(c) The referee shall:

1. (1) Be trained or possess sufficient knowledge in the specific combative sport for which the referee will be refereeing;
2. (2) Be the sole arbiter of a bout and be the only individual, other than the doctor, or a fighter’s corner authorized to stop a bout;

3. (3) Be permitted, in the referee’s sole discretion if the case of a professional bout and if available, to within one (1) minute following the end of a round or any referee decision bringing an end to the contest utilize instant replay or otherwise refer to or consult a two-camera live recording of the action in the round just ended for the sole purpose or purposes of deciding if:

   1. (A) A cut was the result of a legal blow or accidental head-butt;
   2. (B) The contestant returned to a non-down position before the end of the ten-count; or
   3. (C) A foul assessed against a contestant during the round was actually a foul;
4. (4) If the referee utilizes instant replay or otherwise refers to or consults a live recording of the action in the round just ended, such reviewed video shall, while being reviewed, be viewed solely by the referee and no other persons at the event;
5. (5) Be permitted after reviewing the instant replay or live recording of the action and before the beginning of the next round or immediately following expiration of the time permitted for review, to reverse the reviewed decision during the round just ended and if a decision is reversed, the contest shall continue consistent with the reversal without further review;
6. (6) Be charged with the enforcement of all rules applicable to the event and governing the conduct of the contestants and seconds while contestant is participating in the event;
7. (7) Not begin any round until a commission representative, each judge, each timekeeper, and the doctor are each at ringside and acknowledge being ready to begin the round;
8. (8) Obtain the name of each contestant’s chief second prior to the bout and require the chief second to control the activities in that contestant’s corner in compliance with this part;
9. (9) Be approved by the commission prior to the event;
10. (10) Inspect each contestant and contestant’s gloves prior to the start of each bout or contest to ensure no foreign substances have been applied to the contestant or gloves;
11. (11) Provide instructions and go over the rules with the contestants and seconds in the dressing room prior to the start of the bout or contest, or if promoter approves in the instructions done inside the cage/ring;
12. (12) Assess fouls and point deductions, when appropriate, for infraction or infractions of this part or the rules applicable to the particular combative sport, against contestants during the round in which the foul occurs and instruct judges to mark their scorecards accordingly, provided, the referee should, but is not required to, warn the contestant prior to deducting a point;
13. (13) Call a timeout and instruct the timekeeper to cease the timing of the round during the assessment of a point deduction or for other good cause as deemed necessary in the referee’s sole discretion, provided the referee may not call a timeout for the sole purpose of allowing a contestant additional time to recover after an opponent strikes a legal blow;
14. (14) Disqualify contestants, when appropriate, for an infraction or infractions of this part or the rules applicable to the particular combative sport, and instruct judges to mark their scorecards accordingly, provided however, the referee should, but is not required to, warn the contestant and first deduct a point or points prior to disqualifying a contestant;
15. (15) For professional and amateur bouts, a scorecard from each judge after each round and deliver the same to the commission representative or inspector at ringside, unless directed by the commission representative or inspector to receive and deliver the scorecards at the end of the bout, and when receiving the scorecard, ensure the judge has computed each contestant’s score for each round and the judge’s name and signature appear on the scorecard;
16. (16) Ensure a bout or contest moves to its proper completion in compliance with this part;
17. (17) Be authorized to stop a bout at any time if individuals refuse to clear the ring and technical zone upon command, dispute a decision by an official, or seek to encourage spectators to object to a decision either verbally, physically, or by engaging in disruptive conduct, and if the individual involved in disruptive conduct or encouraging disruptive conduct is a second, the referee shall be authorized to direct a point or points to be deducted from the contestant’s score or disqualify the contestant, or if the conduct occurred after the decision was announced, the commission may take such disciplinary action as it deems necessary including, without limitation, changing the decision;
18. (18) Obtain the appropriate starting point for all counts from the timekeeper if possible under the circumstances, however, the referee’s count shall be the official count;
19. (19) Assess the condition of the down contestant during a count and make a determination as to whether the down contestant is fit to continue the contest and is able to safely and intelligently defend against an attack by the contestant’s opponent if allowed to continue;
20. (20) Continue the original count whenever a contestant, who has been down, rises, and falls again without being hit again;
21. (21) If the non-down contestant fails to remain in the neutral corner during a count, stop said count until the non-down contestant returns to the neutral corner; and
22. (22) Rule the contest a double knockout, if all contestants, who have been simultaneously knocked down, remain down until completion of the ten count.