Ohio Administrative Code

(A) No promoter who conducts an event to which rules of agency 3773 of the Administrative Code apply, shall fail to submit to the commission, executive director, or a commission representative a written report that shows the number of tickets sold and all unsold tickets for the e…

If a promoter who conducts any public or private competition that involves the sports of boxing, kick boxing, mixed martial arts, karate, tough man contests or tough person contests, professional wrestling, or any other form of boxing or martial arts, under rules bearing agency 3…

(A) The applicant must be a minimum of eighteen years old and have a federal identification card (ID), prior to applying for an Ohio boxing license.(B) Any person who desires to participate as a professional boxer shall apply for a professional boxing license from the athletic co…

(A) The following test results from a certified laboratory or physician must be submitted to the commission office prior to competing in a professional boxing event:(1) Negative HIV;(2) Negative hepatitis B surface antigen (SA);(3) Procedures to complete when failing hepatitis B …

(A) In addition to all other required medical examinations these additional medicals must be submitted to the athletic commission office within seventy-two hours by a professional boxer or other unarmed combat contestant who:(1) Is thirty-five years or older;(2) Has boxed in exce…

(A) Applicants from out of state may produce a valid physical examination form issued from another state, if that state's physical requirements are as stringent as those required by the state of Ohio, or meet the minimum standards required by the association of boxing commissions…

(A) There must be a contestant/promoter contract signed by both parties for all public or private competition that involves the sports of boxing, kick boxing, karate, or any other form of boxing or martial arts prior to any bout occurring. The contract shall contain the names of …

(A) No contestant may be eligible tocompete, unless approved by the commission or executive director when thefollowing conditions exist:(1) Seven days afterparticipating in any bout;(2) Sixty days followinga knockout "(KO)" loss;(3) Thirty days followinga technical knockout "(TKO…

(A) Requires that a contestant be given a medical examination by the assigned ringside medical personnel in any competition regulated by the Ohio athletic commission that involves boxing, mixed martial arts, kick boxing, karate, tough man contests or any other form of boxing or m…

(A) Any person who desires to participatein any public or private competition that involves the sports of boxing, mixedmartial arts, kick boxing, karate, tough man contests or tough person contests,or any other form of boxing or martial arts, as a referee, judge, matchmaker,timek…

The executive director and commission shall assign from among licensed inspectors, physicians, referees, judges, and timekeepers, the officials for any public or private competition that involves the sports of boxing, mixed martial arts, kick boxing, karate, tough man contests or…

(A) A person shall not be determined to possess the knowledge and experience necessary to qualify them to hold a referee's license unless all of the following conditions are met:(1) They are at least twenty-one years of age;(2) They have experience as an amateur or professional r…

(A) No promoter shall conduct a boxing, mixed martial arts, kick boxing, karate, tough man contest or tough person contest, or any other form of boxing or martial arts unless a licensed referee assigned by the commission and paid by the promoter is present. The referee shall dire…

No promoter shall conduct a boxing, mixed martial arts, kick boxing, karate, tough man contest or tough person contest, or any other form of boxing or martial arts unless a minimum of three licensed judges assigned by the commission and paid by the promoter are present. Each judg…

(A) The commission shall assign inspectors to attend each boxing, kick boxing, mixed martial arts, karate, tough man contests or tough person contests, or any other form of boxing or martial arts held under a permit issued under rules bearing agency level 3773 of the Administrati…

(A) All contestants must be eighteen years of age and shall have photo identification.(B) All contestants names must be submitted to the Ohio athletic commission office seventy-two hours prior to the event.(C) Contestants shall not have any previous professional experience in box…

(A) All contestants must be eighteen years of age and shall have photo identification.(B) Contestants who are former champions, runner-ups or do not qualify to participate in tough person contest.(C) All contestants names must be submitted to the Ohio athletic commission office s…

(A) Shall submit the names; addresses; date of birth; and last four digits of their social security number of all contestants seventy-two hours prior to the start of the event.(B) Shall pay a minimal fee to fight fax for information to see if any contestants have any professional…

(A) All ring officials shall be under the direct supervision of the Ohio athletic commission. Officials must be selected and approved by the commission.(B) The officials for every contest shall consist of at least one referee, three judges, one timekeeper, and one licensed physic…

(A) Prior to participating in the contest, all contestants must pass a physical examination given by a licensed medical doctor or doctor of osteopathic medicine, in accordance with the form prescribed by the commission. Failure to take and successfully pass the physical examinati…

(A) At the referee's discretion or upon the recommendation of the ringside physician, the referee shall discontinue the contest if a contestant is unable to continue and the decision shall be awarded to the opponent.(B) If a contestant is knocked down three times in any one round…

(A) In the event of a knockout, the contestant who has scored the knockout shall be declared the winner.(B) The ten point must system shall be used. The winner of each round must be awarded ten points, the loser of the round nine points.(C) Penalty points awarded by the referee f…

(A) A referee may disqualify a contestant, or award a round to his opponent, if any of the following major fouls are committed:(1) Hitting an opponent who is down or attempting to get up on his feet;(2) Using a knee against an opponent;(3) Purposely going down without being hit;(…

(A) No contestant or promoter may display any type of entrance theme that includes music, video, or any type of physical display that contains any profanity or any derogatory ethnic remarks. Anyone violating this rule may be suspended for up to six months. Last updated November 1…

