Since laws and regulations regarding Combat Sports vary from State to State and Province to Province some unique provisions exist across different jurisdictions. One interesting provision that caught my eye when reviewing the Texas Combative Sports Administrative Rules relates to the ability to hold MMA contests with no gloves.
Section 61.111 of the CSAR deal with MMA. Rule 61.111(b) specifically allows MMA events to be hosted with no gloves whatsoever provided that “If both contestants are not wearing gloves, frontal palm/heel strikes and closed fist punches are not permitted, except to the body.”
Subsection (g) goes on to note that “If contestants are not wearing gloves, it is not permissible to wrap hands, but wrists may be taped….Contestants choosing not to wear gloves, may only compete with other contestants who choose not to wear gloves.”
Another noteworthy Texas provision relates to contestant outfits with subsection (e) allowing MMA combatants to “wear shorts, trunks, wrestling singlet, or traditional martial arts Gi,“.
Other than the above restrictions the Texas rules are largely in compliance with the so called unified Rules of MMA.
So, if you want full Gi, no glove, full contact MMA (with the exception of closed fist and palm strikes to the face), there’s no place like Texas!
