Description
Elite Fighting Championship Future Stars
Event Information
Welcome to Elite Fighting Championship: Future Stars 1, a junior, youth & novice MMA development event designed to provide a safe, structured and professionally run competition environment.
📍 Location: Blackrock Hurling Club, Cork 📅 Date: May 10th
Future Stars is the official youth and junior pathway into Elite Fighting Championship events.
Fight Kit Requirements
Fighters must wear solid or neutral coloured fight gear.
- No GAA, football jerseys or casual t-shirts permitted.
- Team fight kits are allowed in any colour, provided a compression top is worn.
- Shorts must be pocketless MMA, BJJ or board shorts and must fully cover compression shorts.
Fight shorts must be pocketless, and suitable MMA, BJJ, or board shorts must cover compression shorts.
Entry
- Athletes will receive either a BLUE or RED wristband during weigh-in.
- Teams are allowed up to two coaches, who will also receive BLUE or RED wristbands.
- For athletes on the day, one parent will be issued a wristband.
SPECTATOR ENTRY:
- €10 Entry (All Ages)
- Wristbands issued upon entry.
- Spectators are not coaches, only coaches are permitted in the corner during bouts and spectators are expected to be in control during bouts, this is a learning event for Juniors and teens we expected them to be supported win lose or draw
Divisions:
- Novice: First-time competitors in any martial art.
- Beginner: Less than one year of competition experience in any martial art.
- Intermediate: Competitors with over one year of experience in any martial art or those holding a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu belt rank of yellow, orange, or green belt in Jiu-Jitsu.
Note: This is a NOVICE event. Fighters with amateur experience in any discipline will be disqualified during weigh-ins. This includes MMA, Wimp to Warrior, Boxing, Semi-Pro, or Pro Muay Thai. Competitors should not exceed the rank of Blue Belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu or Sambo, Brown Belt in Judo, or have represented their country in wrestling, judo, or other disciplines at international events.
Age and Bout Duration:
- Junior A (Age 8-12 years): 1 round of 3 minutes.
- Youth C (Age 12-13): 1 round of 3 minutes.
- Youth B (Age 14-15): 1 round of 4 minutes.
- Youth A (Age 16-17): 2 rounds of 2 minutes each with the potential of a 3rd round decider.
Novice Adults (18+)
- 2 x 3 minute rounds
- 3rd round if required (referee/organiser discretion)
Weigh-ins: This will take place upon entry or a maximum of 90 minutes before your bracket starts.
REQUIRED GEAR FOR ALL FIGHTERS:
- 7oz/8oz sparring MMA gloves (pro gloves not allowed)
- Shin pads that cover feet (no metal clasps)
- Gum shields and groin guards
- Rash guard and MMA or BJJ shorts (no t-shirts or pockets in shorts)
LIGHT CONTACT STRIKING:
Fighters in the junior bracket are
expected to strike with control. Coaches are expected to reiterate this to the
young athletes before the competition. Excessive contact will result in a warning
and possible disqualification upon repetition. Referees may even stop the bout
immediately if they deem a strike excessively hard, and they are not obligated
to give prior warning to the fighter.
Fighters from Youth A, B & C
Brackets may strike as normal.
Contact Rules
Junior Division (8–12 Years)
- Light contact only
- No head strikes
- No ground and pound
Excessive contact will result in warnings or immediate disqualification.
Youth A, B & C Divisions
- Controlled striking permitted
- Ground and pound allowed lightly to the body only
- Strikes are for scoring and progression only
- Excessive contact remains at referee discretion
Novice Adult Division
- Controlled amateur-level striking permitted
- Ground and pound allowed (within amateur safety standards)
- No elbows to the head
- All contact must remain within developmental competition safety guidelines
Referee discretion is final regarding excessive force.
PROHIBITED ACTIONS FOR JUNIORS:
- No head strikes are allowed from any position.
- Prohibited strikes include elbow strikes, knee strikes, spinning head kicks, spinning back fists, oblique kicks, knees to the head/body, slams to escape submissions, and high-hip lifts during takedowns.
- Banned submissions include neck cranks, heel hooks, kneebars, and toe holds.
- No guillotines for kids; teens can finish guillotines only from the ground, not standing.
- There are no jumping submission attempts allowed whatsoever
- No ground and pound for juniors. (It is permitted for Youth A, B & C)
- Youth A, B & C can ground & pound lightly to the body for scoring and to open up submissions. They must keep strikes as light contact and not use them to finish the fight. What’s deemed as excessive contact will be at the referee's discretion
- All other standing body strikes are allowed.
- All submissions, except those explicitly prohibited, are allowed.
LEGAL TECHNIQUES:
- All other standing body strikes are allowed.
- Grounded strikes to the body are allowed only in adult sections.
- All submissions, except those explicitly prohibited, are allowed.
Prohibited Techniques – Novice Adult Division (18+)
The Novice Adult division is a developmental MMA category. The following techniques are strictly prohibited:
- Elbows to the head (standing or ground)
- 12–6 elbow strikes
- Knees to the head of a grounded opponent
- Spinning back fists
- Spinning elbow strikes
- Heel hooks
- Toe holds
- Kneebars
- Neck cranks
- Twisting leg locks that apply lateral knee pressure
- Slams to escape submissions
- High-amplitude suplex-style throws where control is not maintained
- Jumping submissions
- Small joint manipulation (fingers/toes)
- Strikes to the back of the head or spine
- Strikes to the groin
- Oblique kicks to the knee
- Downward elbow spikes
Allowed Techniques – Novice Adults
- Standing striking (controlled amateur level)
- Knees to the body
- Ground and pound (within amateur safety standards)
- All standard positional submissions excluding those listed above
All contact must remain within the spirit of a novice developmental competition. Excessive force or dangerous intent will result in warnings, point deductions or immediate disqualification at referee discretion.
QUERIES AND CHANGES:
- For any queries, contact us at barryocall80@gmail.com. Changes such as weight and division can be made on the athlete's Smoothcomp account until Thursday before the event at 11:59 pm.
- Refunds will be issued as event credit for a future event if we cannot match you.
