IKF MUAY THAI RULES

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1. SHORTS

• If Fighting in a MUAY THAI bout:

  • IT IS MANDATORY for you to WEAR "MUAY THAI SHORTS"

    • No MMA Shorts! No Boxing Shorts! No Swim Shorts, etc. etc.

• SHORTS cannot extend lower than 3 inches from the TOP of the knee.
  
   

2. SHIN PADS

• IKF APPROVED SHIN / INSTEP PADS ONLY!
  FOR FIGHTERS WITH 3 OR LESS BOUTS.
   

  1.  TO SEE APPROVES SHIN GUARDS CLICK HERE.

  2. TO ORDER THESE SHIN / INSTEP PADS CLICK HERE.

  3. IKF Approved Shin / Instep Pads ARE MANDATORY for fighter's with 3 bouts or less.

  4. IKF Approved Shin / Instep Pads ARE MANDATORY for ALL Fighter's UNDER THE AGE OF 18.

  5. If there is an athlete with three or less bouts VS another with four or over both must wear IKF Approved Shin / Instep Pads.

  6. TO SEE A NON APPROVED SHIN / INSTEP PADS CLICK HERE.
     
      

• QUALIFIED FIGHTERS WITH 3 OR MORE FIGHTS:
   

  • ADULTS OVER 18 YEARS OLD: Shin / Instep Pads are NOT MANDATORY for fighter's fighting in their
    "4th" MUAY THAI RULES Bout or More.

  • HOWEVER: To be approved not to be required to wear them, you must prove your bout History
    "A MINIMUM 7 DAYS PRIOR TO YOUR SCHEDULED BOUT" by submitting a BOUT HISTORY FORM.

  • PAST BOUT HISTORY FORM - CLICK HERE.
    
     

• MIXED DECISIONS - DECIDED IN MATCHMAKING

  
  
   

  • If one "ADULT" fighter chooses to wear Shin / Instep Pads both must wear Shin / Instep Pads.

  • If one "ADULT" fighter with more than 3 bouts chooses to wear Headgear both must wear Headgear.

 

3. MUAY THAI ACCESORIES

• Arm Bands (Pra Jiad) - Defined

  • Arm bands (Pra Jiad) may be worn by fighters.

  • However, they cannot "Hang-Reach" down past the elbow.

  • If the bands slip down, you will be asked to take them off.

• Ankle Wraps/Supports: Fighters may wear athletic style ankle supports.

 

 

4. WAI KHRU RAM MUAY 

• Wai Khru

  • Allowed

  • Defined in this context as the *1 Time walk around the ring - Sealing the Ring.

  • (*) In performing a FULL Wai Khru Ram Muay, The fighter performs the Wai Khru by circling the ring three times before kneeling and bowing three times as a sign of respect to God and man.

• Wai Khru Ram Muay:

  • Allowed IF Promoter has confirmed there is enough time AND has coordinated with the event DJ to play the appropriate music.

    • The fighter performs the Wai Khru by circling the ring three times before kneeling and bowing three times as a sign of respect to God and man.

    • He also bows to Buddha (traditionally) to ask for protection for himself and his opponent and for an honorable fight.

    • The fighter then performs the Ram Muay, whose simple movements demonstrate a fighter's control and style.

    • Each fighter has the option to performs the Ram Muay on each side of the ring to demonstrate his/her prowess to the audience.

    • The Ram Muay is a personal ritual, ranging from the very complex to the very simple, and often contains clues about who trained the fighter and where the fighter is from.

    • The practitioner may wear a headband called a Mongkhon and armbands known as Pra Jiad during the ceremony, and the Ram Muay may be accompanied by music.

    • The Mongkhon is unique to Thai boxing and not be worn in Cambodia or Burma.
      
       

5. THAI MUSIC

• Allowed During the fight.

  • IF Promoter has coordinated with the event DJ to play the correct music.

  • Music is an integral part of Muay Thai.
    
     

6. KICKS & STRIKES

• KNEES

  • Knees may not be Allowed in a Modified Muay Thai Rules bout since the term "MODIFIED" indicates something has been taken away.

  • Knees are Only Allowed Below the Shoulder Line - Body and Legs. (No Groin of course)

    • No strikes are allowed to the groin or joints -Knees- of the leg.
       

• ELBOWS

  • ELBOWS may not be Allowed in a Modified Muay Thai Rules bout since the term "MODIFIED" indicates something has been taken away.

  • Fighters must supply their own IKF APPROVED ELBOW PADS - CLICK HERE OR See Right.

    • TO ORDER THESE PADS CLICK HERE.
       

  • Since Headgear protects the beginning novice ADULT fighters and ALL Amateurs wear Elbow Pads, ALL ADULT FIGHTERS 18 years old and older regardless of fight record are allowed to use elbows.
     

    • NOVICE / BEGINNING ADULT AMATEUR FIGHTERS WITH UNDER 3 BOUTS:

      • NO SPINNING ELBOWS FOR FIGHTERS WITH 2 BOUTS OR LESS.
         

