIII (Official Uniforms) Sections 1, 4, & 5.  Five minutes will be granted to resolve any issue with this standard before the division starts.

        b.        Competitor must, in the judges’ opinion, attempt to display the form’s techniques according to the form’s traditional design, and as shown, described, and illustrated in currently available UFAF training materials (videos).

        c.        Form must be a traditional, unaltered form, recognized by UFAF, and from UFAF’s standardized forms set.  The decision about whether a form qualifies is the judges’, not the competitor’s or spectators’.

* NOTE: Judges will identify and downgrade traditional kata that are in violation of Rule 3 above, according to instructions they will receive at the event. Competitors who are out of traditional UFAF uniform (Rule 3a), or who perform kata that do not match the definitions given in Rules 3b and 3c will be disqualified.

4.        Restarts (applies to traditional, open, and weapons divisions): There are no restarts.

        a.        In weapons divisions, if a competitor drops their weapon they bow out and are finished, and receive the lowest possible score.

        b.        In weapons divisions, if a competitor fumbles their weapon, but it does not fall to the ground, they may finish and be judged like any other performance.

        c.        In any kata division (weapons, open, or tradtional), if a competitor makes an error, they may finish and be judged like any other performance.*

        * Certain errors may result in disqualification from traditional divisions. (See rule 3 above.)

5.        Kata Divisions *

Traditional (White, Gold, Purple, and Orange belts)
Giecho Hyung Il Bu, Giecho Hyung Il Bu Sang Gup, Giecho Hyung Yi Bu, Giecho Hyung Yi Bu Sang Gup, Giecho Hyung Sahm Bu, Pyong An Cho Dan, Pyong An Yi Dan, UFAF 1, UFAF 2

Traditional (Blue and Green belts)
Above list plus: Pyong An Sahm Dan, Pyong An Sa Dan, Pyong An Oh Dan

Traditional (Red belts)
Above lists plus: Bassai

Traditional (Black belts)
Above lists plus: UFAF 3, Kong Sang Koon, Jion

Open (Empty hand)
Anything other than listed above

Weapons
All ranks may enter weapon kata, and may perform a traditional or an innovative weapon form.

* All ranks may compete in both traditional and/or open forms.  They may also compete in weapons.


6.        Grand Championships (Kata)

        a.        There will be five judges.  The high and low scores will be dropped and the remaining scores added together.  The highest total wins.  In the event of a tie, the competitors will perform again.  They may do the same form or another.  If they still tie, the judges will point to the competitor they think should have the higher score.


CNS DEMO TEAM COMPETITION RULES

(See complete UFAF KM Demo Team Competition rules here.)

1.        All teams should portray the martial arts in a positive way, and in a manner respectful to Mr. Norris.

2.        A demo team must consist of a minimum of four UFAF members, no maximum. Demo team members may be any age and rank (white belt or above).  A demo team can consist of members from their own school, or other schools, regions, countries or any other member group within UFAF. Demo team participants will be allowed to compete with one demo team only at the ITC.  Every demo team member must be a registered participant of the ITC. 

3.        Team Captain/Coach is encouraged to pre-register your team online through the ITC/WC shopping cart ahead of the event. Registration at the event will be accepted at the ITC registration desk by Saturday of the event. Registration after close of the registration desk on Saturday will not be accepted.  The cost is $100.00 per team.

4.        Demo teams may wear any combination of the following:

        a.        Traditional unmodified UFAF uniform appropriate to individual rank

        b.        Demo team uniform (can be any color/pattern, can include school logos and/or appropriate text.)

        c.        Team CNS Competition Uniform

        d.        Other costuming that is child and family friendly in both appearance and message.  If in doubt, seek Tournament Rules Committee approval BEFORE performance, and have a backup plan.  Costuming that pushes limits may be denied.  Teams know this in advance.

5.        Music, weapons, and props are optional, and must be supplied by the team.  (UFAF will provide a sound system on which to which electronic devices containing music may be connected.  Team must provide electronic devices (phone, mp3 player, computer, tablet, etc.), cords, adapters, and an operator.  Note that a team may be disqualified for offensive music or unreasonable volume level.  Props should highlight and enhance the technical and artistic elements of the martial arts being displayed, and should not be the primary focus of the performance.  ALL props must be pre-approved by the Tournament Rules Committee.

6.        Demos shall be limited to five (5) minutes.  Start time is indicated by a designated performer or coach raising their hand.  End of performance is when team returns to ready and applause starts.  Time overage will result in scoring penalties of one point per second, beginning at five minutes and one second.

7.        Area available will be 40' x 40' (12.2m x 12.2m) or larger for the large demo team division if needed.

8.        Regional chairs will act as judges.  The demo will be scored in four areas, using a 1 - 10 point system, with 10 being the highest.  The total of the four equally weighted scores will be used to determine the placing.  High and low totals will be thrown out; in the event of a tie they will be added back in.

9.        Areas of scoring:

        a.        difficulty/execution

        b.        choreography/synchronization

        c.        creativity

        d.        overall performance

10.        The first three teams will perform, and then be called up individually for scoring.  Remaining teams will then compete and be scored one at a time.

 

JIU-JITSU COMPETITION RULES
1.        All adult fighters (black belt AND under belt) and all jiu-jitsu players must weigh in at ITC event check-in.

2.        Competitors must wear a regulation jiu-jitsu uniform (any color) and the belt that represents their rank/skill level in jiu-jitsu, NOT the Chuck Norris System.

3.        The jiu-jitsu competition will be conducted under the General Competition Guidelines of the International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation, which may be found at:

        http://ibjjf.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/RulesIBJJF_v4_en-US.pdf

 

(Last Update 6/8/2023)