GPUK’s existing adult amateur format: 3 rounds of 3 minutes, with 1 minute between rounds. Championship format: 5 rounds of 3 minutes, with 1 minute between rounds.

Junior and C-class round lengths must be confirmed for the particular age group and bout. Do not assume the adult format applies.

For separately agreed professional bouts, the existing published format is 3 rounds of 5 minutes, or 5 rounds of 5 minutes for a championship, with 1 minute between rounds. A class on this page is advanced amateur, not automatic professional status.

Results may include submission, verbal submission, referee stoppage, corner stoppage, knockout where permitted by the class, or a judges’ decision. Three judges score a bout that goes the distance.

The existing GPUK judging priorities, in descending order, are: near knockout or submission; effective damage; striking combinations and cage generalship, including ground control and superior positioning; earned takedowns or takedown defence. Illegal head strikes in C class can never score.

The written Bout Confirmation and briefing must specify the format, scoring procedure and applicable rules before acceptance.

Stop immediately when the referee stops the action, a fighter taps or verbally submits, or the round ends.

The referee can pause or stop a bout when a fighter is injured, unable to defend intelligently or in danger. Follow the referee’s and medical team’s instructions.

Corner stoppage — all classes: a coach or cornerman may withdraw their own fighter whenever they believe it is unsafe for that fighter to continue, during a round or between rounds. They may throw in the towel and must clearly alert the referee or cageside official that they are retiring their fighter.

Do not wait for severe damage. A corner stoppage is intended to prevent further harm. The referee formally stops the contest; this is a withdrawal from the bout, not a recovery timeout. Cornermen must not enter the cage during live action.

Illegal-blow recovery — all classes: if a fighter cannot continue immediately after an illegal blow, including a groin strike or eye poke, they are allowed up to five minutes for recovery and assessment.

The bout may restart only when the referee and medical team clear the fighter to continue. The five-minute allowance does not override a medical stoppage. If the fighter cannot continue safely, the bout is stopped and officials determine the result under the applicable bout rules.

• No headbutting — standing or on the ground.
• No spiking: do not drive an opponent head- or neck-first into the canvas. This rule is intended to reduce the risk of head and neck injury.
• No elbows to the head. Body elbows are allowed in A and B class only; no elbows are allowed in C class.
• No knees to the head.
• No eye gouging, biting, spitting, fish-hooking or hair pulling.
• No punches or other strikes to the back of the head. No strikes to the spine. No groin strikes or throat attacks.
• No grabbing the throat or windpipe: Directly grabbing, pinching, squeezing or pulling the trachea (windpipe) with the hand, fingers or thumb is prohibited in every class. Neck control and chokes permitted by the class rules are allowed, without directly gripping the windpipe. Neck cranks and spinal twisting remain prohibited.
• No small-joint manipulation.
• No twisting ankle or leg locks: includes figure-four ankle locks, heel hooks and toe holds. Foot locks and leg locks are not permitted in C class at any age. In A and B class, straight Achilles locks only are allowed for fighters aged 16 and over. Figure-four locks and finger locks are prohibited, as is reaping or twisting the knee or hip joint.
• No leg reaping: includes reaping that twists or torques the knee or hip joint. This applies in A, B and C class.
• No neck cranks, spinal locks or twisting of the spine. Guillotines must not become neck cranks.
• No grabbing the cage or an opponent’s gloves or equipment to gain an advantage.
• No attacks during a break, after the bell or after a stoppage.
• No corner interference or deliberate refusal to follow the referee’s instructions. Clearly signalling a corner stoppage to retire your own fighter is permitted.

The referee may warn, deduct points, stop the bout or disqualify a fighter, depending on the foul and its consequences.

Be courteous to everyone in the building. Fighters, coaches and corners must behave respectfully throughout the event: before their bout, while waiting to compete, during the contest and afterwards.

• No swearing or verbal abuse. Do not swear at, threaten, insult or abuse officials, referees, judges, medical personnel, security, venue staff, anyone working for or representing Gladiator Promotions UK, opponents, coaches or spectators.
• No spitting.
• No indecent behaviour or exposure. This includes mooning, streaking and obscene gestures.
• No abusive, threatening or discriminatory language or behaviour. No abusive taunting.
• Follow officials’ instructions, wait for your turn to compete and keep all fighting inside the authorised bout. During the bout, no foul language, aggressive verbal abuse or arguing with an opponent. Do not talk to, shout at or swear at the crowd.

Once the bout starts, compete within the rules and stop immediately when instructed. Courtesy and respect still apply during the contest.

Under the existing GPUK grounded-opponent definition, a fighter is grounded when any part of their body other than the soles of their feet touches the canvas. That includes a hand, knee, hip or torso. The referee applies this definition.

All submissions are permitted subject to the under-16 restriction below, except spinal locks, twisting ankle or leg locks, and leg reaping. The other listed fouls still apply, including the bans on neck cranks and small-joint manipulation. Foot locks and leg locks are not permitted in C class at any age. In A and B class, straight Achilles locks only are allowed for fighters aged 16 and over. Figure-four locks and finger locks are prohibited, as is reaping or twisting the knee or hip joint. Twisting ankle or leg locks and leg reaping are prohibited in every class. Spiking an opponent head- or neck-first into the canvas is prohibited in every class.

