Wyoming Administrative Code
Agency 046 - Wyoming Combat Sports Commission
Sub-Agency 0001 - Mixed Martial Arts, Board of
Chapter 11 - Requirements for Officials
Section 11-4 - Referee

Universal Citation: WY Code of Rules 11-4

Current through September 21, 2024

(a) The referee shall enforce all Commission's rules which apply to the execution, performance and conduct of contestants' and seconds while in the ring.

(b) Referee Qualifications:

(i) Referee experience may be demonstrated by one of the following:
(A) Evidence of completion of Commission approved training, which must be completed every twenty four months; or

(B) One year of professional experience as a referee from a State Athletic Commission, or a Tribal Commission that is a member of the Association of Boxing Commissions, or upon approval of the Commission.

(ii) Other requirements for Referees:
(A) Prior to licensure, a referee must attest that they have read and understand the laws and rules covering professional kickboxing, bare knuckle fighting, boxing, and MMA in this state;

(B) The referee must have also read and understand the rules of the various sanctioning bodies; and

(C) A written test and a physical examination may be required at the discretion of the Commission to determine fitness to perform.

(c) Referees, if they so choose, and if they can demonstrate to the Commission that they need prescription eyewear, shall only wear eyewear appropriate for a sporting event. Appropriate in this situation means eyewear that will not easily dislodge from his face and will not break, shatter, interfere with referee's duties, or in any way unreasonably increase the risk of danger to the contestants.

(d) The Commission or its designee shall approve the referee for each bout and the decision shall be final. The amount of money paid to the referee shall be negotiated between the promoter and the referee; however, it shall not be less than $150 per event, plus mileage. Referees are to be paid by the promoter. The Commission shall never be required to pay for referees but may do so at its discretion.

(e) Additional Duties.

(i) The referee shall inspect the gloves of the contestants in all events and make sure that no foreign substances have been applied to the gloves or bodies of the contestants that might be detrimental to an opponent.

(ii) Before the start of each bout, the referee will check with each judge and the timekeeper to determine if they are prepared to start the bout.

(iii) The referee is responsible for determining who will act as the chief second in each corner and shall hold them responsible for all conduct in the corners.

(iv) The referee in their discretion shall warn the seconds of rule violations, and if they do not comply, the referee shall warn them that further violations will result in point deductions, disqualification of their contestant, and subject them to disciplinary action.

(v) The referee shall instruct the judges to mark their scorecards accurately at all times.

(vi) The referee shall ensure that a bout moves to its proper conclusion. It should not be stopped or delayed, except in cases of damaging fouls or health and safety concerns.

(vii) The referee shall penalize contestants who delay or use avoiding tactics by deducting points or by immediate disqualification.

(viii) At the conclusion of all bouts and upon the announcement of the winner, the referee shall raise the winner's hand.

(f) Sole Arbiter.

(i) The referee is the sole arbiter of a bout and is the only individual authorized to stop a bout.

(ii) Referees shall stop a bout when they deem the following:
(A) The physical condition of a contestant so requires;

(B) When a contestant is out-classed; or

(C) A contestant is not demonstrating their best efforts.

(iii) In the event of any injury, the referee may seek a recommendation from the physician whether the bout should be stopped.

(g) Forfeiture and Withholding of a Contestants Purse. The referee shall recommend to the Commission or Commission Representative, the forfeiture or the withholding of half of a contestant's purse whenever a contestant fails to perform in good faith or maximum effort when competing.

(h) Knockdown Counts (does not apply to mixed martial arts or bare knuckle mixed combat).

(i) When a contestant is knocked down as a result of a legal strike in a kickboxing, boxing, bare knuckle fighting, or leithwei bout, the referee shall order the opponent to a neutral corner and may pick up the count from the timekeeper.

(ii) The referee shall audibly announce the passing of the count and accompany the count with motions of the referee's arm. The referee's count is the official count.

(iii) During any count, the opponent shall go to the farthest neutral corner and remain in that neutral corner until signaled by the referee. Should the opponent fail to stay in the neutral corner, the referee shall cease the count until the contestant returns to the corner, then the referee shall continue with the count from the point at which the count was interrupted.

(iv) The eight count is mandatory for a knockdown in a kickboxing, boxing, bare knuckle fighting, or leithwei bout and a contestant may not resume fighting until the referee has finished counting to eight. The contestant may take the count either on the floor or standing.

(v) If the referee calls the count of ten during a knockdown in a kickboxing, boxing, bare knuckle fighting, or leithwei bout or the referee determines that a contestant is not able to continue, the referee shall wave both arms to indicate a knockout. A full count of ten (10) is not necessary when the health/safety of a contestant is at risk.

(vi) A contestant who has been knocked down by legal blows shall not be saved by the bell.

(vii) The referee will have sole discretion in determining a knockdown versus a slip. If a fighter goes down from what a referee indicates is a slip but fails to rise after the referee's repeated commands, the referee will initiate a count, and follow the procedures of a knockdown. If the fighter does not rise at the count of ten, it will be considered a TKO.

