SHOOTO RULES
(AS ESTABLISHED BY THE INTERNATIONAL SHOOTO COMMISSION)

The following is an abreviated outline of the rules governing Shooto competition. This is a summary of the International Shooto Commission's sixteen page rules document.

EQUIPMENT AND RING ATTIRE:
(1) Mouthguard and Groin protector (for males)

(2) Official Shooto gloves - The laces or straps of the gloves must covered with self-adhesive tape

(3) Boxing or kickboxing trunks, full length tights or athletic shorts

(4) Men may not wear top apparel, women shall wear a short sleeve or sleeveless athletic top

(5) No foot wear or nasal strips

(6) Competitors may wear approved knee pads, or joint sleeves made of nylon or similar material

(7) Hands and ankle wraps must be no more than 1/4 inch thick and approved by the supervisor

(8) Hair must be trimmed and/or pulled back

(9) Finger nails and toe nails must be properly trimmed

(10) Competitors should be neatly shaven with no abrasive facial hair

(11) Hair styling products and cosmetics must be thoroughly washed off

(12) No greases, oils or similar substances may be worn

(13) No metal, plastic or abrasive materials including jewelry may be worn

WEIGHT CLASSIFICATIONS:
(1) Weigh-ins will be conducted within 24 hours of the scheduled event start time, on an approved scale

(2) The weight classes and their maximum allowable weights are as follows:

• Flyweight 52.0 kg 114.6 lbs
• Bantamweight 56.0 kg 123.5 lbs
• Featherweight 60.0 kg 132.3 lbs
• Lightweight 65.0 kg 143.3 lbs
• Welterweight 70.0 kg 154.3 lbs
• Middleweight 76.0 kg 167.5 lbs
• Light Heavyweight 83.0 kg 183.0 lbs
• Cruiserweight 91.0 kg 200.6 lbs
• Heavyweight 110.0 kg 242.5 lbs
• Super Heavyweight

CORNERMEN:
(1) Each competitor is required to have at least one cornerman but no more than three

(2) The one conerman with the white towel will be known as the second, and only he/she may enter the ring during the 1-minute rest period

(3) The second may throw in the white towel to end the bout

(4) Cornermen may have water, bucket(s), a stool, towels, ice, tape, gauze, scissors, cotton swabs and styptic

(5) Cornermen shall manage the corner

(6) Cornermen must remain standing, sitting or kneeling outside of their competitor's designated corner

(7) Cornermen will behave in a professional manner at all times (no pounding on the ring, or yelling obsenities)

STOPPAGES AND RETARTS:
(1) The referee will halt the bout by saying "STOP" and restart the bout by saying "GO"

(2) The bout may be stopped to check a competitor for an apparent injury, replace a mouthguard, fix equipment, to clear competitors of the ropes, or if a dangerous foul has been committed

(3) The bout will be restarted if an injured competitor is cleared to continue, a mouthguard was replaced, equipment was fixed, or competitors were removed from the ropes

(4) If at any time there is an extended lull in the action the referee may restart the bout

KNOCKDOWNS:
(1) A knockdown is when any part of a competitor's body touches the mat solely as the result of a strike

(2) The opponent must stand in a neutral corner

(3) The referee will perform a 10-count. The competitor has until the count of 10 to return to a standing position

(4) There is a mandatory standing 8-count

(5) Three knock downs in a single round will end the bout

(6) The 10-count will continue even if the round has ended

CATCHES:
(1) The referee will declare a "Catch" when a competitor isolates one of his opponent's extremities, secures a recognizable legal submission hold on the isolated extremity, and asserts his/her position while applying pressure to the hold such that it is apparent that a tapout is imminent

(2) Once the "Catch" has been declared the "Caught" competitor may surrender, escape or counter the hold. The referee may terminate the bout if the hold remains secured for a prolonged interval

FAIR AND FOUL MANEUVERS:
(1) Fair maneuvers are:

• closed hand strikes and shoulder butts
• kicks, foot stomps, and knee strikes
• grappling and submission techniques
• throws, sweeps, and takedowns

(2) Foul maneuvers are:

• head-butting
• elbow or forearm strikes
• striking the spine or throat
• twisting or bending fingers or toes
• attacking the groin
• kicking or kneeing the head of an opponent in a downed position
• open hand strikes
• biting or expectorating on an opponent
• eye gouging
• scratching or pulling hair
• putting fingers in opponent's orifices
• poking, pinching, clawing or gouging an opponent with the fingertips, knuckles, chin or elbows
• grabbing and holding the ropes or opponent's attire
• using a foreign object to attack or defend
• intentionally spitting out the mouthguard
• intentionally leaving or pushing the opponent out of the ring
• attacking an opponent in between rounds, under the referee's care, or in a way that is meant to intentionally cause injury (including spiking on the head)
• unsportsmanlike conduct
• blatant disregard for the referee's instructions
• intentionally avoiding contact or stalling

ARBITRATION OF FOULS:
(1) Intentional fouls may result in a 1-point deduction, three of which will result in a disqualification

(2) If the intentionally fouled competitor is unable to continue the fouling competitor will be disqualified

(3) One flagrant foul may result in a disqualification

(4) Unintentional fouls may result in a 1-point deduction, continuous may result in a disqualification

(5) If the unintentionally fouled competitor is unable to continue then a technical decision will be rendered

(6) If the foul is a minor infraction that does not present an immediate danger to either competitor then a verbal warning and any necessary point deductions will be issued without halting the action

(7) If the foul is of a dangerous nature then the referee will halt the bout to assess the condition of the fouled competitor and issue a verbal warning as well as any necessary point deductions

(8) Fouled competitors will be given no more than 5-minutes to recuperate

(9) When holding the ropes or opponent's attire the referee will issue the verbal warning and will swat lightly at the competitor's hand in order to urge him to release the ropes or attire

WAYS TO WIN:
(1) KNOCK-OUT (KO)
(2) TECHNICAL KNOCK-OUT (TKO)
(3) SUBMISSION (SUB)
(4) TECHNICAL SUBMISSION (TSUB)
(5) DECISION (DEC)
(6) TECHNICAL DECISION (TDEC)
(7) DRAW (DRW)
(8) NO CONTEST (NC)
(9) DISQUALIFICATION (DQ)
(10) FORFIETURE (FOR)