Official Rules of Scottish Grappling Invitational Events
Weight Categories
The following weight categories are used in SGI events: -
The official weigh-ins will be conducted without the gi for all matches but some form of underwear must be worn (no athlete will be allowed to weigh-in without). Athletes must make the weight agreed for the bout. Failure to do so may result in the bout being cancelled.
Corner Team
Each club with between 1 and 2 competitors will be allowed one coach pass backstage at the event.
Clubs with 3 or more competitors will be allowed two coach passes backstage at the event. However only one corner person will be allowed matside during each match.
Sub Only Rules Contests
Main event bouts, tournament finals and title matches have a 15 minute duration
All non main event bouts will have a ten minute duration.
The ruleset is designed to allow the athletes to use the skills they have obtained in their chosen grappling art, to bring excitement to the audience and showcase grappling in the most dynamic and interesting way possible, and to determine a winner in cases where there is no submission victory.
Our judges will decide the winner of the bout based on the following guidelines, positive and negative.
The categories are in descending order of importance with A being the most important and carrying the most weight.
For:
A) Effective Attacks and Aggression
Legitimate submission attempts that cause the opponent to apply effort to escape
Pushing the pace of the bout
Initiating exciting exchanges
Taking risks in an attempt to gain a takedown, advantageous position or submission attempt
Note on submission attempts:
The definition of a legitimate hold is that the opponent has to apply effort or take a risk in order to escape. If a fighter uses a submission attempt as a positional stalling tactic (e.g. holding on indefinitely to a submission that they are not able to finish) then this would not be looked upon favourably.
B) Escalating Positional Control
Takedowns
Sweeps
Improving position in order to set up a submission
C) Effective counter attacks and dynamic escapes
Effectively countering takedowns
Reversals
Spectacular escapes
Against:
D) Stalling and Passivity
Not capitalising on good positions
Constantly moving backwards
Exiting the competition area
Being overly defensive and unwilling to take risks
Not attempting to advance position
E) Poor sportsmanship / fouls
Attempting illegal submissions or manoeuvres
Striking
Any other breach of the rules
In extreme cases the referee may disqualify or indicate that the judges are to mark a fighter down, at his discretion
Notes
The judges is encouraged to always look upon the aggressor / attacker more favourably than the defensive fighter.
Stalling and passivity are strongly discouraged and the referee should score appropriately, penalising any kind of stalling tactic that slows down the action.
If there is no submission the bout will be decided by judges decision.
Injuries
Where a fighter sustains an accidental injury during the match, they will be given up to 5 minutes to recover. The timekeeper will stop the time during this. If the fighter indicates they are able to continue before the 5 minutes is up then the match can resume.
If the player is unable to recover during the 5 minutes then the match will be declared no contest and the injured fighter will receive medical assistance off-stage.
If medical intervention is necessary then the judges and referee can confer with the medic to decide if the bout can continue.
If the injury is sustained via an illegal manoeuvre, a negative point will be given to the perpetrator and the fighter given up to 8 minutes to recover. The timekeeper will stop the time during this. If the fighter cannot recover then the bout will be declared a win for the injured fighter.
Poor sportsmanship / fouls / passivity
Upon an infraction, the referee will pause the bout, warning the fighter (s) and pointing to the fighter (s) who is receiving a warning, and then the three judges one by one.
After two infractions, or at the referee’s discretion, the match can end, with the fighter committing the offences being declared the loser, and the opponent the winner.
Illegal Methods / Movements
Eye gouging or fish hooking
Grabbing fingers, ears, hair, toes, or other extremity
No posting on faces / one-handed windpipe grip
Slamming from above the knee height of the person doing the lifting to escape a submission or position (high amplitude throws / takedowns will not be penalised)
Disrespectful conduct towards referee, event staff, opponent or opposing coach
Legal Techniques
Chokes (except using fingers to crush windpipe)
Joint locks involving shoulder, elbow, wrist, knee, ankle. Neck cranks & heel hooks are legal in no-gi bouts.
Gi bouts legal submissions as per IBJJF for belt level. Illegal in gi bouts: Cervical locks, heel hooks are illegal at all levels in Gi bouts.
General Rules
Winner is signified via tapout (at least two rapid taps on the opponent or mat), verbal submission (voluntary or involuntary(any exclamation of pain, scream, gasp etc counts as an involuntary submission)), or being unable to continue the bout due to injury.
In no-gi bouts the athletes must not grip any clothing
Referee will be on the mat to officiate the bout, ensure rules are followed and advise fighters when they get too near the edge of the mat, in which case they will be paused and returned to the centre of the mat in the same position. If no agreement on positioning can be made the athletes will be stood up at the centre of the ring. In the event of a submission attempt rolling out of bounds both athletes will be restarted standing.
Overall a high standard of sportsmanship is required before, during and after the fights.
Square go Team Elimination rules
Each team will consist of 5 members with a maximum combined weight of 420kg.
Team captains will submit the fight order for their team prior to the start of the match.
Competitors will match off in the order they are selected. The winner of each bout stays on until an entire team has been eliminated.
Ways to Win
By submission
By decision (in the event of a time limit draw the athlete with least penalties will advance. If both competitors have an equal number of penalties then both are eliminated)
In case of the same number of warnings in the last fight, the team with the lowest total warnings wins. In case of the same total warnings, the referee determines the result from the last fight by means of hand gesture.
Bout Duration
Each bout will be 6 minutes in length unless there is a weight difference of greater than 20kg, in which case the bout will be 3 minutes.
Legal / illegal techniques
As above for Sub Only Contests.