(viii) There is no standing eight count.

(ix) In a boxing, kickboxing, bare knuckle fighting, and lethwei bout, a contestant may be stopped at any time by the referee to protect the health and safety of either contestant. A contestant who has been ruled by the referee to have been knocked down three times in the same round shall lose by TKO. The three-knockdown rule may be waived at the sole discretion of the Commission Representative.

(x) In a boxing and kickboxing bout, before a contestants resumes after having been knocked, fallen, or slipped to the floor, the referee shall wipe any accumulated debris from the contestant's gloves.

(i) When a fallen contestant rises and falls again, without being hit again, in a kickboxing, boxing, leithwei, or bare knuckle fighting bout the referee shall continue the original count, rather than starting a new count.

(j) Contestants Down at the Same Time. If both contestants are considered down at the same time in a boxing, kickboxing, leithwei, or bare knuckle fighting bout, the count shall continue as long as one of them is still down. If both contestants remain down until the count of ten, the bout shall be stopped and the result shall be a technical draw.

(k) If both contestants fail to rise after being knocked out, the result shall be considered a technical draw.

(l) Leaving the Ring or Cage.

(i) A contestant shall not leave the ring or, if the bout is being held in a fenced area, the fenced area, during any period of rest that follows each round. If any contestant fails or refuses to resume competing when the bell sounds signaling the commencement of the next round, the referee shall award a decision of technical knockout to the contestant's opponent at the round that has last been finished, unless the circumstances indicate to the Commission or Commission Representative the need for investigation or punitive action, in which case the referee shall not give a decision and shall recommend that the purse or purses of either or both contestants be withheld.

(ii) If a contestant has been knocked or has fallen through the ropes and over the edge of the ring platform during a bout, both of the following shall apply:
(A) The contestant may be helped back by anyone except the contestant's seconds or manager. The referee shall stop the clock, assess the contestant's condition, and resume time once the contestant is able to safely reenter the ring.

(B) The contestant shall be given twenty seconds to return to the ring.

(iii) For a contestant who has been knocked or has fallen on the ring platform outside the ropes but not over the edge of the ring platform, both of the following shall apply:
(A) The contestant shall not be helped back by anyone, including the contestant's second and manager. The referee may stop the clock and assess the situation until the contestant is able to return to the ring.

(B) The contestant shall be given ten seconds to regain the contestant's feet and get back into the ring.

(iv) If the second or manager of a contestant who has been knocked down or has fallen helps the contestant back into the ring, this help may be cause for disqualification.

(v) If one contestant has fallen through the ropes, the other contestant shall retire to the farthest corner and stay there until ordered by the referee to continue the bout.

(vi) Any contestant who deliberately wrestles or throws an opponent from the ring or who hits an opponent when the opponent is partly out of the ring and is prevented by the ropes from assuming a position of defense may be penalized.

(vii) In a boxing bout, the following additional rules shall apply:
(A) A participant shall receive a twenty second count if they are knocked out of the ring and onto the floor by a legal strike. The participant is to be unassisted by the second(s). If assisted by the second(s), the participant shall be disqualified.

(B) A participant who has been wrestled, pushed, or has fallen through the ropes during a contest may be helped back by anyone and the referee shall allow reasonable time for the return.

(C) When on the ring apron outside the ropes, the participant shall enter the ring immediately.

(D) Should the participant stall for time outside the ropes, the referee shall start the count without waiting for the participant to reenter the ring.

(E) When one participant has fallen through the ropes, the other participant shall retire to a designated corner and remain there until ordered to continue the bout.

(F) A participant who deliberately wrestles or throws an opponent from the ring, or who punches their opponent when they are partly out of the ring and prevented by the ropes from assuming a position of defense may be penalized, disqualified, and subject to disciplinary action.

(m) Assessing Fouls.

(i) The referee must weigh the cause as well as the act in assessing fouls.

(ii) When a foul is unintentionally inflicted, but intentionally received, it is applied to the deliberate recipient.

(iii) If a contestant receives a low blow as determined by the referee, the referee may use their discretion to permit a rest period for the recipient. Such period shall not exceed five minutes. During the rest period, seconds may not assist or coach either contestant.

(iv) The offending contestant shall go to a neutral corner.

(v) The referee will give a warning for a low blow to the offending contestant if the contestant who received the low blow indicates they are ready to continue the bout.

(vi) The referee will give the command to continue after the end of the rest period. If the offended contestant refuses to continue after the rest period, their opponent may be named the winner.

(n) Penalty for Fouls.

(i) Referees may penalize or disqualify a contestant after any foul or a flagrant foul.

(ii) Fouls result in a point(s) being deducted by the official scorekeeper from the offending contestant's score. (The judges should only make notations of points deducted by the referee, for each round.)

