Kung Fu Sanda Fighting Kungfu Sanshou/Sanda Competition
Basic A and A+ Division Rules

The publication of official rules is to provide standard rules and regulations for the fighters, coaches and managers in the US and around the world a reference to follow. It is designed to safeguard not only the quality of KSF Kungfu Sanshou/Sanda Competition but fighters’ health and safety.

Section 1 – Event Venue/Equipment

1.1 Ring Condition- approx 20 sqft with matted floor and springboard under for protection. The surface is canvas and a bit slippery to start with. All ring ropes must be secured and tightened for safety.

For beginners during the day competition
Standard mat will be used for the event with the conditions as follows:

Size: The size of the tapped off area shall be 8*8 meter. The fighting area within the tape will be 7*7(app.: 22 ft) meter fair square (no less than 20 ft).

The left side corner closest to the Chief Judge’s rear will be the red corner, and the corner that diagonally opposite will be the black corner. Other corners will be neutral corners.

1.2 Bandages

Fighters may use surgical bandages or sport bandages not longer than 2.5 meters with width not more than 5 cm. Fighters are prohibited to use bandages with any chemical substances.

1.3 Protectors

  • Fighters must use Sanda shorts or boxing shorts, mouthpieces and groin cups.
  • Fighters may not use any other protector or clothing besides the Sanda /boxing shorts, gloves (gloves provided by the committee organization), mouthpieces and groin cups (provided by themselves) without the Official Doctor’s approval.
KSF US Open Kung Fu & Sanda Challenge Tournament Rules and Requirement | KSF US Open

1.4 Other Equipment

  • Caution: 12 yellow 15*5 cm boards with the letters “caution” will be used to indicate a caution.
  • Warning: 6 red 15*5 boards with the letters “warning” will be used to indicate a warning.
  • Time Board: Six (6) 15*5 cm blue board will be presented during a count.
  • Board Rack: A 60*15 cm board rack will be set on red/black corners.
  • Two (2) Stopwatches
  • Two (2) types of whistles

Section 2 - Kungfu Sanshou Fighting Equipment

2.1 Each fighter shall wear regulation KungFu (or open finger) gloves provided by the K. Superstar Committee,

A self-prepared protective cup and a mouthpiece.  Use of leg pads, shin guards, and kneepads is prohibited for advanced.  Contact lenses are also prohibited.  Gloves sizes for each weight class are as follows:

2.2 Bandages and Restrictions on Tape Use

Fighters may use a minimal amount of tape on their knuckles in order to protect the hands. Fighters may not insert any object inside the tape or bandage. The definition of “minimal” is the extent that the judges will approve a tape job no longer than 2.5 meters during the bandage checking procedures. The use of protectors made of rubber, plastic, or other material is not allowed for any reason including the protection of an injury. White tape and elastic tape may be used for taping of injured areas; however such dressings must be checked by the official physician and judges, and must be signed by the judges. All tape and/or bandages without an official signature to prove that they were checked must be removed. No tape may be applied to a fighter once the match is started.

Class Body Weight

Glove Size

Featherweight Under 55kg

8 oz

Welterweight Under 65kg

8 oz

Middleweight Under 75kg

10 oz

Light Heavy Weight Under 89kg

10 oz

K. Superstar Heavy Weight Above 90kg

12oz

2.3 Gloves Checking

All fighters must submit to a glove check before they are put on. After the glove check, an official seal or signature will be placed on the tape which seals the gloves. Once checked, the gloves may not be taken off until the end of the match. If there is any evidence that the gloves have been removed or tampered with (ie. if the official seal is broken) the fighter must undergo another glove check.

Section 3 – Fighters & Corner Men

3.1 Qualifications

Fighters shown below are qualified to participate in KungFu/ Sanda Events:

  1. KungFu Sanda (KSF) Fighters registered in the KSF-K. Superstar Organization Committee.
  2. KungFu Sanda (MMA fighters may be accepted if following the rules) from abroad invited by KSF-K. Superstar Organization Committee except under B level open tournaments where no restrictions to foreign fighters apply.
  3. Fighters approved to have the required ability by USA Kungfu Sanda Federation and K. Superstar Organization Administration Committee.
  4. Qualified fighters will be determined and announced by KSF – the K. Superstar Administration Committee every year.