    • ALL ADULT AMATEUR FIGHTERS MAY USE ELBOW STRIKES

      • Striking Surface is the FOREARM / BACK OF BICEP ONLY! NOT THE POINT OF THE ELBOW!

      • PADDED Elbows Allowed to the Body & Head.

      • "SPINNING" ELBOWS Allowed to the Body & Head.
         

      • ELBOW TECHNIQUES NOT ALLOWED

        • ANY ELBOW STRIKES THAT MAKES CONTACT WITH THE "POINT' OF THE ELBOW.

        • NO SPIKING ELBOWS

        • NO SPIKING ELBOWS (12 - 6)

        • Dropping Elbows.

        • Spiking Elbows.

        • Downward Elbows.

        • 12-6, 3-9 Elbows, Etc.

        • Rising Elbows.
          
           

• SPINNING BACKFIST

  • Spinning backhands/fists are Legal as long as you strike with the BACK of your glove, above the wrist line..
    
     

• KICKS

  • All standard martial art / Kickboxing Kicks are Allowed.

  • You can NOT use The Cartwheel Kick.

    • Cartwheel Kick is illegal because your gloves can not touch the ground before you strike because when they do, you are con sidered a DOWN FIGHTER.
       

• DIRECT SIDE / THRUST KICKS

  • Direct (Side Kick or Thrust Kick Style) kicks to the front of a fighters legs (Mainly 6 inches above to 6 inches below the knee) are NOT ALLOWED.

 

7. FLASH KNOCKDOWNS

• Flash Knockdown Rule is in effect for all bouts.

• In TRUE Muay Thai as with these rules, FLASH KNOCKDOWNS, where the knocked down fighter rises up immediately after being knocked down are usually not counted as knockdowns with a standing 8 count.

• HOWEVER, if the fighter is "ROCKED" by the shot taken, the referee can make the decision to give an 8 count if he/she feels necessary, no matter how fast the fighter rises after the fall.
   

8. CLINCHING

• Clinching is only allowed when opponents are FACING EACH OTHER.

  • Clinching is allowed as long as 1 fighter is ACTIVE WITHIN the clinch.

  • If there is inactivity for a period of 3 seconds, the referee will break the fighters.

  • Fighters may NOT grab an opponent from behind and lift to throw.
    
     

9. BACK BREAKING

• You can NOT Grab (Clinching) around your opponent’s lower spine and hyper-extending their back (Pulling)
  in a “back breaking” move forcing your opponents body to bend backwards hyper-extending their back.
  
   

10. WAI THROWS - TRIPS - SWEEPS

• Taking an opponent around the waist with both arms and twisting them off balance so they will fall is legal.
   

• NO HIP THROWS

  • Over the hip throws such as in Japanese arts like Judo, Jutitsu, Karate, Sambo, or San Shou are ILLEGAL!

    • TO DESCRIBE:

      • You can NOT use the hip or shoulder to throw an opponent in any kind of judo throw or reap.

      • You can NOT step across, or in front of, your opponents leg with your leg and bringing your opponent over your hip.

      • You can NOT grab the opponent’s hip in a waist lock and throw them using a hip throw

      • You can NOT grab an opponent’s arm, turning and using the calf and back of the thigh (hamstring muscle group) to sweep an opponent’s legs from under them

      • You can NOT grab an opponent and fall backward to throw your opponent.

      • You can NOT perform a rugby style tackle on the legs and waist of an opponent to throw them.

      • You can NOT grab an opponent’s waist from behind, then and place a leg between the opponent’s legs, pulling the opponent backwards over the leg and hip.

      • You can NOT grab an opponent from below the waist and lift them up and throw them.
         

• THROWING & SWEEPING

  • Fighter may "KICK" (roundhouse or using the top of your foot) their opponents legs out striking with the top of their foot or shin, NOT the instep as in a karate style sweep.

  • You can not sweep with the instep of your foot or your calf.

  • You can not lock an opponent’s neck (Like a Headlock) and executing a hip throw.

  • You can not grab an opponent in the clinch and then sweep their legs out.

  • You can not catch an opponent’s leg and using the calf to trip/sweep them off their feet

  • You can not trip your opponent with your ankle.

  • You can not leg sweep or kick the back of the supporting leg out of your opponent using your calf or inside of your foot.

  • You can not trap your opponent’s arms in a waist lock and lift them to throw
     

• ILLEGAL TRIP

  • If you position your foot next to your opponent and twist them over your foot you must clear the leg as your opponent falls or it is an illegal trip.

  • An athlete CAN spin or pull an opponent over the inside or outside of the leg and dump him on the ground.

  • However the leg being used to manipulate and dump the opponent to the ground can NOT stay in that position as the opponent goes to the floor.

  • If it is set and stays in that position, that too is an illegal throw (tripping). In other words, the leg must clear immediately after the opponent is pulled or tripped over the knee.

  • Clear means that the leg must be moved out of the way BEFORE the opponent hits the canvas.

  • This means skipping the leg or slightly jumping to the side (as long as it is moved from the original position).