(A) Brazilian jiu-jitsu: also known as "Gracie Jiu-Jitsu", it is a martial art developed in Brazil by the Gracie family during the mid-20th century. Originally based on the Japanese martial art of judo as it existed before World War II, it has since developed into an independent …

(A) "MMA" is a general term used to identify a mixed martial arts event that describes the convergence of techniques from a variety of unarmed combative sports disciplines including boxing, wrestling, judo, jujitsu, kick boxing and others.(B) All professional and amateur mixed ma…

(A) The weigh-ins must be conducted by an inspector or a representative of the Ohio athletic commission at a place and time designated by the promoter in accordance with the rules bearing agency 3773 of the Administrative Code.(B) All contestants must weigh in. With the exception…

(A) All bouts will be scored by three judges.(B) The "Ten-Point Must System" will be the standard system of scoring a bout. The winner of the round will be awarded ten points and the loser of the round will be awarded nine points or less, except for the rare occasion of an even r…

(A) Procedures:(1) Referee shall issue a warning. After the initial warning a penalty will be issued. The penalty may be a deduction of points or disqualification depending on the severity of the foul. Any points deducted for any foul must be deducted in the round which the foul …

All contestants are required to wear a mouthpiece during competition. The round cannot begin without the mouthpiece. If the mouthpiece is dislodged during competition, the referee will call time and have the mouthpiece replaced at the first opportune moment, without interfering w…

Following any medical time-out, or when a ring is being used and one or both opponents are under the ropes on the apron of the ring or in danger of falling from the apron of the ring, time will be called by the referee and both fighters will be positioned in the middle of the rin…

(A) Groin and breast protectors.(1) Male fighters must wear a groin protector which will protect them against injury from a foul blow.(2) Female fighters may not wear groin protectors but must wear a breast protector or sports bra.(B) Female fighters must submit a negative pregna…

(A) All mixed martial arts contests must wear grappling gloves that weigh not less than four ounces and not more than eight ounces.(B) The gloves shall be supplied by the promoter.(C) Both contestants shall wear same size gloves.(D) Must be inspected and passed by the inspector, …

(A) In all weight classes, the bandages on each contestant's hands shall be restricted to soft gauze type cloth not more than fifteen yards in length and two inches in width, held in place by not more than ten feet of surgeon's tape, one inch in width for each hand.(B) Surgeon's …

(A) Mixed martial arts may be held in a cage or a fenced area.A manufactured cage convert unit may be secured on a boxing ring if it conforms with the specifications and standards for a cage for mixed martial arts.(B) The fenced or cage specifications for mixed martial arts must …

When a ring is used all seconds working in the corner will wear rubber gloves. When a cage or fenced area is used only the second who enters the cage or fenced area must wear rubber gloves. Last updated November 19, 2025 at 10:47 AM Authorized By: 3773.34 Amplifies: 3773.34 Five …

(A) A mixed martial arts contest may end under the following results:(1) Submission:(a) Tap out: when a contestant physically uses their hand(s) to indicate that they no longer wish to continue.(b) Verbal tap out: when a contestant verbally announces to the referee that they do n…

(A) Professional bouts will be three or five rounds of five minutes each with a one minute rest period that includes a ten second warning signal.(B) Championship bouts will be five rounds of five minutes each with a one minute rest period that includes a ten second warning signal…

(A) Bout agreements.(1) The bout agreement between a promoter and a contestant must be executed on a form provided by the Ohio athletic commission. All information including name and address of contestant must be included.(2) A bout agreement which provides that a contestant must…

(A) All contestants, managers and seconds shall be licensed as required by the rules in agency 3773 of the Administrative Code.(B) All judges, referees, time keepers, physicians and inspectors shall be licensed as required by the rules in agency 3773 of the Administrative Code.(C…

(A) There may be two licensed seconds for amateur events and three licensed seconds for professional events positioned in a designated area by a cage or fenced area or positioned in each corner of a ring. For championship bouts there may be three licensed seconds.(B) No person ot…

(A) All contestants and participants may be disciplined for any violation of the rules and regulations of agency 3773 of the Administrative Code.(B) The executive director, inspector or commission representative may hold a contestant's purse for initially failing any drug test ad…

(A) Sixty day suspension for a knockout "KO".(B) Thirty day suspension for a technical knockout "TKO".(1) Referee stoppage from submission or choke hold prior to verbal commitment or tap out.(2) Referee stoppage from strikes prior to verbal commitment or tap out.(C) Throwing the …

(A) Amateur mixed martial arts events will follow all existing rules in agency 3773 of the Administrative Code.(B) Any contestant competing as an amateur may not currently or have ever been a professional fighter with a winning record in any unarmed combat sports; this includes b…

(A) The following test results from a certified laboratory or physician must be submitted to the commission office prior to competing in a mixed martial arts event:(1) Negative HIV;(2) Negative hepatitis B surface antigen (SA);(3) Procedures to complete when failing hepatitis B s…

(A) No contestant or promoter may display any type of entrance theme that includes music, video, or any type of physical display that contains any profanity or any derogatory ethnic remarks. Anyone violating this rule may be suspended for up to six months. Last updated November 1…

(A) The Ohio athletic commission shall allow electrolyte-replacement drinks, regardless of color such as "Gatorade, Powerade, Propel, Smart Water," etc during events regulated by the commission.(B) These drinks must be brought to ringside or cage side un-opened and sealed and onl…