6.2.1 Persons under the age of 18 will not be issued a license other than cases WHEN and IF certain criteria are met, except a Contestant's license at the discretion of the Commission. Persons 16 years of age, but not yet 18, may be issued a Contestant's license provided a notarized, written consent from the person's parent or legal guardian is submitted with the application the criteria below have been met. No professionals shall be licensed under the age of 18.

6.2.1 [FN1] Each applicant for an AR Contestant's Martial Arts or Mixed Martial Arts license shall simultaneously apply for or currently possess a valid National Mixed Martial Arts ID.

6.5.1 In the event a foul is committed by a Contestant:

6.5.1.1 Call a timeout;

6.5.1.2 Check the fouled Contestant's condition and safety; and

6.5.1.3 Assess either a warning or point deduction, as the Referee may deem necessary, to or against the Contestant committing the foul and notify both corners' Seconds, Judges, and the Officials at ringside and call time in for a continuation of the contest;

6.5.1.4 Following a point deduction for the commission of a foul, restart the Contestants from the same positions in approximately the same area of the ring or cage where the Contestant committed the foul; provided however, if a both Contestants are Down and a foul is committed by the Contestant on bottom, the contest shall continue without the Referee calling a timeout, unless the top Contestant is injured, so as not to jeopardize the top Contestant's superior positioning at the time and the Referee shall verbally notify the bottom Contestant of the foul and whether such is a warning or will result in the deduction of a point, then immediately following the end of the round, the Referee shall assess any point deductions and notify both corners' Seconds, Judges and ringside Officials;

6.5.1.5 Disqualify a Contestant if the foul is flagrant and severe enough, in the Referee's opinion, to warrant such penalty.

6.5.2 Neither initiates nor issues a Count to a Contestant who is Down;

6.5.3 Return the Contestants to a standing position or separate the Contestants whenever neither Contestant is actively engaged in offensive maneuvers for an unreasonable period as determined solely by the Referee; and

6.5.4 If a Contestant's mouthpiece is involuntarily dislodged during competition, call time, have the mouthpiece cleaned and reinserted at the first opportune moment, without interfering with the immediate action.

6.6.1 The contest is being held inside a cage;

6.6.2 The Chief Second has first signaled or otherwise attempted to obtain the Referee's attention to stop a Mixed Martial Arts contest for a period of at least five (5) continuous seconds without obtaining the Referee's attention or without the Referee stopping the contest;

6.6.3 Throwing the towel into the cage can be done without injuring or interfering with a Contestant or Referee; and

6.6.4 Intending to stop the contest with the Contestant losing via Technical Knockout.

6.8.1 Have a floor area, both inside and outside the ropes, padded with ensolite or other similar closed-cell foam of at least one (1) inch thickness and approved by the Commission;

6.8.2 Have a top covering made of canvas or similar material tightly stretched and laced to the ring platform;

6.8.3 Not have a floor covering consisting of a material which tends to gather in lumps or ridges;

6.8.4 Not be more than seven (7) feet above the ground

6.8.5 Have at least two (2) sets of steps for use by Contestants and Officials;

6.8.6 Have posts made of metal not less than three (3) inches in diameter

6.8.7 Have turnbuckles and corners protected with a urethane pad covered with a material similar to the ring floor covering or plasticized rubber or vinyl;

6.8.8 Have sufficient strength and safety in both the floor and support structure to safely hold the actively moving weight of all Contestants, Officials, Seconds and other persons and equipment which may be simultaneously inside the Ring. Liability for structure failure shall fall upon promoter for ASAC evaluation.

6.9.1 Prior to and immediately following a bout, only the Announcer, Announcer assistant, Authorized Media personnel, promoter, Contestants, Doctor, Inspectors, Commission representatives and persons authorized by the Commission shall be allowed inside the cage, unless otherwise specified by promoter and approved by Commission.