3.2 Physical Examination

All fighters must submit their medical examinations results prepared by a certified MD within 15 days before the match.

3.3 Age Limit

Fighters between 18 to 49 years old are qualified for the event.

3.4 Insurance

Fighters must have medical and their Life Insurance Certificates upon participation in fights. All fighters must sign medical waiver.

3.5 Weight Division

  1. All K. Superstar must fight under the division of 90 kg and above
  2. Other open fighting divisions as follows
  3. 65 kg: 50 kg to 65 kg (includes 65 kg)
  4. 70 kg: Above 65 kg to 70 kg (includes 70 kg)
  5. 75 kg: Above 70 kg to 75 kg (includes 75 kg)
  6. 80 kg: Above 75kg to 80 kg (includes 80 kg)
  7. 85 kg: Above 80 kg to 85 kg (includes 85 kg)
  8. 85 + kg: Above 85 kg
    Superstar Administration Committee will decide weight Divisions for each match.

3.6 Weigh-In

  1. Qualified fighters will obtain rights to participate in the weigh-in.
  2. At the weigh-in, all fighters must show their government issued ID, registration card, or any other
  3. documents to prove their status.
  4. The scorekeeper under the supervision of the K. Superstar Administration Committee must conduct
  5. the weigh-in.
  6. All fighters must appear at the designated time for the weigh-in. During weigh-in, fighters are requested
  7. to reveal their full body or to wear only boxing shorts. Fighters failing to complete his weigh-in within
  8. the given one hour will be disqualified.
  9. Weigh-in will be conducted from the lighter weight divisions. In case the fighter has failed to match his
  10. weight restrictions, the fighter will be weighed again within the given weigh-in time. If the fighter cannot
  11. match the weight range he has applied for, he will be disqualified from all matches during that period.
  12. All fighters will be weighed one time for one event.

Section 4 – Scoring Rules for KSF

4.1 Legal Techniques

All legal forms of punches, kicks, throws and knee attacks from any school of Kungfu/Wushu/Karate, MMA, Thaiboxing or any other styles of Martial Arts such as the following:

  • Punches : Straight punches, hooks, uppercuts, down strikes and backspin blows.
  • Kicks: Front kicks, low kicks, sweep kicks, trip kicks, middle kicks, high kicks, sidekicks, back kicks, Ax kicks, inner thigh kicks, jumping kicks such as scissor kicks and knee kicks.
  • Knees: Knees are only allowed to apply to the trunk below the neck and above the belt.
  • Throws: Neck throw, fireman’s throw, Forward throw, back throw (no head first throws), Catch leg throw, grappling arm throw and grappling-kicking combo throws…10 second submission on the ground

The following restrictions apply to the use of the backspin blow.

  1. The authorized area of contact for the backspin blow shall be the area of the glove where it bends at the wrist and beyond to the tip of the glove.
  2. If an area other than the authorized area of contact hits and injures the opponent by accident,

Article 12, sub-article 3 shall apply.

4.2 Legal Area

The head, the body, thigh and leg are legal areas.

Authorized fighting techniques. Each match consists of three (3) minutes three (3) rounds.

 Points will be awarded in this priority:

(1) Number of downs or clean and successful throws
(2) Extent of impacts inflicted on the opponent
(3) Number of clean hits without exchanges
(4) Degree of aggressiveness (points in the offensive)

