Rules

CAMO’S CALIFORNIA STATE CHAMPIONSHIP: TOURNAMENT RULES & REGULATIONS


ARTICLE 1.
GENERAL PROVISION

§ 101. Citation.
These rules shall be cited as the “CAMO California State Championship Rules” or the “Tournament Rules.”
§ 102. Definitions.
As used herein:
  1. “CAMO” refers to the California Amateur Mixed Martial Arts Organization, Inc.;
  2. “AMMA Rules” mean the Rules and Regulations Governing Amateur Mixed Martial Arts in California;
  3. “Tournament” or “State Championship” shall mean all events encompassing CAMO’s California State Championship for Amateur Mixed Martial Arts. The Tournament shall be a single elimination tournament, except as provided under §402 of the Tournament Rules.

ARTICLE 2.
REGISTRATION PROCESS

§ 201. CAMO License Required.
In order to register as a contestant in the State Championship (“Contestant”), a Contestant shall successfully complete an application for a license pursuant to section 205 of the AMMA Rules prior to registration, and shall sign a Bout Agreement in a form required by CAMO covering the entire Tournament, and providing amongst other things that the Contestant :
  1. Will not compete in any other MMA event while participating in the Tournament; and
  2. Agrees to accept all match ups that are assigned; and
  3. Agrees not to abandon their amateur status until after the Tournament concludes; and
  4. May be randomly tested, and agrees to take such tests, for the use of any drugs prohibited by the California State Athletic Commission for professional MMA fighters, and may be disqualified from the Tournament for failing such tests.
§ 202. California Residents Only.
In order to participate in the State Championship, a Contestant must be a citizen of the United States and a California resident.  Proof of residency must be shown to designated CAMO officials on or prior to the time of weigh-in for the first round of the State Championship.  Either (a) a current California driver license, or (b) a US Passport or some form of government issued identification with picture and a utility bill in the contestant’s name showing a California address, shall be sufficient proof of residency.
§ 203. Registration for the State Championship.
Contestants will be selected on a first come, first serve basis via registration through the State Championship website (www.camo-mma.org/tournament).  A total of eight (8) fighters in each weight class will be selected to compete in each region.  The regional promoter, as selected by CAMO, may hold open one spot in each weight class for a fighter of promoter’s choosing (“Promoter’s Choice”).  The state of California will be divided into eight (8) regions.  A Contestant need not be a resident of a region to compete in that region’s bracket.
§ 204. Alternates.
If a weight class is full, the Contestant will have the choice to be wait-listed (become an alternate) or go to closest region with availability. A Contestant who has successfully registered for the Tournament but does not have an opponent will become the first alternate in the applicable weight class for the registered region.  If a registered contestant fails to make weight or is not able to fight for any reason in the opening round of the Tournament, the first alternate on the list for that weight class in that region shall take his place in the Tournament.  Alternates shall be chosen in order as registered.  
§ 205. Registration Fee.
A twenty-five dollar (US $25.00) registration fee, per Contestant, will be paid by Contestant to CAMO upon registration (waived for 2010 Tournament).
§ 206. Ability to Compete.
CAMO maintains the right to not approve a prospective Contestant’s participation in Tournament based on ability. If a fighter has three (3) fights and no more in the CAMO program, he must have at least one (1) win in the CAMO program to compete in the Tournament. If a fighter has four (4) fights or more in the CAMO program, he must have no worse than a two-to-one ratio of losses to wins in the CAMO program (For example, if he has six (6) fights, he must have a record that is not worse than two (2) wins and (4) losses.).
§ 207. Matchups Set Randomly.
Matchups for the first round in each weight class in each region shall be made randomly by computer program.  
§ 208. Fighters from Same Gym.
No more than two Contestants from the same gym or school shall be allowed to compete in the same weight class in the same region (for example, no more than two fighters from the All Amateur MMA Gym, shall be allowed to register and compete in the 155 lb weight class in the Los Angeles region. However, for example, for each weight class, 2 may compete in the Los Angeles region and 2 more can compete in the San Diego region).  If two Contestants from the same gym are randomly matched in the first round of the Tournament, CAMO shall replace one of the Contestants with a Contestant from the next bracket in that weight class and region, causing such Contestants from the same gym to be matched, if at all, only in subsequent rounds of  the Tournament. 
§ 209.Transportation.
Contestants shall be responsible to provide their own transportation to all Tournament events.  Hotel rooms shall be provided for any Contestant competing in the State Championship final event whose principal residence is more than one hundred fifty miles from the venue for such State Championship final event.