(iii) If a foul is committed:
(A) The referee may call time;

(B) The referee shall check the fouled contestant's condition and safety and provide adequate time for the contestant to recuperate and resume fighting. Such time shall not exceed five minutes;

(C) The referee shall then assess the foul to the offending contestant, deduct points, and notify the seconds, judges, and official scorekeeper.

(iv) For mixed martial arts bouts only, the fight will continue if a contestant in a bottom position commits a foul, unless the contestant in the top position is injured.
(A) The referee will verbally notify the bottom contestant of the foul.

(B) When the round is over, the referee will assess the foul and notify both seconds, the judges, and the official scorekeeper.

(C) The referee may terminate a bout based on the severity of a foul. For such a flagrant foul, a contestant shall lose by disqualification.

(o) Injuries Sustained by Fair Blows or Fouls.

(i) Fair Blows: If injury is severe enough to terminate a bout, the injured contestant loses by TKO.

(ii) Intentional Fouls:
(A) If injury is severe enough to terminate a bout, the contestant causing the injury immediately loses by disqualification.

(B) If an injury occurs and the bout is allowed to continue, the referee will notify the seconds, judges, and scorekeeper and may deduct points from the contestant who committed the foul. In boxing bouts, point deductions for intentional fouls will be mandatory, and the deduction shall be two points from the boxer who caused the foul.

(C) If injury results in the bout being stopped in a later round, the injured contestant will win by Technical Decision, if the injured contestant is ahead on the score cards.

(D) If injury results in the bout being stopped in a later round, the bout will result in a Technical Draw, if the injured contestant is behind or even on the score cards.

(E) If a contestant injures himself while attempting to foul his opponent, the referee will not take any action in his favor, and the injury will be the same as one that occurs by a fair blow.

(iii) Accidental Fouls:
(A) Any injury severe enough for the referee to immediately stop the bout will result in a "No Contest" if stopped before a majority of rounds has been completed.

(B) Any injury severe enough for the referee to immediately stop the bout after a majority of the second round in a three round bout, or a majority of the third round in a five round bout have occurred, the bout will result in a "Technical Decision," awarded to the contestant who is ahead on the score cards at the time the bout is stopped.

(C) If an injury stoppage occurs, an incomplete round will be scored.

(D) If an injury stoppage occurs, and the referee penalizes either contestant, the point(s) shall be deducted from the final score.

(E) In a boxing bout, if the judge(s) believes that a contestant did not engage in any action, the round should be scored as an even round at the discretion of the judges. A contestant who is hit with an accidental low blow must continue after a reasonable amount of time but no more than five minutes or the contestant will lose by Technical Knockout (TKO).

(p) Low Blows - Recipient Named Winner. A contestant cannot be named the winner of a bout as a result of receiving a low blow unless the referee determines the blow was delivered deliberately and was of such force to seriously incapacitate the offended contestant so that they could not continue to compete. Under this condition, the offender shall be disqualified immediately.

(q) Deliberate Actions to Gain Advantage - Penalties.

(i) The referee shall warn or penalize contestants who use the ropes or deliberately dislodge their mouthpiece or use other unfair tactics to gain an advantage.

(ii) The referee shall not permit unfair tactics that may cause injuries to contestants.

(r) Physician Engagement with Contestants During a Bout.

(i) No person other than the contestants and the referee shall enter the ring or cage during a bout. A second shall not stand or engage in any distracting actions while the bout is in progress. For each contestants' seconds, a combined total of two warnings for violating any requirement of this subsection shall result in the removal of the seconds from the ring or cage area, all of whom may be subject to discipline by the Commission or Commission Representative.

(ii) Before the referee requests the physician to aid or examine a contestant, the referee shall direct the timekeeper to stop the clock until otherwise directed by the referee. For bare knuckle fighting only, the time-out shall be limited to approximately thirty (30) seconds, absent extenuating circumstances approved by the referee.

(iii) Any serious cuts or injuries to either contestant shall be treated by the physician. The physician shall determine whether to continue the bout as follows:
(A) The physician may enter the ring or cage if requested by the referee to examine an injury to a contestant.

(B) If serious cuts or injuries to either contestant occur, the referee shall summon the physician, who shall aid the contestant and decide if the bout will be stopped. The final authority to determine whether to continue the bout shall rest with the physician.

(C) If the physician determines that a contestant who is cut or injured by legal blows cannot continue, the referee shall announce that contestant loses by a technical knockout.

(D) The referee may request that the attending physician examine a contestant during the bout. The physician may order the referee to stop the bout and time shall be called. The referee shall then render the appropriate decision regarding the outcome of the bout.

(E) Except at the request of the physician, no second shall be permitted to aid a stricken contestant.

(iv) If a contestant loses a dental appliance or mouthpiece during a round, the referee may call a time-out. If the referee calls a time-out for this reason, the referee may direct the contestant's second to replace the dental appliance or mouthpiece.

Disclaimer: These regulations may not be the most recent version. Wyoming may have more current or accurate information. We make no warranties or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained on this site or the information linked to on the state site. Please check official sources.
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