Slap Fight World Federation
Slap Fight World Federation

SLAp fighting UNIFIED RULES:

    Slap Fighting duels consist of two unarmed Participants taking turns as a Striker and a Defender one time in each round.
    Non championship duels are to be 3 rounds, while championship duels are to be 5 rounds.
    Participants must be at least 21 years of age.
    The Promoter/Organizer may permit Participants to have cornermen or catchers during the Duel. Should a Participants fail to present cornermen, two will be provided by Promoter/Organizer.

    Weight Classes

    Strawweight: Up to 115 lbs. – 3lbs. allowance
    Flyweight: 115 to 125 lbs. – 3 lbs. allowance
    Bantamweight: 125 to 135 lbs. – 3 lbs. allowance
    Featherweight: 135 to 145 lbs. – 5 lbs. allowance
    Lightweight: 145 to 155 lbs. – 5 lbs. allowance
    Super Lightweight: 155 to 165 lbs. – 5 lbs. allowance
    Welterweight: 165 to 170 lbs. – 5 lbs. allowance
    Super welterweight: 170 to 175 lbs. – 7 lbs. allowance
    Middleweight: 175 to 185 lbs. – 7 lbs. allowance
    Super Middleweight: 185 to 195 lbs. – 7 lbs. allowance
    Light heavyweight: 195 to 205 lbs. – 7 lbs. allowance
    Cruiserweight: 205 to 225 lbs. – 7 lbs. allowance
    Heavyweight: 225 to 265 lbs. – 7 lbs. allowance
    Super Heavyweight: 265 plus

    Generals

    Participants must weigh-in prior to the Duel. Any Participants who does not weigh-in within the weight class limit by the weigh-in deadline set by Promoter/Organizer, will not be able to participate.
    Participants compensation, championship and title structure, rankings will be at the sole discretion of the Promoter/Organizer, in guidance with The Slap Fight World Federation.

    Equipment & Appearance

    No Participants will be Allowed to participate if they refuse to wear a mouth guard and cotton ear protection.
    No grease, gels, balms, lotions oils, or other substances may be applied to the hair, face or body by the Participants.
    No head, facial, neck, arm, hand or finger jewelry of any kind is allowed.
    Fingernails must be cut below the fingertips and must be rounded without any sharp edges.
    No head gear or hats are allowed. Additionally, no equipment is allowed on the hands, arms or shoulders (such as braces or wraps). Promoter/Organizer may permit the use of unintrusive wrist or arm bands.
    Chalk for the hands and towels must be provided by the Promoter/Organizer.

    Round Timing/Pace

    A coin toss determines which Participants is provided the option to elect to be the Striker or the Defender.
    Pacing – Prior to commencement of the duel, the referee instructs both Participants to their designated blue and red corner boxes marked on the Slap Fighting Stage adjacent to the table. The referee instructs the Defender to take an Allowed Defensive Position.
    “Allowed Defensive Position” is: Standing parallel with the Slap Fighting Table, with shoulders square and feet grounded, facing the Striker.
    The Defender’s feet must be parallel to each other and within the designated boxes marked on the Slap Fighting Stage (with toes of each foot on one of the designated lines in the Defender box if such lines are provided by the Promoter/Organizer).
    The Defender must hold both hands in their backs, with their arms extended towards the ground.
    The Defender’s chin must line up with the edge of the Slap Fighting Table on the Defender’s side.
    Shoulders must not be raised and head, neck and chin cannot be tucked into body
    Once the Defender is in an Allowed Defensive Position, the referee will signal the start of the duel. The Striker must complete an Allowed Slap to the Allowed Target Area within a 30 second period.
    An “Allowed Slap” is a flat, open-handed strike of the palmar side of the hand to the Allowed Target Area. The entire striking of the fingers and palm above the wrist, must make contact and impact simultaneously.
    The Striker must have two feet in contact with the ground through the completion of the Allowed Slap. The Striker’s feet must be parallel to the Slap Fighting table and the Striker’s shoulders must be square to the Power Slap Table and the Defender.
    The Striker must elect (verbally and with hand signals and referee confirmation), the hand, and how many Wind-ups he will use in each round.
    Once an Allowed Slap is completed within 30-second, Defender and Striker must return to their respective positions to engage in the next round where the Defender is now the Striker, and the Striker is now the Defender.

    Knockdowns

    If the Defender is knocked down (any part of the body makes contact with the ground other than the feet) and does not immediately return to his or her feet, the referee will conduct a verbal 10 count. During these 10 counts, the Defender must rise to their feet and establish their fitness to continue as determined by the referee, and confirmed by the ringside physician.
    If they do not, the Striker wins the Duel by knockout. A knockdown count does not stop the Defender recovery clock.
    After each Participants has completed a turn as a Striker and Defender, the round is over, and the next round begins.
    The Promoter/Organizer retains the discretion to change the length of time, including for example, adding break time in between rounds.

    Defender Fouls

    Flinching: Bodily or head movement that affects a strike and occurs after setting a defensive position (minor movements that do not affect a strike are not a flinch)
    Blocking: Tucking chin into neck, or raising shoulders or using any other method to block the strike
    If the Defender commits a flinching or blocking foul before a strike lands, causing the Striker to pause or abandon their strike, the Striker clock is reset, and the Striker can attempt another strike
    The first infraction also results in a warning; for subsequent infractions, the referee will have the right to disqualify the Participant.
    Delay of Duel: Fails to set an Allowed Defensive Position within allotted time or otherwise takes another action to delay the Duel.
    Or, failure to follow referee instructions.
    Or, use of abusive hate-based language.
    The first infraction is a warning; any subsequent infraction can result in  disqualification (in the case of flagrant disregard for the rules or referee’s commands) as determined by the referee.