ARTICLE 3.
CONTEST RULES

§ 301. AMMA Rules Apply.
Unless otherwise specified below, the Tournament shall be governed by the AMMA Rules.
§ 302. Weigh-Ins.
Contestants shall be weighed pursuant to section 621 of the AMMA Rules, and all weights will be given a one-pound allowance for scale discrepancies.  Weigh-ins will be waived for round two of the Tournament.  Failure to make weight will result in disqualification from the Tournament.
§ 303. Weight Classes.
The weight classes for the State Championship shall be as follows:
  1. Bantamweight over 125 to 135 pounds
  2. Featherweight over 135 to 145 pounds
  3. Lightweight over 145 to 155 pounds
  4. Welterweight over 155 to 170 pounds
  5. Middleweight over 170 to 185 pounds
  6. Light Heavyweight over 185 to 205 pounds
  7. Cruiserweight over 205 to 230 pounds
  8. Heavyweight over 230 pounds not to exceed 265 pounds
§ 304. Length of Contest
 In the first two rounds of the Tournament, the contests shall be for two rounds, each round not to exceed two minutes in duration. If the contest is a draw after the end of two completed rounds, a third and final round of two minutes shall occur to determine a winner.  Thereafter, each contest is to be for three rounds, each round not to exceed two minutes in duration.
§ 305. Determining a Draw.
In the event that the scoring system used to judge the contest results in a draw, the referee of the contest shall determine the winner.
§ 306. Suspensions.
If a Contestant registers for the Tournament and fails to participate in any round for any reason other than failing to obtain medical clearance for such bout pursuant to a pre-fight physical or pursuant to a writing from a medical doctor, such Contestant shall be suspended from the CAMO program for a minimum of ninety (90) days.

ARTICLE 4.
SUBSTITUTION PROCESS

§401. Alternates in First Round.
Alternates in each region shall be listed in order based on the first in time to register for the Tournament for that region. If there are no alternates in a region the first available alternate in the nearest region may be used.  Alternates will be allowed to compete only in the first round of the Tournament, and only if they are the first available alternate on the list for that region in their weight class, and one the following occurs to another contestant in that weight class:
  1. Fails to make weight;
  2. Fails to report to weigh-ins on time;
  3. Backs out of the contest;
  4. Is not cleared by the ringside physician to fight;
  5. Violates the AMMA or Tournament Rules and Regulations;
  6. Is not a US Citizen and California resident.
§ 402. Substitutions.
If, after winning a contest in the Tournament, a contestant cannot continue (“Non-Continuing Fighter”), the Non-Continuing Fighter will be replaced as follows and, in the following order:
  1. If in the second round of the Tournament only, then any winner of an alternate match first in that region and then from the region in closest proximity.  An alternate match will only be held in a region if there are less than 8 fighters available for that weight class in that region when the Tournament commences.  The fifth and sixth fighters on the list will compete in an alternate match and the winner shall replace any Non-Continuing Fighter in their weight class who cannot compete in the second round of the Tournament.
  2. If #1 above does not apply, then by any fighter who lost during the round in which Non-Continuing Fighter was injured in the following order:
    1. Any fighter who lost during that round by split decision;
    2. Any fighter who lost during that round by decision;
    3. If more than one of the above qualifying replacement fighters exists (for #2A or 2B):
      1. 1st choice is if Non-Continuing Fighter’s opponent qualifies
      2. 2nd choice is fighter from Non-Continuing Fighter’s region. If more than one:
        1. Fighter closest on scorecards when adding up total points;  if still tied, than:
        2. As chosen by referees from that region
      3. 3rd choice is fighter from region closest to Non-Continuing Fighter’s region.  If more than one:
        1. Fighter closest on scorecards when adding up total points; if still tied, than:
        2. As chosen by referees from that region(s); if still tied, than:
          By coin flip
  3. Except in the finals, if no fighter meets the above criteria, the fighter who was supposed to meet Non-Continuing Fighter in next round will receive a bye.   In the final round of the Tournament, if no fighter meets the above criteria to replace a Non-Continuing Fighter, qualifying fighters can be drawn from a round prior to the round in which Non-Continuing Fighter was injured.  If no qualifying fighters can be found in the previous round, then qualifying fighters from the round prior to that will be drawn from until such time as a qualifying fighter is found.