875—177.5(90A) Contestants.
	177.5(1) Time between matches. No contestant shall be permitted to compete if the contestant participated in a boxing, wrestling, kickboxing, judo, or mixed martial arts event within the previous five-day period.
	177.5(2) Age restrictions. No contestant under the age of 18 years shall be permitted to participate in any event except by special permission of the commissioner.
	177.5(3) Proper attire. Contestants must wear proper athletic attire. Athletic attire of opposing contestants shall be of contrasting colors.
	177.5(4) Body protection. All male contestants shall wear a foulproof protective cup. All female contestants shall wear foulproof pelvic area protection and breast protection.
	177.5(5) Mouth protection. Each contestant shall wear a mouthpiece throughout each match. If the mouthpiece is knocked from a contestant’s mouth, it shall be washed and then replaced.
	177.5(6) Gloves. Gloves shall be approved martial arts gloves. All gloves shall be approved by the commissioner.
	177.5(7) Hand protection. Only one roll of cotton gauze surgical bandage, not to exceed 2 inches in width and 10 yards in length, shall be used for the protection of each hand. Only one winding of surgeons’ adhesive tape, not more than 1½ inches in width, may be placed directly on the hand to protect that part of the hand near the wrist. The tape may cross the back of the hand twice, but shall not extend within 1 inch of the knuckles when the hand is clenched to make a fist. Practice wraps (training handwraps) may be used in lieu of gauze and tape.
	177.5(8) Hair protection. Where necessary, hair shall be secured in a manner that it will not interfere with the vision or safety of either contestant.
	177.5(9) Use of substances. Rescinded IAB 12/11/13, effective 1/15/14.
	177.5(10) Contestants’ grooming. Rescinded IAB 12/11/13, effective 1/15/14.
	177.5(11) Blood-borne disease testing. Rescinded IAB 12/11/13, effective 1/15/14.
	177.5(12) Weighing contestants.
	a. 	The promoter shall arrange for each contestant to be weighed in Iowa during the 24-hour period prior to the event.
	b. 	Accurate scales shall be furnished by the promoter.
	c. 	An official who has been approved by the commissioner shall weigh each contestant and accurately record the contestant’s name and weight and the date and time. The weight records shall be submitted to the commissioner on the date of the event.
	d. 	All contestants scheduled for an event shall be weighed on the same date.
	e. 	Contestants shall be weighed in the presence of their opponents and without shoes, clothes or equipment.
	f. 	Unless both contestants weigh more than 200 pounds, there shall not be a weight difference of more than 20 pounds between opponents without the commissioner’s consent.
	g. 	No less than two weeks before the event, a promoter may request that a representative of the commissioner be present when contestants are weighed. The fee for this optional service shall be $200 plus reasonable and necessary travel expenses.
	177.5(13) Examination of contestants. On the day of the event, at a time and place to be approved by the commissioner, the ringside physician or physician assistant shall conduct a rigorous physical examination to determine the contestant’s fitness to participate in an MMA match. A contestant deemed not fit by the physician or physician assistant shall not participate in the event.
[ARC 8916B, IAB 6/30/10, effective 8/4/10; ARC 1240C, IAB 12/11/13, effective 1/15/14; ARC 6760C, IAB 12/28/22, effective 2/1/23]