4.3 Scoring

Points will be added as below:

a) 2 points

  1. Knock-outs from punches and kicks. (Any clinches or throws are not included.)
  2. When the opponent has received a warning.
  3. When the opponent was thrown with a highly advanced technique

b) 2 points

  1. When the opponent is forced (or made) to fall by applying deliberate falling techniques, then he himself stands up immediately.
  2. When the opponent falls (on any part of the body other than his feet on the ring floor or fall on the rope closest to the ring floor on any part of the body above the knee) while he himself remains standing

c) 1 point

  1. When the opponent has been knocked down or thrown down (Knock-outs are not included.
  2. Any parts of the body besides the two feet touching the ring mat or the very bottom ringside rope are considered a knock-down.)
  3. When the opponent has received a caution.
  4. Any legal kicks to the legal area.
  5. Any legal punches to the legal area.
  6. Any knee attacks to the body above the waist, below the neck.
  7. When the opponent is forced down to land the ground first
  8. The referee will warn a fighter considered “passive” for 8 seconds. When the fighter stays “passive” for another 8 seconds, the opponent will be given 1 point.

d.) 　　No points will be added when:

  1. 1 The attacks are not considered as clean hits.
  2. Both fighters take a down. (The time initiative is not considered in this matter.)
  3. Upon a knock-out, only the knockout will be regarded in the points. The count /knockdown will not be considered in the points.
  4. When both fighters clinch together, or attack each other in the clinching position, points will not be added. (This includes knee attacks from clinches.)
  5. The dominant fighter shall be awarded a score of ten (10), and points shall be deducted from his opponent.

4.4 Illegal Techniques

a) Offensive Fouls

  1. Any attacks prior to the referee’s “start”, and after the referee’s “stop”.
  2. Any attacks to the illegal area.
  3. More than two types of strikes using elbows any types of butting with the head, or any types of attacks towards the joint are prohibited.
  4. Attacks towards the head using the knee.
  5. Any throws forcing the opponent to go head down first, and any attacks while holding down the downed opponent.
  6. Any kicks towards a downed opponent.
  7. Biting the opponent.
  8. To throw the opponent out of the ring on purpose.

b) Technical Fouls

  1. Clinching and holding without attacks. Clinching and holding more than 3 seconds without throws.
  2. Passive actions such as trying to avoid the opponent’s attacks.
  3. Holding the ropes and attacking the opponent, or any improper use of the ropes and/or corner posts.
  4. Knee attacks to the area below the waist. (Knee attacks to the groin would be handled as an Offensive Foul.)
  5. To request for a timeout when placed at a disadvantage.
  6. Any misconduct inside the ring, such as use of bad language, or any act of disrespect towards the referee.
  7. Any act to prolong the time of the match on purpose.
  8. Coming into the ring without the mouthpiece, spitting out the mouthpiece inside the ring, and taking off the protection pads on purpose are all considered as Technical 9 Any illegal conduct from the corner man.

c) Illegal Conduct-Execution

  1. Disrespect towards the referee, any illegal conduct, or upon any reverence of a pre-fixed match, the referee will conduct his right to call out a “warning”, “caution” or a “disqualification” to the fighters.
  1. When the referee gives a “warning” or a “caution”, the referee must stop the match and clearly indicate the judgment towards both the fighter and the judges.
  2. The referee can only conduct a “disqualification” accompanied by the agreement of the chief Referee (judge).

d) Illegal Conduct-Regulations

  1. One (1) caution will be issued on every one (1) Technical Foul.
  2. One (1) warning will be issued on every one (1) Offensive Foul.
  3. When the points of a fighter has reached 6 points due to minus points from illegal conduct, the opponent will be declared the winner of the match.
  4. A fighter intentionally injuring an opponent would be disqualified from the match.
  5. The duration of the disqualification may be shorter or longer according to the seriousness of the violation or infringement.
  6. When a fighter unintentionally caused the opponent to refrain from continuing the fight due to serious injury, that fighter will be disqualified for that particular match.
  7. When a fighter has been injured due to the opponent’s illegal technique and has been found and confirmed by the Official Doctor to pretend an injury to prevent him from continuing the match, the fighter who has disguised his injury would be disqualified from that particular match.
  8. Fighters using the oxygen mask during the intervals in between the rounds will be disqualified.
  9. Use of illegal substances will disqualify the fighter and ban the fighter from fights for a period of 2 years.