  • Strangely, this means an athlete can trip over a leg but must move the tripping leg while the opponent falls to the ground, or it will be deemed illegal and called a trip.
     

• NECK WRESTLING

  • If in a clinch (locking an opponent’s neck) with arms around each others shoulder, as to deliver or defend from an elbow strike, twisting the opponent using the upper body in such a way that you will fall to the ground is allowed.

  • If in a clinch (locking an opponent’s neck) you may NOT execute a hip to shoulder or hip throw.

  • By using neck and shoulder manipulation, you can spin and throw/dump an opponent to the canvas without using any part of your body as a barrier. This is fully legal.
     

• LIFTING

  • You can NOT in any way lift an opponent off of the ground to throw them.

  • Common to see an athlete clinch their opponent around the waist, lift their opponent off the canvas and then twist and throw them around to the side and onto the canvas.

  • This is illegal and points could be deducted of continues use this move.
     

11. PLOWING

• Fighters are allowed to catch their opponents leg and take 2 steps forward.

• You can "dump" a person if you catch their leg and throw it back towards them causing them to fall backwards but must do so within 2 steps (see previous).

• You can also catch under their knee while they are doing a swing knee and topple them over backwards but must do so within 2 steps (see previous).

• AFTER TWO STEPS

  • The fighter holding the leg must STRIKE before taking a third step or more or let go!

  • You can not hold a leg and charge/push an opponent to the ropes.

  • You can not catch an opponent’s leg and use your other arm to push them off balance while taking more than two steps forward.
    
     

12. LANDING

• Stepping on a fallen opponent is illegal. Commonly one sees an athlete twist and pull an opponent over the side of their body (and then land on top), this is illegal.

• It is considered an Intentional foul is when a fighter plans, with the sole intention, of falling on top of their opponent to either strike with their knee or to intentionally hurt their opponent, by making it look like an accident.
   

 

"FULL" MUAY THAI RULES
ADULTS OVER 18 YEARS OLD ONLY.
 

1. MUAY THAI RULES

• See Above.
  
   

2. A Fighter fighting in their "4th" Bout or More.

• Must have a MINIMUM of 3 fights.
  
   

3. FIGHTER MUST SUBMIT A PROOF OF PAST HISTORY / EXPERIENCE FORM TO CONFIRM RECORD

• FOR THIS FORM CLICK HERE
  
   

4. HEADGEAR

• Not Required.
  
   

5. SHIN PADS

• Not Required.
  
   

6. ELBOWS & ELBOW PADS

• See Above.

 

 

 

UNIFIED RULES

 

1. Modified/Limited Muay Thai - K-1 - Glory Style Rules Combined.

 

2. Fighters may kick above the waist and to the legs.

 

3. Leg kicks (shin or foot) are allowed to BOTH inside & outside of the legs but not the knees.

 

4. DIRECT SIDE KICKS TO THE LEGS ARE NOT ALLOWED!
 

5. SHIN / INSTEP PADS

• IKF APPROVED SHIN / INSTEP PADS ONLY!
   

  1. TO SEE THESE CLICK HERE.

  2. TO ORDER THESE SHIN / INSTEP PADS CLICK HERE.

  3. IKF Approved Shin / Instep Pads ARE MANDATORY for fighter's with 2 bouts or less.

  4. IKF Approved Shin / Instep Pads ARE MANDATORY for ALL Fighter's UNDER THE AGE OF 18.

  5. If there is an athlete with three or less bouts VS another with four or over both must wear IKF Approved Shin / Instep Pads.

  6. TO SEE A NON APPROVED SHIN / INSTEP PADS CLICK HERE.
     
      

• QUALIFIED FIGHTERS WITH 3 OR MORE FIGHTS:
   

  • ADULTS OVER 18 YEARS OLD: Shin / Instep Pads are NOT MANDATORY for fighter's fighting in their
    "4th" Bout or More.

  • HOWEVER: To be approved not to be required to wear them, you must prove your bout History
    "A MINIMUM 7 DAYS PRIOR TO YOUR SCHEDULED BOUT" by submitting a BOUT HISTORY FORM.

  • PAST BOUT HISTORY FORM - CLICK HERE.
    
     

• MIXED DECISIONS - DECIDED IN MATCHMAKING

  • If one "ADULT" fighter chooses to wear Shin / Instep Pads both must wear Shin / Instep Pads.

  • If one "ADULT" fighter with more than 3 bouts chooses to wear Headgear both must wear Headgear.

 

6. Shorts are Mandatory, NOT PANTS.

 

7. SHORTS cannot extend lower than 3 inches from the TOP of the knee.

 

8. Spinning backhands/fists are Legal.

 

9. Fighters may Throw Knees but Cannot Clinching like in Muay Thai. Fighters will be asked to break as in FCR or Boxing.

 

10. No Elbows.
 

11. Foot sweeps are legal to the "FRONT" Foot as long as it is not higher than the ankle.

• If a fighter's rear is square to the ropes, BOTH feet become targets for a sweep.