ARTICLE 4 – ILLEGAL ACTIONS

The following actions are deemed to be illegal:

1. Butting with the head.
2. Eye attacks of any kind.
3. Biting.
4. Hair-pulling.
5. Fish-hooking.
6. Attacking the groin.
7. Putting a finger into any orifice or into any cut or laceration on your opponent.
8. Striking using the point of the elbow.
9. Throat strikes of any kind, including without limitation, grabbing, pushing or squeezing the trachea with the hands and/or fingers.
10. Clawing, pinching or twisting the flesh and ears.
11. Spiking an opponent to the canvas on his head or neck.
12. Attacking the back of the head, the spine and the medulla.
13. Grabbing, twisting or squeezing the fingers and toes (small joint manipulations).
14. Holding onto the shorts or gloves of an opponent.
15. Timidity, including without limitation, avoiding contact with an opponent, intentionally or repeatedly dropping the mouthpiece, escaping to the outside of the contest area, or faking an injury.
16. Grabbing onto and refusing to release the ring ropes and/or intentionally hanging the limbs of the body (hands, arms, legs or feet) over the ring ropes.
17. Grabbing, holding or otherwise impeding an opponent's movements with the sole intention of obtaining a referee restart.
18. Throwing the opponent outside of the ring or contest area.
19. Spitting at an opponent.
20. Engaging in unsportsmanlike conduct.
21. Using abusive language in the contest area.
22. Attacking an opponent during the break.
23. Attacking an opponent who is under the care of the referee or doctor.
24. Attacking an opponent after the bell has sounded the end of the round.
25. Flagrantly disregarding the instructions of the referee.
26. Interference by a fighter's corner men (see Article 7).

Additional Kickboxing Rules

1. Clinching is allowed to seek advantage. However, the clinch must be active. Kicking the legs in the clinch is legal. If the clinch is in active for five seconds, the referee will break the clinch and restart the fighters.
2. Leg checking is permitted with the shin. Front leg sweeps, foot to foot, to the inside & outside of opponent’s front foot are permitted by both feet of the striker/sweeper. Sweeps (With instep of foot) are not allowed but a fighter may "kick" his/her opponents supporting leg with the top of their foot or shin, not the instep.
3. Competitors are allowed to catch kicks. Once caught, the fighter has five seconds to sweep or strike their opponent. Competitors may drive (“plow”) their opponent during this five second period. The drive cannot be used to throw the opponent out of the ring. Attempts to push, throw or otherwise forcing your opponent out of the ring is a serious foul.
4. Muay Thai throws are legal, not hip throws or “back breakers”. Fighters are allowed to catch their opponent’s leg and take one step forward. After one step, the fighter holding the leg must strike before taking a second step or more.

Warnings & Penalties

The referee shall issue a WARNING to a fighter when he commits an illegal action or if he disobeys the referee's instruction. If a warning is issued, the referee will not stop the fight and no penalties will be given to that fighter. However, the referee will make the fighter in question aware of the warning. If the fighter continues to perform the illegal action(s), the referee will signal that a PENALTY has occurred. When a fighter commits an action that results in a PENALTY, the referee will call a break in the match (see Article 5) and make it clear to the judges which fighter is being penalized by issuing that fighter a YELLOW CARD.

A fighter shall be penalized 20% of his total contracted fee on his first YELLOW CARD, payable to the BFC™ organizing committee. Upon his SECOND PENALTY, a fighter will be issued a RED CARD and be disqualified from the match and his opponent shall be deemed the winner.

In case a fighter is injured by an opponent's illegal action, the referee and the doctor shall determine if the injured fighter can resume after he has sufficiently recovered. If the referee and doctor determine that the injured fighter cannot continue, the opponent who committed the illegal action shall be disqualified according to Article 3.6.

It is at the sole discretion of the referee to issue a warning, a foul or immediately disqualify a fighter, depending on the severity of the illegal action and the deliberate malicious intent of the fighter.