Wyoming Combat Sports Commission

Mixed Martial Arts, Board of

Chapter 5: Specific Requirement for Kickboxing Contestants

Effective Date: 04/20/2026 to Current

Rule Type: Current Rules & Regulations

Reference Number: 046.0001.5.04202026

Chapter 5

Specific Requirements for Kickboxing Contestants

Section 1. Authority. These rules are promulgated under the Commission's authority under Wyoming Statute §§ 33-48-101(g) and 33-48-111.

Section 2. Bout Requirements.

(a) Professional bouts may consist of a maximum of ten (10) rounds of three (3) minutes each in duration, with a minimum one (1) minute rest period between each round. Amateur bouts may consist of a maximum of nine (9) rounds of two (2) minutes each in duration, with a minimum one (1) minute rest period between each round.

(b) The Commission or Commission Representative shall have the ability to regulate the event in a reasonable manner and approve or disapprove the event rules and practices on a case-by-case basis.

Section 3. Kickboxing Tactics Deemed Fouls.

(a) Headbutts;

(b) Groin strikes;

(c) Thrusting or linear kicks directed at the knee joint;

(d) Striking the back of the head or the spine – defined as striking any of the area beginning at the back of the head starting at the crown of the head and running directly down the center of the head, spreading from ear to ear in the back of the head, running down the entire rear portion of the neck, and beginning again at the occipital junction and stopping at the top of the trapezius, and again from the trapezius muscle down the spine to the tailbone;

(e) Attacks to the throat;

(f) Striking a downed contestant;

(g) Failure to obey the referee's commands;

(h) Striking on a break;

(i) Striking after a bell;

(j) Holding or using the ropes or cage while striking or clinching;

(k) Timidity: repeatedly, intentionally avoiding engagement or contact with the opponent;

(l) Use of abusive language and/or gestures;

(m) Causing intentional delays in the action, for example, repeatedly spitting out the mouth piece or falling out of the ring to cause delay;

(n) Thumbing;

(o) Holding the opponent's leg without executing a legal strike or while executing more than one striking technique. A contestant may grab the opponent's kicking leg and immediately execute one legal strike while taking one step, and then they must immediately release the leg;

(p) Any effort to down a contestant by a method other than a legal strike or strikes, which includes, but is not limited to, joint locks, submission attempts, sweeps, reaps, takedowns, and throws;

(q) Biting;

(r) Spitting at the opponent;

(s) Striking with the elbow, arm, wrist, or other part of the glove that is not the padded part of the glove; and

(t) Holding, which is defined as repeatedly grabbing, grasping, or tying up an opponent in order to prevent the opponent from striking. Clinching is allowed to immediately launch a credible knee attack. If in the referee's estimation, the attack and/or counter knee attack is consistent and effective, the referee may allow it to continue for up to five seconds at which point he will separate the contestants. If within the five seconds the knee attack or counter attack wanes or appears ineffective, the referee will immediately separate the contestants.

(u) For amateurs, striking with the knee to the opponent's head.

Section 4. Muay Thai Tactics Deemed Fouls.

(a) Head butts, biting, or pressing on the opponent's eyes with the thumb of the glove;

(b) Striking the groin;

(c) Attacking while holding the ropes or cage or making any unfair use of the ropes or cage;

(d) Striking on the break;

(e) Holding the opponent's leg and pushing more than two (2) steps in any direction without striking with any one of the Muay Thai skills, commonly referred to as plowing;

(f) Intentionally falling down to avoid being hit while leg is held by the opponent;

(g) Throwing or taking an opponent to the floor in an unauthorized manner by bending the lower back of opponent or lifting up the opponent;

(h) Straight line attacks that target the knee joint;

(i) Sweeps not done with the front of the shin or foot-to-foot. Hooking the back or the side of the leg is prohibited;

(j) Intentional evasion of contact;

(k) Holding the back of the head with one (1) hand and punching with the other hand, commonly referred to as dirty boxing; and

(l) Executing any techniques which are deemed malicious and beyond the scope of reasonably accepted techniques in an athletic event.

Section 5. Permissible Strikes.

(a) All boxing strikes to permissible target areas;

(b) Spinning backhands/fists to permissible target areas;

(c) Knee strikes to permissible target areas;

(d) All kicking strikes to permissible targets above the belt line;

(e) All kicking strikes executed with the foot or shin directed to the legs (excluding linear or thrusting kicks directed to the knee joint);

(f) For Muay Thai only, elbow strikes to permissible target areas.

Section 6. Permissible Target Areas.

(a) Front and sides of the head;

(b) Front and sides of the torso above the belt; and

(c) Entire leg, except the knee joint by thrusting or linear kicks.

Section 7. Kickboxing Specific Equipment. Hand wraps are required. Hand wraps shall consist of surgical gauze and athletic tape. Surgical gauze will be limited to ten yards per hand and athletic tape to ten feet per hand. Tape will not be permitted across the knuckles.

Section 8. Kickboxing Scoring.

(a) The 10-point must system will be the standard system of scoring a bout. Under the 10-point must scoring system, 10 points must be awarded to the winner of the round.

(b) The contestant who has lost the round may be awarded 9, 8, or 7 points.

(c) If the round is determined to be an even round, a score of 10/10 may be awarded.

(d) Partial or incomplete rounds will be scored. If no significant action has occurred, the round shall be scored as an even round. This is at the discretion of the judges.

Section 9. Kickboxing Scoring Criteria. Bouts will be evaluated using the following prioritized criteria:

(a) Number of Knockdowns;

(b) Cumulative effective impact on the opponent;

(c) Number of clean scoring strikes; and

(d) Ring generalship or aggressiveness.

Section 10. Muay Thai Scoring.

(a) Points will be awarded whenever the athlete strikes the opponent by Muay Thai skills such as punching, kicking, kneeing, elbowing with force that lands on target with no infringement (without being blocked).

(b) Ten (10) points shall be awarded for each round and no fraction of a point may be given. The better, more skilled athlete shall be awarded ten (10) points and the opponent less.

(c) The steps for awarding points shall be as follows:

(i) A contestant wins the round when striking using more Muay Thai skill than the opponent;

(ii) A contestant wins the round when using a more forceful Muay Thai weapon than the opponent;

(iii) A contestant wins the round when showing less exhaustion than the opponent;

(iv) A contestant wins the round when showing more effect than the opponent;

(v) A contestant wins the round when using superior and more diverse Muay Thai skill than the opponent; or

(vi) A contestant wins the round when having less infringement of the rules than the opponent.

(d) The non-awarding of points shall be as follows:

(e) Strikes that lack Muay Thai skill;

(f) Strikes that are blocked by the opponent’s arms or legs;

(g) Striking with lack of force even when those techniques have landed on target; or

(h) Striking while infringing the rules.