6.9.2 At least one (1) minute before the start of the first round of each bout, only the Announcer, Contestants, Contestants' chief Seconds, and the Referee may be inside the cage and the Referee shall clear the cage of all other individuals.

6.9.3 During a round, only Contestants and the Referee are permitted inside the cage.

6.9.4 In between rounds only Contestants, one Second from each Contestant, Referee, doctor and one individual holding a ring card/round indicator are permitted inside the cage.

6.9.5 The Referee and/or Commission may order the ring be cleared of any or all persons at any time, either before, during or after a bout.

6.10.1 The cage must be enclosed by fencing made of a material that will prevent a Contestant from falling or breaking through the fenced area and such fencing must be covered using a non-abrasive, plasticized rubber or vinyl material;

6.10.2 The cage must have properly padded posts made of metal not less than three (3) inches nor more than six (6) inches in diameter. The platform of the cage cannot be less than three (3) feet off the floor nor higher than seven (7) feet off the floor.

6.10.3 The cage must have sufficient strength in both the floor and support structure to safely hold the actively moving weight of all Contestants, Officials, Seconds and other persons and equipment which may be simultaneously inside the Ring;

6.10.4 The cage must, be circular or have at least five equal sides with the shortest straight-line distance between any two opposite sides no less than eighteen (18) feet across.

6.10.5 The cage must, have one (1) or more entry point with a gate secured using pins or latches which do not intrude into the contest area, are not tied together and do not fall out or become unattached during a round by the vibration or movement inside the cage; and

6.10.6 The cage must be constructed in such a manner so as to provide a clear view into the cage from outside the cage.

6.12.1 Only wear shorts or trunks without a zipper or metal fastener;

6.12.2 Not wear shoes or any padding on the feet;

6.12.3 Wear open fingered, gloves weighing not less than four (4) ounces, nor more than eight (8) ounces for Professional contests and not less than six (6) ounces for Amateur contests;

6.12.4 Have closely trimmed, dulled, rounded and smoothed fingernails;

6.12.5 Be permitted up to two (2) Seconds inside the cage during the rest period

6.12.6 Have petroleum jelly nowhere other than immediately around the eye sockets, check bones (not on or past the temple of the head) and nose.

6.13.1 Flyweight up to 125lbs.

6.13.2 Bantamweight -- 125.1 lbs. but less than 135 lbs.

6.13.3 Featherweight -- 135.1 lbs. but less than 145 lbs.

6.13.4 Lightweight -- 145.1 lbs. but less than 155 lbs.

6.13.5 Welterweight -- 155.1 lbs. but less than 170 lbs.

6.13.6 Middleweight -- 170.1 lbs. but less than 185 lbs.

6.13.7 Light Heavyweight -- 185.1 lbs. but less than 205 lbs.

6.13.8 Heavyweight -- 205.1 lbs. but less than 265 lbs.

6.13.9 Super Heavyweight -- 265 lbs. and up

6.16.1 An accidental low blow, the Referee shall call timeout and the Contestant who has been struck with the low blow shall be allowed up to five (5) minutes to recover from the foul without assistance from any Second and continue the contest, provided if the Contestant can continue before the expiration of the five (5) minute recovery period, the Referee shall as soon as practical restart the contest and if the Contestant cannot continue after the expiration of the five (5) minute recovery period, the Referee shall call an end to the contest with the outcome determined by as provided for by these Rules for any other accidental foul severe enough for the Referee to immediately stop the bout;

6.16.2 A legal maneuver and is severe enough for the Referee to terminate a bout, the injured Contestant shall lose by Technical Knockout;

6.16.3 An intentional foul and is severe enough for the Referee to terminate a bout, the Contestant causing the injury shall lose by Disqualification;

6.16.4 An intentional foul and the bout is allowed to continue, the Referee shall notify the judges to automatically deduct two (2) points from the contestant who committed the foul;