    Striker Fouls

    Illegal Wind-Up: A completed Strike or Wind-Up inconsistent with the number or hand declared by the Striker
    Clubbing: Any Strike other than an Allowed Slap to the Allowed Target Area.
    Stepping: One or both of the Striker’s feet did not stay in contact with the ground through the completion of the Strike, including pivoting on the ball of the foot. Minor heel lifts caused by the momentum of the Strike is not a stepping foul.
    The above Striker fouls will result in the loss of value of the landed Strike for that round.
    Third infraction: Upon accrual of a third of any combination of the above Striker Fouls, the offending Participants is automatically disqualified.
    Delay of Duel: Striker fails to complete a strike within allotted time, or failure to follow referee instructions.
    Use of abusive hate-based language
    The first infraction is a warning; any subsequent infraction can result in  disqualification (in the case of flagrant disregard for the rules or referee’s commands) as determined by the referee.

    Scoring

    Duels are scored on a 10 point-must scoring system. Open scoring may be used if elected by Promoter/Organizer.
    Criteria for determining points is (1) damage and effectiveness of the Striker and (2) reaction and recovery of the Defender. No criteria are weighed more than the other.
    When, in the same round, a Participants lands a strike while committing an illegal wind-up, clubbing or stepping foul, and the opposing Participants completes a legal strike without fouling, the fouling Participants will lose such round by the score of 10-8. This is due to the loss of value of the landed illegal strike and the loss of a point for the intentional foul. If each Participants lands a strike while committing a Striker Foul in the same round, such round will be scored a 9-9 draw.

    Decisions

    Points – if there is no finish, the Participants with the most points in the Duel are declared the winner or may be unanimous, split decision, or a draw.
    In the case of a draw in a title Duel, the defending champion retains their title
    Knockout – The referee stops the Duel after a Participants is knocked down and either (1) the Participants does not return to their feet within the 10 count or (2) the Participants returns to their feet, but does not establish their fitness to continue.
    Technical Knockout – The referee stops the Duel after a determination (including in consultation with the supervising physician) that the Participants is not intelligently participating or does not have the ability to continue the Duel (which can include failure to return to the Defender box after receiving a strike) or voluntary or medical stoppage not caused by foul.
    No Contest – When a Duel is prematurely stopped due to accidental injury or foul and less than a majority of the rounds have been completed.
    Technical Decision – When a Participant is prematurely stopped due to accidental injury or foul and at least a majority of the rounds have been completed, a technical decision will be awarded to the Participant who is ahead on the score cards at the time the Duel is stopped.
    Disqualification – Intentional foul or a series of reckless fouls, that result in the non-fouling Participants being declared unable to continue or Striker fouls of Illegal Wind-Up, Clubbing or Stepping can result in a disqualification, even if such a foul was not intentional, if such foul adversely impacts (as reasonably determined by the referee).
    The Referee retains the discretion to determine whether a Participant is intentionally acting in bad faith for purposes of receiving a win by disqualification, in which case a disqualification will not be awarded.

    Referees / Judges

    There will be three judges, and at least, one referee.
    The primary referee is granted all authority over the Duel.

    Medicals

    All Participants will submit the following pre-test medicals and cannot participate in a Duel unless cleared by the supervising physician: (1) ophthalmologic eye examination at least 7 days before the date of the first Duel in which the Participants plans to compete in the calendar year for which the license is valid, (4) a brain magnetic resonance imaging scan performed within the 5 years immediately preceding the date on which the applicable for a license is submitted and (5) a cerebral magnetic resonance angiography performed within the 5 years immediately preceding the date on which the applicable for a license is submitted.
    Female Participants must provide the results of an appropriate test, not later than 10 days before the date of the Duel, demonstrating that they are not pregnant.
    Promoter/Organizer will ensure that the following safety protocols are in place: (i) supervising physician and one additional physician or licensed physician assistant, (ii) emergency medical technicians (2) & ambulances (2), (iii) a suture and (iv) at least one local hospital arrangement.

    Participants may not compete in a Duel unless

    Six days have elapsed since his or her last Duel if the Duel was not more than three rounds
    Eight days have elapsed since his or her last Duel if the Duel lasted more than three rounds.
    Ten days have elapsed since his or her last Duel if the Duel lasted seven or more rounds

    Slap Fighting Stage and Table

    The Promoter/Organizer retains discretion over the Stage and Table, provided that each shall meet the following minimum requirements:
    Stage: Surface of at least 15 feet by 15 feet, with padding that is at least 1 ¼ inches thick. Table: Diameter or width of at least 12 inches. Height may be adjustable based on Participants height.
    Catchers (Cornermen)
    For each Duel, “catchers” may be present on the Stage. The authority of the catchers is to use efforts to limit the impact of a Participant’s head to the Stage where feasible and to protect the Participants from falling off the Stage.
    If a Participants falls off the Stage, the Duel clock will be paused for up to two (2) minutes, as determined by the primary referee and the supervising physician. If there is an injury that causes the Participants to be unable to continue in the Duel, and the fall was caused by a strike, then the Duel will be declared a TKO finish for the Striker.
    The Promoter/Organizer retains the discretion to modify or amend these rules with the approval of the Slap Fight World Federation.