The UCA Rulebook.

1. Overview

The United Combat Association (UCA) is the national sanctioning body for Battle of the Badges events. These rules apply to every UCA-sanctioned bout in every host city.

The rulebook is reviewed annually by the UCA Commission and the Chief Medical Officer. The most recent revision is effective January 1, 2026.

Where a state athletic commission has stricter requirements, those requirements govern. UCA rules set the national floor, never the ceiling.

2. Eligibility

UCA competition is restricted to active and honorably retired public-safety personnel.

• Active sworn law enforcement officers (municipal, county, state, federal, tribal, corrections).
• Active career and volunteer firefighters certified by a recognized authority.
• Active licensed EMTs, paramedics, and flight medics.
• Honorably retired members of the above, within 10 years of separation.
• Active-duty and honorably discharged U.S. military may compete in designated Armed Services cards.

All competitors must provide current employment verification and a clean disciplinary letter from their department. Any suspension, decertification, or pending felony charge disqualifies a competitor until adjudicated.

3. Weight Classes

UCA recognizes nine weight classes for men and seven for women. Weigh-ins occur 24 hours before the bout; a 2-pound allowance applies to non-title fights.

4. Bout Formats

UCA sanctions boxing and modified kickboxing formats. Ground fighting is prohibited in all UCA bouts.

• Standard bout: 3 rounds × 2 minutes with 1-minute rest.
• Championship bout: 5 rounds × 2 minutes with 1-minute rest.
• Exhibition bout: 3 rounds × 90 seconds, no official result.
• All bouts use a regulation 20-foot roped ring with four ropes and padded corners.

5. Scoring

Bouts are scored under the 10-point must system by three UCA-certified judges.

• Winner of the round receives 10 points; loser receives 9 or fewer.
• A knockdown reduces the round score by 1 point.
• Point deductions for fouls are made by the referee and applied to the round.
• Judging criteria, in order: clean effective punching, ring generalship, defense, and aggression.

Decisions are announced as Unanimous, Split, or Majority. A bout not stopped inside the distance goes to the scorecards. There are no draws in championship bouts; a majority-draw scorecard triggers a sudden-victory round.

6. Equipment

All equipment must be UCA-approved and inspected by the ringside official before the bout.

• Gloves: 10 oz (up to 147 lb), 12 oz (148–176 lb), 14 oz (177 lb+).
• Handwraps: gauze and tape only, inspected and signed by an official.
• Mouthguard: custom-fit, boil-and-bite acceptable.
• Groin protection: required for all male competitors; pelvic protector required for female competitors.
• Attire: UCA-branded trunks or department-issued shorts; no jewelry, no metal.

7. Medical Standards

Every competitor must pass a full pre-fight medical exam within 30 days of the bout.

• Physical examination by a licensed physician.
• Bloodwork: CBC, HIV, Hep B, Hep C — within 12 months.
• Ophthalmology exam — within 12 months.
• Post-fight suspensions are mandatory after any knockout (60 days) or TKO (30 days).

Two ringside physicians and a licensed EMS crew with an ambulance on standby are required for every UCA-sanctioned card. The physician has absolute authority to stop a bout.

8. Conduct & Fouls

UCA competitors represent their departments and their communities. Conduct is held to that standard.

• Fouls include: hitting after the bell, low blows, elbows, headbutts, hitting a downed opponent.
• Any competitor ejected for unsportsmanlike conduct is suspended a minimum of 90 days.
• Positive PED, recreational drug, or diuretic test results in immediate disqualification and a one-year suspension.
• Trash-talking a specific department, race, or religion is grounds for immediate license review.