Warrior-1 MMA

Warrior One MMA (W-1) is a North American mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion hosting its events in Canada and United States. W-1 is known for attracting veterans such as Marcus Davis, Jason MacDonald and Denis Kang.^[1]

Rules

The W-1 employs the Unified Rules of Mixed Martial Arts. Fighters compete in a cage.

Rounds

Every round in W-1 competition is five minutes in duration. Title matches have five such rounds, and non-title matches have three. There is a one-minute rest period between rounds.

Weight divisions

The W-1 currently uses seven weight classes:^[1]

• Bantamweight: 126 to 135 lb (57 to 61 kg)
• Featherweight: 136 to 145 lb (62 to 66 kg)
• Lightweight: 146 to 155 lb (66 to 70 kg)
• Welterweight: 156 to 170 lb (71 to 77 kg)
• Middleweight: 171 to 185 lb (78 to 84 kg)
• Light Heavyweight: 186 to 205 lb (84 to 93 kg)
• Heavyweight: 206 to 225 lb (93 to 102 kg).

Attire

All competitors must fight in W-1 provided shorts, without shoes. Shirts, gis or long pants (including gi pants) are not allowed. Fighters must use approved light-weight open-fingered gloves, that include at least 1" of padding around the knuckles, (110 to 170 g / 4 to 6 ounces) that allow fingers to grab. These gloves enable fighters to punch with less risk of an injured or broken hand, while retaining the ability to grab and grapple.

Match outcome

Matches usually end via:

• Submission: a fighter clearly taps on the mat or his opponent or verbally submits.
• Technical Submission: A technical submission is achieved when the referee stops a fight due to an injury resulting from a submission hold or due to a fighter going unconscious from a choke.
• Knockout: a fighter falls from a legal blow and is either unconscious or unable to immediately continue.
• Technical Knockout (TKO): If a fighter cannot continue, the fight is ended as a technical knockout. Technical knockouts can be classified into three categories:
  • referee stoppage: (the referee determines a fighter cannot "intelligently defend" himself; if warnings to the fighter to improve his position or defense go unanswered—generally, two warnings are given, about 5 seconds apart)
  • doctor stoppage (a ringside doctor due to injury or impending injury, as when blood flows into the eyes and blinds a fighter)
  • corner stoppage (a fighter's own corner-man signals defeat for their own fighter)
• Judges' Decision: Depending on scoring, a match may end as:
  • unanimous decision (all three judges score a win for fighter A)
  • majority decision (two judges score a win for fighter A, one judge scores a draw)
  • split decision (two judges score a win for fighter A, one judge scores a win for fighter B)
  • unanimous draw (all three judges score a draw)
  • majority draw (two judges score a draw, one judge scoring a win)
  • split draw (one judge scores a win for fighter A, one judge scores a win for fighter B, and one judge scores a draw)

Note: In the event of a draw, it is not necessary that the fighters' total points be equal. However, in a unanimous or split draw, each fighter does score an equal number of win judgments from the three judges (0 or 1, respectively).

A fight can also end in a technical decision, disqualification, forfeit, technical draw, or no contest. The latter two outcomes have no winners.

Judging criteria

The ten-point must system is in effect for all fights; three judges score each round and the winner of each receives ten points, the loser nine points or fewer. If the round is even, both fighters receive ten points.

Fouls

The Nevada State Athletic Commission currently lists the following as fouls:^[2]

1. Butting with the head
2. Eye gouging of any kind
3. Biting
4. Hair pulling
5. Fish hooking
6. Groin attacks of any kind
7. Putting a finger into any orifice or into any cut or laceration on an opponent. (see Gouging)
8. Small joint manipulation
9. Striking to the spine or the back of the head (see Rabbit punch)
10. Striking downward using the point of the elbow (see Elbow (strike))
11. Throat strikes of any kind, including, without limitation, grabbing the trachea
12. Clawing, pinching or twisting the flesh
13. Grabbing the clavicle
14. Kicking the head of a grounded opponent
15. Kneeing the head of a grounded opponent
16. Stomping a grounded opponent
17. Kicking to the kidney with the heel
18. Spiking an opponent to the canvas on his head or neck. (see piledriver)
19. Throwing an opponent out of the ring or fenced area
20. Holding the shorts or gloves of an opponent
21. Spitting at an opponent
22. Engaging in unsportsmanlike conduct that causes an injury to an opponent
23. Holding the ropes or the fence
24. Using abusive language in the ring or fenced area
25. Attacking an opponent on or during the break
26. Attacking an opponent who is under the care of the referee
27. Attacking an opponent after the bell (horn) has sounded the end of a round
28. Flagrantly disregarding the instructions of the referee
29. Timidity, including, without limitation, avoiding contact with an opponent, intentionally or consistently dropping the mouthpiece or faking an injury
30. Interference by the corner
31. Throwing in the towel during competition

When a foul is charged, the referee in their discretion may deduct one or more points as a penalty. If a foul incapacitates a fighter, then the match may end in a disqualification if the foul was intentional, or a no contest if unintentional. If a foul causes a fighter to be unable to continue later in the bout, it ends with a technical decision win to the injured fighter if the injured fighter is ahead on points, otherwise it is a technical draw.

Match conduct

• After a verbal warning the referee can stop the fighters and stand them up if they reach a stalemate on the ground (where neither are in a dominant position or working towards one).
• If the referee pauses the match, it is resumed with the fighters in their prior positions.
• Grabbing the ring ropes brings a verbal warning, followed by an attempt by the referee to release the grab by pulling on the grabbing hand. If that attempt fails or if the fighter continues to hold the ropes, the referee may charge a foul.

Events

Current champions

Notable Fighters

• Heavyweight: Gabriel Gonzaga
• Welterweight: Joe Stevenson
• Welterweight: Marcus Davis
• Welterweight: Carlos Newton
• Middleweight: Denis Kang
• Middleweight: Jason MacDonald
• Welterweight: John Alessio
• Light Heavyweight: Roger Hollett
• Welterweight: Pat Healy
• Middleweight: Vernon White
• Middleweight: Jamie Yager
• Heavyweight: Brett Rogers
• Heavyweight: Ruben Villareal
• Light Heavyweight: Murilo Rua

References

1. ^ ^{a b} http://www.w1mma.com/warriorone.php
2. ^ NSAC Regulations: Chapter 467 - Unarmed Combat. Nevada State Athletic Commission. Retrieved April 3, 2006

External links

• Official W-1 Site
• W-1 event results at Sherdog