Washington Administrative Code
Title 36 - Licensing, Department of (Professional Athletics)
Chapter 36-14 - Professional and amateur martial arts
Section 36-14-350 - Time considerations for fouls

(1) A participant who has been struck with a low blow is allowed up to five minutes to recover from the foul as long as in the ringside doctor's opinion the participant may continue in the contest. If the participant states they can continue on before the five minutes of time have expired, the referee shall as soon as practical restart the fight. If the participant goes over the five minute time allotment, the fight cannot be restarted and the contest must come to an end with the outcome determined by the round and time in which the fight was stopped.

(2) If a contest or exhibition of mixed martial arts is stopped because of an accidental foul, the referee shall determine whether the participant who has been fouled can continue or not. If the participant's chance of winning has not been seriously jeopardized as a result of the foul and if the foul did not involve a concussive impact to the head of the participant who has been fouled, the referee may order the contest or exhibition continued after a recuperative interval of not more than five minutes. Immediately after separating the participants, the referee shall inform the department's representative of his/her determination that the foul was accidental.

(3) If a participant is fouled by a blow the referee deems illegal the referee should stop the action and call for time. The referee may take the injured participant to the ringside physician and have the ringside physician examine the participant as to their ability to continue on in the contest. The ringside physician has up to five minutes to make their determination. If the ringside physician determines that the participant can continue in the contest, the referee shall as soon as practical restart the fight. However, unlike the low blow foul rule, the participant does not have up to five minutes of time to use at their discretion.

(4) For a foul other than a low blow, the fouled participant is not guaranteed five minutes of recovery time. If deemed not fit to continue by the referee or ringside physician, the referee must immediately call a halt to the bout. If the participant is deemed not fit to continue by the referee or ringside physician but some of the five minute foul time is still remaining, the participant cannot avail himself of the remaining time.

(5) If the referee stops the contest and employs the use of the ringside physician, the ringside physician's examination shall not exceed five minutes. If five minutes is exceeded, the fight cannot be restarted and the contest must end.