Want to fight for the IFS Spartacus Combative Ground Sparring?
The IFS accepts fighters of all weight classes, gender, and nearly all ages even if it’s your first fight. First, you must be approved by your coach and dedicate time to training. Secondly, you must be willing to develop a fan base and social media presence. The IFS will provide you with materials needed and a step-by-step method of how to do so.
Step 1: Submit Your Application
Fill out and submit the online form in detail with your coach. You must provide your current information and disclose your complete fight history. Make sure to include your minimum and maximum fight weight. Once matched, the IFS will send your coach a detailed confirmation agreement. You and your coach must reply in agreement.
Step 2: Sell Event Tickets
For each fighter, a batch of 50 sequentially-numbered General Admission tickets and a Commission Sheet will be sent to the coach (at the gym’s address) to sell; Premier Admission tickets are available to sell upon request. You and your coach are responsible for the face value of all tickets; therefore, it is your responsibility to safeguard them. The IFS requests that you sell at least 20 tickets because of the high-quality production costs of IFS shows. The IFS will reward the gym with a percentage of the tickets sold. Please do not forget to bring the funds for sold tickets and return unsold tickets at the same time when you come in for the check-in/weigh-in.
Step 3: Promote Your Fight through Social Media
As a fighter, this is your opportunity to market yourself to enhance yourself for future success. Here’s how:
- Share our digital banner on Facebook and Instagram to announce your fight and repost it with updates on your progress up to the day of the fight.
- Create a Facebook event such as “John Doe’s SuperFight at the IFS” and invite everyone on your list. Include all the details. If you need additional information, the IFS promotion team can help.
- Let your fans know how important your fight is and how their support will help. Tell them the fights are not televised and cannot be live streamed. They will want to see you up close and in person to cheer you on.
- Let them know you have tickets available and purchasing them through you will earn the gym a commission.
- Have tickets on hand when you ask “Are you coming to my fight?” Let them know that tickets purchased at the door are $5 more and the gym will not earn commission from tickets sold at the door.
- Ask your fans when they will get their tickets and let them know the different forms of payment you can accept such as PayPal, Venmo, Apple Pay, cash or check.
- Post training photos and videos on Facebook and Instagram. Show off your hard work daily.
- Continuously talk to your gym mates, friends, family, and co-workers about the fight. Express your excitement!
Promote yourself and you will see the rewards of your efforts in all aspects of your career with a fan base. You put in the hard work. You deserve to be seen. Let’s do it!
Step 4: Read the IFS Combative Ground Sparring Rules and Requirements
Modified Amateur Pankration Rules:
- All competition is fought on a mat not in a ring. Two mats will be on the stage floor.
- No fighters license nor cornerman license is required.
- Unlike semi-contact events, there is no entry fee for the fighter to compete. Free coaching pass.
- Two cornerman are allowed in the mat area. Only one cornerman is comped during the event. No other comps are giving out for this event.
- DURATION: Fighters will compete in 3 rounds, 2 minutes each. Ages 12 and under will compete in 3 rounds of 90 seconds. If the result is a draw, fighters will compete in a 1 minute round to determine the winner. Two judges, one referee, one supervisor (control power) and one timekeeper per floor ring.
- WEIGHT CLASSES: Same as standard IKF weight-classes. Minimum age: 6 years old. Preferred weights also can be agreed between the two coaches during proposed match cards by the matchmaker.
A Junior Fighter (under 18) must bring valid I.D. (such as birth certificate, passport, state I.D., driver’s license) at weigh-ins to show proof of age. - RULES FOR STRIKING WHEN STANDING: Striking to the body is allowed only when standing but not to the face, unless both coaches and fighters agree to strike to the face when standing but not full contact to cause injury or KO or TKO.
Warnings will only be given once. The second time, both fighters will be forced to continue the match only by hitting to the body. A third time will be a DQ.
Ages under 18 are allowed to strike to the head when standing if both coaches agree. - RULES FOR STRIKING WHEN ON THE GROUND: Ages 18 and above are allowed to slap to the face and punch to the body while on the ground. Ages under 18 are only allowed punches to the body while on the ground.
- NOT ALLOWED:
– Lifted and ground slamming.
– Knee, ankle and neck twisting. Only stretch to tap out.
– For ages under 18, slapping to the face while on the ground. - PREVENTING KOs and TKOs: If an opponent is unable to defend ground striking to the body, the action will be stopped and the fighters will be put in stand-up position again so they can continue to work.
- IMPORTANT REMINDER: just like stand-up sparring, no KOs and TKOs. Competitive sparring is the goal so SAFETY is our primary responsibility.
- IFS WILL LOAN GLOVES & SHIN GUARDS: Mininum of 10 oz. Pankration gloves.
- EQUIPMENT (BRING YOUR OWN): Pankration headgear, mouth guard, groin protection.
- Rash guards and shorts to be worn for this competition.
The IFS looks forward to having you compete. Fighters and coaches will be reminded during the rules meeting of the existing Pankration rules in addition to the modifications mentioned above.
Step 5: Reconcile Your Ticket Sales at Weigh-Ins
In order for your gym to earn its commission, you must reconcile your ticket proceeds and unsold tickets with the IFS at weigh-ins. NOTE: If you do not reconcile your ticket sales at this time, then you will not be allowed to compete and you risk suspension from future fights.