CAGE® XMMA – OFFICIAL RULESET

 

GLOVES:

– 6oz MMA-style gloves (pro division)
– 12oz gloves (novice/Division 1)

ALLOWED:

– Punches, kicks, knees
– Clinch with active strikes (max 10 seconds)
– Sweeps and dumps from the clinch
– Ground-and-pound from top position
– Striking from grounded position (both fighters may strike)
– Takedowns only if followed immediately by ground-and-pound

NOT ALLOWED:

– BJJ or submission attempts
– Long-control wrestling
– Pulling guard
– Holding without striking
– Back-takes, hooks, or submission setups

GROUND RULES:

– Both fighters may strike while grounded
– Grounded fighter can punch, kick, or sweep from bottom
– Stand-up enforced after 5 seconds of inactivity
– No lay-and-pray or positional control without damage

FIGHT FORMAT:

Quarterfinal & Semifinal:

– 1 x 3-minute round
– 1-minute sudden death if draw

Final:

– 3 x 3-minute rounds
– 1-minute sudden death if draw

VICTORY CONDITIONS:

– KO or TKO
– Referee stoppage
– Judges’ decision based on aggression, control, and clean strikes
– Sudden death round used for tied scores

FOULS INCLUDE:

– Eye pokes
– Groin strikes
– Holding the cage
– 12–6 elbows
– Strikes to the back of the head
– Intentional stalling

LEAGUE SYSTEM:

– Fighters earn points for every fight
– Rankings determine future matchups and tournament selection
– Champions move on to national title contention