1) No unsportsmanlike conduct will be allowed.  Referees, at their own discretion, may disqualify and/or eject any competitor or coach for unsportsmanlike conduct. The referees will be shown maximum respect at all times.  Their decisions are final and will not be overturned.

2) No striking, biting, placing the point of knees or elbows on face, eye gouging of any kind, head butting, small joint manipulation (finger or toe locks), hair pulling, grabbing or striking the windpipe, or ear pulling will be permitted.

3) No slamming allowed. Illegal slamming will be defined as slamming your opponent to escape submissions and/or to pass the guard; or standing from the guard and/or jumping from a standing position to slam your opponent. Slamming will result in an automatic DQ. There are no exceptions to this rule. Take downs are NOT considered slams, but you must deliver your opponent safely to the mat.

4) Jumping guard: All children and white belts are prohibited from jumping guard. This prohibition will also extend to beginner nogi competitors. An offending competitor may be given one warning prior to disqualification.

5) No infectious skin diseases (such as ringworm, staph, and MRSA) or open wounds will be permitted.  Athletes are required to wear shoes of some type anytime they are not on a mat. Athletes found in the restrooms without shoes may be immediately disqualified without refund. Fingernails and toenails must be clipped. No lubricants, oils, or lotions of any kind will be permitted on any part of the body or clothing.

6) For the safety of the athletes, No visible body jewelry will be allowed.

7) Competitors who move outside of the the live area (which is defined by the red border) of their matted area, will be allowed to continue until they can be safely and reasonably be stopped for a rest, or when the touch the adjoining mats live area. Whichever comes first. If the competitors near the edge of the mat, adjoining the hard floor, they will be restarted from the same position, unless the referee is unable to replicate the position for any reason.  In case the referee is unable to duplicate the position, the competitors will restart from a standing position.

8) Matches start from standing. Competitors who move onto or outside the ring border when standing can (at the discretion of the referee) be restarted standing in the center of the mat. If competitors move outside the ring while engaged on the ground, the action may be frozen and moved back to the center of the mat, in position. Deliberately or repeatedly moving outside the area will be considered fleeing and penalized accordingly (which will generally be disqualification).

9) Women will not be permitted to compete in Men’s divisions. Men will not be permitted to compete in Women’s divisions. Teens may compete in Men’s or Women’s divisions with written permission from their parent or legal guardian, coach/Instructor, and agreement of tournament director. Men over the age 35 years old are eligible to compete in the 35+ divisions, but may also compete in the Men’s divisions. This means one division or the other, not both.

10) In Juvenile (ages 4-17) matches, the referee and/or coach has the discretion to call a match if the referee believes that a submission will cause immediate damage or injury, especially in the beginner divisions.

Note: KYS Promotions reserves the right to expand or combine divisions to make the best brackets.