Foot locks and leg locks are not permitted in C class at any age. In A and B class, straight Achilles locks only are allowed for fighters aged 16 and over. Figure-four locks and finger locks are prohibited, as is reaping or twisting the knee or hip joint. No twisting ankle or leg locks: this includes figure-four ankle locks, heel hooks and toe holds. No leg reaping: this includes reaping that twists or torques the knee or hip joint. No spinal locks: this includes neck cranks and twisting the spine. A guillotine must remain a choke and must not become a neck crank.

Why these exclusions? The spinal-lock and neck-crank ban is intended to reduce the risk of neck and spinal injury. The twisting ankle-lock, twisting leg-lock and leg-reaping bans are intended to reduce the risk of injury to the ankles, knees and hips. Straight Achilles foot locks are permitted in A and B only; straight knee bars in A only. C class prohibits every foot lock, knee bar and other leg-lock submission at every age. Under-16s are C class only. The spiking ban is intended to reduce the risk of head and neck injury from being driven into the canvas. These restrictions do not remove all risk from MMA.

All submissions must be released immediately when an opponent taps or verbally submits, the referee stops the action, or the round ends. Read your class panel for ground-striking limits. Junior age-specific submission limits must be confirmed before the bout.

Give accurate age, weight, training history and competition records across all styles. Matchmaking must take age, size, experience and the selected class into account.

Use approved, inspected equipment. B and C class use shin pads; A class does not. The bout information and briefing must state the approved glove specification, other protective equipment, weight, rounds, round length, rest periods and scoring method.

Attend the rules briefing with your coach. Ask the referee about anything you do not understand before the bout starts. Any event-specific variation must be provided in writing and explained before competition.

Participation depends on appropriate medical checks, safe matching, qualified officials and the event’s required approvals. Medical personnel, emergency arrangements and suitable equipment must be in place.

Under-16s are C class only. Ages 16–17 may enter B or C class. A class is 18+. Under-18 participation also requires parent or guardian consent and the appropriate safeguarding arrangements.

C class prohibits all foot locks, knee bars and other leg-lock submissions at every age, including straight Achilles foot locks. Under-16s are C class only. Junior age bands and any further submission limits must be settled before bouts are approved. A class label or signed agreement does not replace those checks.

• Mouthguard and groin guard: full protection must be worn. All equipment must be approved and inspected before the bout.
• Glove weights: professional MMA bouts use 4 oz gloves; amateur MMA bouts use 8 oz gloves. A class here is advanced amateur, so the amateur glove weight applies.
• Hand wraps: only official medical hand-wrap bandage approved by GPUK may be used. No nylon wraps, reusable fabric or material wraps, or gauze. Hand wrapping must be inspected before gloves are fitted.
• Fight shorts: no zips or buttons.
• Female fighters: a sports bra must be worn. Ordinary bras are not permitted. No underwire, metal parts or hard fittings.
• No jewellery or watches: remove earrings, body piercings, rings, necklaces, bracelets, watches and all other jewellery before competing.
• Shin pads: required for B and C class; not worn in A class.

No hair gel, other hair-styling products or makeup. Remove these before the official cage-entry inspection.

No body rubs or moisturisers.

Cleanliness and infection control: fighters must arrive clean and showered and wear clean training and competition kit. Report any rash, skin infection, or suspected infection (including ringworm, impetigo, staph or MRSA) to your coach and GPUK officials before the event. Do not compete while an infection is suspected; medical clearance is required before returning. Do not share towels, razors or personal hygiene items.

Do not apply Vaseline or other petroleum jelly, oil, moisturiser, Muay Thai rub or liniment, or any product that could make the body slippery or irritate or burn an opponent.

Limited exception at the cage entrance: immediately before entry, the cornerman or referee may apply a small amount of petroleum jelly around the eye area. It must not be put into the eyes or applied elsewhere on the body.

Follow the official’s inspection and instructions before entering the cage.

Tell an official immediately if you feel sick or need the toilet. Use the toilet before entering the cage whenever possible. Do not wait until you vomit or lose bladder or bowel control.

Vomiting, urinating or defecating in the cage is not permitted. During a bout, tell the referee so the action can be stopped and you can be escorted out when directed. Do not leave while the bout is still in progress.

If vomiting or loss of bladder or bowel control occurs, the action must stop and the medical team must assess the fighter before any decision about continuing.

Maximum three cornermen per fighter in total. This applies in A, B and C class.

No more than two cornermen may enter the cage between rounds. Follow the officials’ instructions when entering and leaving the cage.

A corner may retire its own fighter to prevent further harm. Throwing in the towel is permitted; clearly alert the referee or cageside official. Do not wait for severe damage, and do not enter the cage during live action. See “Respect the stoppage” above.