6.16.5 An intentional foul and the bout is allowed to continue, but causes the injured Contestant to be unable to continue at a subsequent point in the bout, the injured Contestant shall win by Technical Decision, if the Contestant is ahead on the Judges' cards at the time of stoppage, the bout shall be declared a Technical Draw, if the injured Contestant is even or behind on the Judges' cards at the time of stoppage;

6.16.6 A Contestant's attempt to foul an opponent, the Referee shall not take any action and the injury shall be treated in the same as an injury produced by a fair blow;

6.16.7 Any accidental foul, the Referee shall call timeout and the Contestant suffering from the accidental foul may be allowed up to five (5) minutes to recover from the foul without assistance from any Second and continue the contest; however, if the Contestant cannot continue after the expiration of the five (5) minute recovery period or the accidental foul is severe enough for the Referee to immediately stop the bout, the Referee shall call an immediate end to the bout and the bout shall be ruled a No Contest if the bout is stopped before the end of two (2) rounds in a three (3) round bout or if stopped before the end of three (3) rounds in a five (5) round bout, provided there will be no scoring of an incomplete round; or

6.16.8 Any accidental foul, the Referee shall call timeout and the Contestant suffering the accidental foul may be allowed up to five (5) minutes to recover from the foul without assistance from any Second and continue the contest; however, if the Contestant cannot continue after the expiration of the five (5) minute recovery period or the accidental foul is severe enough for the Referee to immediately stop the bout, the Referee shall call an immediate end to the bout and a Technical Decision shall be awarded to the Contestant who is ahead on the score cards at the time the bout is stopped if the bout is stopped after the end of two (2) rounds of a three (3) round bout, or after the end of three (3) rounds of a five (5) round bout, provided incomplete rounds shall not be scored, except the Judges shall deduct points as directed by Referee if such point deductions were the result of a Contestant's action in the incomplete round.

6.17.1 Intentionally head-butting an opponent;

6.17.2 Intentionally gouging or poking an opponent's eye;

6.17.3 Biting;

6.17.4 Hair pulling;

6.17.5 Fish hooking;

6.17.6 Groin attacks;

6.17.7 Putting a finger into any orifice, cut or laceration;

6.17.8 Small joint manipulation;

6.17.9 Striking the spine or the back of the head;

6.17.10 Amateurs in MMA cannot elbow or knee to the head in any position. Elbows or knees to the head are not considered a foul in professional MMA, excepting that in no case can elbows be thrown in a clock-face 12-6 motion (vertical strike);

6.17.11 Throat strikes including, without limitation, squeezing the trachea;

6.17.12 Clawing, pinching or twisting the flesh;

6.17.13 Grabbing the clavicle;

6.17.14 Kicking the head of a grounded opponent;

6.17.15 Kneeing the head of a grounded opponent;

6.17.16 Stomping a grounded opponent;

6.17.17 Kicking to the kidney with the heel;

6.17.18 Spiking the head or neck of an opponent to the floor of the ring or cage;

6.17.19 Intentionally throwing an opponent out of the ring or cage;

6.17.20 Holding or grabbing the shorts or gloves of an opponent;

6.17.21 Spitting at an opponent;

6.17.22 Engaging in un-sportsmanlike conduct;

6.17.23 Holding the ropes or fencing of the cage;

6.17.24 Attacking an opponent on or during the break;

6.17.25 Attacking an opponent under the care of the Referee;

6.17.26 Attacking an opponent after the bell has sounded the end of the round;

6.17.27 Flagrantly disregarding the Referee's instructions;

6.17.28 Timidity, including, without limitation, non-defensive avoidance of contact with an opponent;

6.17.29 Intentionally or repeatedly dropping or spitting out the mouthpiece;

6.17.30 Faking an injury;

6.17.31 If in an Amateur bout, any elbow strike or knee strike to the head or neck; and

6.17.32 If in an Amateur bout, any neck cranks or techniques designed to hyperextend, manipulate or attack the spine or neck.