2025 MMA (Hybrid Sparring)

The goal of Hybrid Sparring is to take competitors as close to the realities of self-defense while keeping them safe from lasting harm. When done correctly, Hybrid Sparring gives competitors a forum to develop the nuances of striking and grappling in a way that can be done as a permanent feature of their lives.

Personnel & Duties

A center referee, two corner judges and a time keeper are required to officiate. The center referee calls the players to attention. He is responsible for stopping the match in the event of a warning or disqualification. The two corner judges cast the primary votes. The time keeper watches the clock, throws out the bag at the completion of a round, and records the winner.

Required Gear

The following gear is required for all competitors: mouth-guard, headgear, shin and instep protectors, and gloves. Any commercially available product is acceptable, but gloves must have at least a half-inch of padding at the knuckles. Shin guards must be foam. A cup is also required for males.

Objective of Play

The winner of the match is decided based on overall competitive dominance. This is determined by attempting and succeeding with striking and grappling techniques.

The Match

The match is composed of three, one-minute rounds. Competitors will receive a 30-second break between each round. During this time, they may recover their breath, drink water, and received coaching.

Judging

Dominance is determined by the two corner judges. When ties emerge, the center referee casts the deciding vote. Judges use the Point System to weigh techniques, but ultimately it comes down to a subjective opinion.

Point System

Hybrid Sparring does not permit full contact to the head. Consequently, this rules out knockouts, which usually balance submissions in most contests; in addition, the lighter nature contact opens up more vulnerabilities that a grappler can exploit. Therefore, to balance the competitiveness of striking and grappling, submissions do not win matches. Instead, successful submissions are weighed against other techniques. To help judges determine how to weigh techniques, the list below provides a guideline of points. Points are not tallied, but they served to align the opinions of judges.

Submission (Successful): 10 Points

Submission (Attempted): 2 Points

Take-down (Successful): 3 Points

Take-down (Attempted): 1 Point

Stripe (Successful): 1 Point

Strike (Attempted): 1/4 Point

Scoring Strikes

Scoring Striking Areas: You may score by striking the following areas: the front and sides of the body, the front, sides, and back of head, the thighs, and the back of the knees (for breaking someone’s posture).

Illegal Striking Areas: It is not permitted to strike the groin, throat, or spine. Doing so will result in an automatic disqualification if done intentionally and a warning if done unintentionally.

Neutral Areas: The following areas are considered neutral, as they are often used for shunting or blocking attacks: the upper and lower arms, the lower legs, and the forehead.

Illegal Blocking Areas: It is illegal to intentionally try to block an attack with the elbows or knees. This is considered a maiming technique, which are, as a whole, barred from competition. This will result in either a warning or disqualification depending on intent.

Contact Levels

Light Contact: This is contact equal to or lighter than a friendly high five. Any touch at all is considered scoring with light contact.

Substantial Contact: This is contact equal to or harder than a friendly high five that does not intend to maim the individual. Substantial Contact implies that the attacker is moving as fast as possible but only aiming to make surface-level contact. Striking through the target is considered true, full-contact and not allowed due to its maiming potential.

Contact by Technique

Kicks and Punches: Kicks and punches, and other open hand techniques, score with only light contact to the head; this includes the front of the face. Substantial contact to the head this way results in a warning if done unintentionally, disqualification if done intentionally.

These same techniques must be executed with substantial contact in order to score on the body. Doing full contact to the body will result either in a warning or disqualification depending on intent.

Knees, Elbows, and Headbutts: Due to the dangerous nature of these techniques, they are permitted only with limited contact. This is light contact to the body, shadowing to the face. A strike must be within six inches to score when shadowing.

Leg Strikes: Strikes to the upper leg are permitted, but only with light contact.

Warnings & Disqualification

Warnings: A Warning is awarded for an accidental attack of an illegal area or with excessive force. Warnings can also be awarded for poor conduct or a lack of sportsmanship. Three warnings lead to an automatic disqualification. This prevents wild competitors from injuring their opponents.

Disqualification: A disqualification will be awarded for intentionally attacking an illegal area or with excessive force. Competitors can also be disqualified for egregious acts of disrespect.

General Regulations

Strikes in rapid succession must be re-chambered to count past the first attack.

Competitors will be stopped and receive a warning from the center referee for striking an illegal area or with too much force. If this is deemed unintentional, they will receive a warning.

Intentional excessive contact to an illegal striking area will result in disqualification.

Causing blood will result in either a warning or disqualification depending on the intent.

Breaking bones or causing dislocations or sprains without offering your opponent at least 1 second to tap will lead to immediate disqualification regardless of intent. For this reason, jerk submissions of any kind are disallowed and will lead to immediate disqualification.

It is illegal to insert your fingers or thumbs into any orifice of your opponent (eyes, nose, mouth, etc.), doing so will result in immediate disqualification.

Disambiguation

Small joint manipulations are allowed. This includes grabbing and applying pressure to the fingers and toes. That said, any breakage leads to immediate disqualification, so caution is advised when targeting these areas. The use of pressure points is also allowed - though tapping out an opponent in this manner may prove difficult. Pressure points are typically used for repositioning an opponent.