5 UFC rules you might not have heard of

#4 Timidity is illegal

Derrick Lewis and Francis Ngannou received a rare warning for timidity during their fight

As well as being a sport, MMA is also a form of entertainment, and while those two words being so closely linked instantly makes people think of pro-wrestling, it’s also true of basically all sports that attempt to bring in fans and spectators. After all, who would want to watch a sport that could be considered dull?

Over the years, MMA’s rules have evolved to ensure that not only is fighter safety paramount, but entertainment levels are, too. That’s why we have referees calling for clean breaks from the clinch, or standing a fight back up if the action slows down too much on the ground.

One rule that fans might not be aware of however is a rule that outright bans timidity inside the Octagon – including avoiding contact with the opponent or intentionally dropping the mouthpiece. Thankfully, timidity inside the cage is relatively rare, meaning most fights, even if they stall out on the ground or in the clinch, remain mostly entertaining.

Referees do have to enforce this rule, though. Referee Herb Dean had to threaten to take a point from Francis Ngannou and Derrick Lewis this summer when their fight turned into a staring contest, and going a little further back, Nick Serra – brother of former Welterweight champion Matt – was disqualified in a fight in Elite XC for refusing to stand up from his back – thus displaying serious timidity.