Section 5 – Scoring/Judgment/Listing

A fighter may win by the following judgments:
  • SUBMISSION (for K. Super Extreme Sanda only)
  • DISQUALIFICATION
  • UNCONSCIOUSNESS
  • POINTS
  • ADVANTAGES

5.1 Number of Rounds

  1. All matches consist of five (5) two-minute rounds or three (3) minutes rounds for eliminations (When 2 events are scheduled within a 24 – hours term, the matches may consist of three (3) three-minute rounds.)
  2. The intervals between rounds will be one (1) minute.
  3. Norvice division: one minute round for eliminations
  4. The intervals between rounds will be one (1) minute.
  5. All matches may be scheduled within 1-2 hours

5.2 Scoring

  1. The mat/ringside judges will record the points for both fighters.
  2. 10 points will be the standard point. At the end of each match, the winner may get 10 points, and the opponent must get points below 10.
  3. Scoring Calculation
    After each round, the points from each judge will be given to the calculation personnel, who will count the points for both fighters.
  4. The difference between the total points of the two fighters will be calculated……(x)
  5. [10 points – (x)] points will be the loser’s points.

5.3 Victory on Points

  1. 1 At the end of the match, the fighter with the majority vote from the judges shall be announced winner.
  2. Extra Round : One extra round will be added when the decision was a draw.
  3. In case the decision was a draw after the extra round, the winner is determined with the below Priority:
    • The fighter with the lighter weight will obtain victory.
    • Fighting spirit and initiative.
    • Effective attacks.
    • Effective defense.
  1. Under no violation of the rules:

The decision will be made by the judges according to each fighter’s performance until the fight was stopped under the circumstances stated below:

  • When one or both fighters were injured and confirmed by the Official Doctor unable to continue the fight.
  • When both fighters were simultaneously knocked out and unable to continue the fight.

5.4 Dominant Victory

  1. Victory due to apparent dominance of one fighter: When both the referee and the chief judge saw great dominance of one fighter, the referee may stop the match and announce the dominant fighter winner of the match.
  2. Knockout: When a fighter was knocked out and could not stand within 10 seconds, or has stood up within 10 seconds but apparently cannot continue the fight, the opponent will be announced winner.
  3. When a fighter has been counted 3 times in one match, the opponent will be announced as winner of the match after the end of the third count.
  4. Victory due to the opponent’s fouls: When an opponent was disqualified due to violation of the rule, the fighter will be announced winner.
  5. Victory by Submission– SUBMISSION: Submission occurs when a technique forces an opponent into admitting defeat by:
    • tapping with the palm against his opponent or the floor in a visible manner
    • tapping with his feet on the ground (if he is unable to use his hands)
    • requesting verbally to the referee that the fight be stopped (if he can neither tap with his hands or his feet)
    • requesting that the fight be ended if the athlete gets injured or feel physically incapable or unprepared Also:
    • the referee may end the fight giving victory to the one that applied the lock if he sees a lock being properly applied and is certain that the Athlete serious physical damage.
    • a coach of one of the athletes may request that the fight be ended either by directing himself to the referee or by throwing the towel into the ring 7-) When an athlete is under a submission position and he screams or say “Aï” , will be the same as if he taps.

 

Section 6 - Judges, Referee and Officials

6.1 Official Judge Team

The Official Judge Team consists of a chief referee (judge), assistant to the chief referee (judge), center referee, 3 side judges, timekeeper and a scorekeeper.

6.2 Others

A personnel calling the roll and assuring the fighter’s appearance and Official Doctor team will support the Judge Team.

Competitor Registration

This is a special event that gathers not only some of the most well-known original US Sanda/Sanshou team members and masters but also many younger fighters and coaches who have participated in our Sanshou/Sanda events in the US for the past 30 years, according to the director of the event.  

There are 3 major US Open fighting divisions besides light contacts.
A: Advanced Division
B: Beginner Division
N: Novice Division

Kung Fu, Tai Chi, Light Sparring Registration

Register Now
KSF US Open Sanda/Sanshou Registration | KSF US Open Kung Fu & Sanda Challenge

Sanda/Sanshou Registration

Register Now