Main Rules of Muay Thai

Muay Thay rules

Learn about the main rules of Muay Thay as practiced in its country of origin, Thailand. The 10 most important Muay Thai rules and scoring criteria.

It’s important to note that Muay Thai practiced outside of Thailand doesn’t always follow the same rules and criteria, which is why we decided to delve into the rules of Muay Thai practiced in Thailand in this article.

The official rules of Muay Thai

Below are the 10 main official rules of Muay Thay:

1. First rule: it is forbidden to intentionally bite, spit, scratch, pinch or throw your opponent to the ground;
2. Second rule: blows below the waist line are allowed, but blows to the genitals using the knee are not;

3. Third rule: it is forbidden to attack an opponent who is on the ground;

4. Fourth rule: clinching is allowed, i.e. grabbing the opponent to apply blows, but the clinch cannot be maintained for more than five seconds;

5. Fifth rule: blows are only allowed with the fists, elbows, knees and legs, and it is forbidden to strike with the head, shoulder, arms or open hands;

6. Sixth rule: fighters must wear gloves and mouthguards during the fight;

7. Seventh rule: the fight is divided into five 3-minute rounds, with 2-minute breaks in between;
8. Eighth rule: if a fighter suffers a fall, the referee will count to eight before continuing the fight;
9. Ninth rule: if the referee considers that the fighter is no longer in a position to continue the fight, he may end it;
10. Tenth rule: if the fight ends in a draw, an extra round will be held to decide the winner.

Muay Thai Scoring Criteria

1. The force of the coup.
2. They showed strength at every moment of the fight.
3. Breaking the opponent’s posture.
4. Choosing the best strategy in the fight.
5. Greater offensive initiative with consistency.
6. Fair play: no illegal scams.

More Fighting Content

• All About Muay Thai
• Muay Thai blows
• The Origin of Muay Thai
• Graduation in Muay Thay: Classes and Bands
• Basic Boxing Rules
• Basic rules of MMA
• Basic rules of Jiu-jitsu

CAIO Nunes Muay Thai. MUAY THAI RULES. YouTube, November 07, 2020. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jcNOLN4cClE. Accessed on: September 30, 2023.

CAIO Nunes Muay Thai. UNDERSTANDING THE RULE | PILLARS OF MUAY THAI. YouTube, November 9, 2020. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VerZsLP_Xh8. Accessed on: September 30, 2023.

CAIO Nunes Muay Thai. THE TRUTH THEY NEVER TOLD YOU ABOUT MUAY THAI. YouTube, August 24, 2023. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-vkMI95lgM&t=1s. Accessed on: October 1, 2023.