Amateur MMA Rules: Stand up enquiry

[Drill Sergeant]

As stated in the title, I am a stand-up fighter and coach and have recently been thinking about going into some amateur MMA comps.

Having looked at the rules though, it would appear that they are set up HEAVILY to the advantage of Wrestlers and Jiu Jutsu artists.

Why is this so? It may seem like a beginners question, which indeed it is, however I see MMA as Mixed Martial Arts and with the current Amateur rules I would see that it takes away at least 50% of Boxers ability aswell as a Muay Thai fighters whereas it takes nothing away from Wrestlers or Jiu Jutsu fighters.

I would like to finish by clarifying that this is not an arguement, but a question, my brain is obviously one sided and I am purely looking to educate myself further.

Thanks in advance for any answers.

Drill

[Stuart_McWilliam]

Some amateur orginisations allow headshots but with 8 oz gloves however many seem to be no head contact at all. I dont know if this is for insurance reasons or what as the fighters dont really get paid in amateur competition. Semi pro allows head shots standing but not on the ground in most comps. Amateur MMA is mainly just a submission wrestling contest with body shots, as a way of easing into the full contact leagues of mma. Think it is mainly for fighter safety as they wont get paid and if they had to take time off work they couldnt be held accountable

[AnthonySmith]

Just do what I did pal and skip to semi pro, they don't allow headshots to ease people in.

[Jay Evans]

I was always pro no head shot amateur rules BUT they are not show friendly.

Those rules should only be used for Inter-clubs or junior fights during the interval in my opinion.

Amateur rules should be headshots with no elbows for 18+?

[DoubleJab]

Just do what I did pal and skip to semi pro, they don't allow headshots to ease people in.

This. If stand up is your thing them semi pro is the way to go.

[dadyJ]

i find that people who skip ami events and go to semi - pro events jest tend to want to "bang people out"

again, if you look at it another way, semi pro/pro fighters can sometimes stand all day and throw shots!, and they will completely ignore the other 50% of the fight game!


depends what kind of fighter you are really, what your looking for.

[shwengum]

mma rules... ama... semi pro... pro... it is what it is... the option for ama allows people with no/little experience in the cage to gain some valuable experience before taking the step up into semi pro/pro. It fustrates me how people frown upon ama rules when there are evidentally other options for them.

If ama isn't for you, as its more focused on the ground game then your missing out on a large part of what mma is all about. I know pro fighters who started out as amatuer and there experience they gained on the ground really helped with the demand for an all round ability in the higher rules classes.

[Romeoblood]

My thai coach fought am last august, he won by sub, but the sub was set up by punishing leg kicks

I could also see a decent boxer doing well as body shots are a large part of boxing, and are potentially very damaging

thai is still usefull in am, as long as there is enough takedown defense and grappling knowledge there too

[DoubleJab]

I could also see a decent boxer doing well as body shots are a large part of boxing, and are potentially very damaging

It is really hard to hurt someone in the body when thats the only place they have to guard. Much harder than when you can mix up body and headshots.

[Sherlock]

On my show I have Amateur C = no headshots, Amateur B = headshots standing only and Amateur A = headshots standing & on ground. That way the fighter can choose what level they wish to compete at depending upon their background. 3x3 mins, bigger gloves, no heel hooks/twisting leg locks, no neck cranks for safety.