Rules reference
Updated
Independent desk. Figures are traced to named sources and corrections are logged — see the editorial policy.
Three judges, a 10–9 round in nearly every case, and a short list of what counts. The scorecard is simpler than it looks and harsher than it sounds.
When a mixed martial arts fight goes the distance, three judges seated around the cage score it round by round. The method, the "10-point must" system, was borrowed from boxing and adapted in the Unified Rules.
The scale
The winner of a round is awarded ten points, and the loser nine or fewer. The "must" means the winner of every round must get ten.
- 10–9: a round won, the great majority of rounds.
- 10–8: a dominant round, with a clear and sustained advantage.
- 10–7: a rare round in which one fighter overwhelms the other.
- 10–10: an even round, rarely used.
What judges weigh
The Unified Rules ask judges to consider effective striking and grappling, effective aggressiveness and control of the fighting area, in that order. Effective striking and grappling come first: a fighter who lands clean blows or a takedown that leads to damage or a submission attempt generally wins the round. If those are equal, aggression and control of the cage are used to break the tie.
Rounds and length
A round lasts five minutes with a one-minute rest between rounds. Most fights are three rounds; main events and title fights are five rounds.
Reading the result
The fight is won by decision if one of the following results is announced: unanimous (all three judges for the same fighter), split (two for one fighter, one for the other), majority (two for one fighter and one scoring a draw), or draw. A point deduction by the referee for a foul is subtracted from the round in which it happened.