Rhode Island General Laws
Chapter 41-5.2 - Mixed Martial Arts
Section 41-5.2-20. - Fouls.

§ 41-5.2-20. Fouls.
(a) The following are fouls and will result in penalties if committed:
(1) Butting with the head;
(2) Eye gouging of any kind;
(3) Biting or spitting at an opponent;
(4) Hair pulling;
(5) Fish hooking;
(6) Groin attacks of any kind;
(7) Intentionally placing a finger in any opponent’s orifices;
(8) Downward pointing of elbow strikes;
(9) Small joint manipulation;
(10) Strikes to the spine or back of the head;
(11) Heel kicks to the kidney;
(12) Throat strikes of any kind;
(13) Clawing, pinching, twisting the flesh, or grabbing the clavicle;
(14) Kicking the head of a grounded fighter;
(15) Kneeing the head of a grounded fighter;
(16) Stomping of a grounded fighter;
(17) The use of abusive language in the fighting area;
(18) Any unsportsmanlike conduct that causes an injury to opponent;
(19) Attacking an opponent on or during the break;
(20) Attacking an opponent who is under the referee’s care at the time;
(21) Timidity (avoiding contact, or consistent dropping of mouthpiece, or faking an injury);
(22) Interference from a mixed martial artist’s seconds;
(23) Throwing an opponent out of the fighting area;
(24) Flagrant disregard of the referee’s instructions;
(25) Spiking an opponent to the canvas on his or her head or neck.
(b) Disqualification occurs after any combination of three (3) of the fouls listed in subsection (a) or after a referee determines that a foul was intentional and flagrant.
(c) Fouls will result in a point being deducted by the official scorekeeper from the offending mixed martial artist’s score.
(d) Only a referee can assess a foul. If the referee does not call the foul, judges shall not make that assessment on their own and cannot factor such into their scoring calculations.
(e) A fouled fighter has up to five (5) minutes to recuperate.
(f) If a foul is committed, the referee shall:
(1) Call time;
(2) Check the fouled mixed martial artist’s condition and safety; and
(3) Assess the foul to the offending contestant, deduct points, and notify each corner’s seconds, judges, and official scorekeeper.
(g) If a bottom contestant commits a foul, unless the top contestant is injured, the fight shall continue so as not to jeopardize the top contestant’s superior positioning at the time.
(1) The referee shall verbally notify the bottom contestant of the foul.
(2) When the round is over, the referee shall assess the foul and notify both corners’ seconds, the judges, and the official scorekeeper.
(3) The referee may terminate a bout based on the severity of a foul. For such a flagrant foul, a contestant shall lose by disqualification.
History of Section.P.L. 2009, ch. 312, § 1; P.L. 2009, ch. 313, § 1.