From now on a single set of rules for mixed martial arts in the Netherlands

All combat sports federations and promotions in the Netherlands will from now on apply the same set of rules at mixed martial arts bouts. The only distinction that remains is between amateurs and professionals. The Nederlandse Vechtsportautoriteit (VA), the Dutch combat sports authority, has included the unified rules in the new Convenant 2021 (Covenant 2021). This puts an end to the situation in which different federations applied different rules.

In football, the offside rule in the Champions League is the same as in the Jupiler League (the Dutch second division). In tennis, points are counted the same way in every match. This makes the sport clear and recognisable for everyone. In mma, a young sport, different promotions and federations sometimes applied different rules. The Dutch combat sports organisations considered this undesirable. They asked the VA to bring about uniform regulations.

The VA set up an MMA Expert Group. It was made up of prominent (former) athletes, trainers, referees and ringside physicians. Together, these experts have more than 200 years of experience in and around the cage.

The Expert Group wanted the rules to be in line with international standards, and wanted the rules for amateurs to connect well with those for professionals. It was decided to adopt the American Unified Rules of MMA, also known to the general public as "the UFC rules". These have been translated into Dutch. Only a few details were changed in the translation. For example, the role of the State Athletic Commissions has in the Netherlands been assigned partly to the federations and partly to the VA.

For amateurs, this set of rules is also the starting point. However, a number of techniques that are considered too risky at amateur level are prohibited here. Examples are the attack on the spine ("twister") and the oblique kick to the knee.

For both professionals and amateurs there is an option to apply for an exemption from certain rules. This makes it possible, for instance, to host international amateur tournaments in which competitors fight with more protective equipment.

Convenant 2021

The new mma rules have been included in the new Convenant 2021 (Covenant 2021), to which all combat sports federations and the Nederlandse Vechtsportautoriteit commit themselves. A simplified version of the rule sets can be found here. Another important addition to the new covenant is the obligation to facilitate the recently announced doping controls. A "matchmaker licence" is also being introduced, in order to safeguard the quality of matchmaking. The Convenant 2021 takes effect on 1 January.