The World Combat League (WCL) was a
full contact
''Full Contact'' () is a 1992 Hong Kong action film produced and directed by Ringo Lam, and starring Chow Yun-fat, Simon Yam, and Anthony Wong.
Plot
The first part of the movie takes place in Bangkok, Thailand. Gou Fei's (Chow Yun-fat) frie ...
, team-based
kickboxing
Kickboxing is a combat sports, combat sport focused on kicking and punch (strike), punching. The combat takes place in a boxing ring, normally with boxing gloves, mouthguards, shorts, and bare feet to favour the use of kicks. Kickboxing is pract ...
promotion. It was founded by movie star and martial artist
Chuck Norris
Carlos Ray "Chuck" Norris (born March 10, 1940) is an American martial artist and actor. He is a black belt in Tang Soo Do, Brazilian jiu jitsu and judo. After serving in the United States Air Force, Norris won many martial arts championshi ...
.
Rules
The rules are typical of other full contact striking competitions, with some minor variation.
Any striking techniques from
Boxing
Boxing (also known as "Western boxing" or "pugilism") is a combat sport in which two people, usually wearing protective gloves and other protective equipment such as hand wraps and mouthguards, throw punches at each other for a predetermined ...
, International-Style
Kickboxing
Kickboxing is a combat sports, combat sport focused on kicking and punch (strike), punching. The combat takes place in a boxing ring, normally with boxing gloves, mouthguards, shorts, and bare feet to favour the use of kicks. Kickboxing is pract ...
, and Full-Contact
Karate
(; ; Okinawan language, Okinawan pronunciation: ) is a martial arts, martial art developed in the Ryukyu Kingdom. It developed from the Okinawan martial arts, indigenous Ryukyuan martial arts (called , "hand"; ''tii'' in Okinawan) under the ...
were allowed.
In order to maintain the fast pace of the action,
clinching
In metalworking, clinching or press-joining is a bulk sheet metal forming process aimed at joining thin metal sheets without additional components, using special tools to plastically form an interlock between two or more sheets. The process is ...
, holding or ground fighting (
grappling
Grappling, in hand-to-hand combat, describes sports that consist of gripping or seizing the opponent. Grappling is used at close range to gain a physical advantage over an opponent, either by imposing a position or causing injury. Grappling i ...
) were prohibited.
Weight divisions
This represents the maximum weight for each of the men's division.
*147 lbs
*164 lbs
*178 lbs
*195 lbs
*235+ lbs
*128+ lbs for women.
For the fighter weigh-in, there is a window of several pounds that must be met to qualify. For example, the 195 lbs division fighters are required to weight between 178 and 195, whereas the 235 lbs weight division must weigh between 195 and 235 lbs.
Ring
The no-rope ring (sometimes referred by fans as "the pit") is a circle which is 27 feet in diameter, of which the inner 24 feet is colored blue. The next 3 feet is yellow, which is the caution area. When the fighter gets to the yellow area, he knows he's getting close to stepping out-of-bounds. The last edge of the ring is the red zone, which features a 30-degree upward angle. When a fighter steps on the red area, he's stepping up slightly, letting him know he's out-of-bounds.
Time
Each match is two rounds in duration, with each round lasting three minutes. After the fighters complete their first round, the next two fighters begin their first round. After each set of fighters has completed his or her first round, then halftime is called before the first set of fighters begin their second round. This gives each fighter about 20 minutes between rounds so he or she can fight full speed for the entire time allowed.
Attire
All competitors must fight in approved team pants, with gloves and shinguards. No boots or shoes are allowed as of the 2006-2007 season, though fighters originally wore boots.
Allowed techniques
*Punching - Jab, Cross, Hook, Uppercut, and Spinning Backfist. No elbows or forearms allowed.
*Kicking - Front-Kicks, Side Kicks, Back Kicks, Hook Kicks, Roundhouse Kicks, Wheel Kicks, Spinning Kicks.
*Kneeing - Front and Roundhouse. Must be above the waist.
Fouls
*No
Throws
*No
Takedowns
*No Holding - Grabbing the opponent's body in an effort to stop them from attacking or countering. However, fighters may grab to immediately throw a knee. (i.e. they may not clinch and jockey for knee strike position.)
*Limited
Clinching
In metalworking, clinching or press-joining is a bulk sheet metal forming process aimed at joining thin metal sheets without additional components, using special tools to plastically form an interlock between two or more sheets. The process is ...
- Fighters may clinch and throw one knee but then must release.
*No Low Kicks - Leg kicks are allowed to the support leg as well as the lead leg, but must be at least three inches above the knee.
*No Stalling - Intentionally delaying the action of a contest in any way.
*No Passivity - Retreating or circling without striking - or fighting ''only'' when the opponent attacks.
Starting the team contest
Both teams will enter the ring and stand with each team member facing their opponent. The referee will administer the pre-fight instructions and execute the "coin toss". The coach of the team who wins the coin toss is allowed to select which fighter will start the contest. If the coach chooses his middleweight, for example, then he and the opposing team's middleweight will stay in the ring for a match while the remaining fighters retire to the "fighter's pen" (a warm-up area close to the ring).
Judging criteria
Each match within the team contest only lasts for three minutes, so each fighter is encouraged to fight constantly in order to earn as many points for their team as possible. Three judges score each fight based on knockdowns, extent of damage inflicted, and the volume of clean-scoring strikes landed. Each judge will award five points to the fighter they see as superior, and four or less points to the opponent. The judges points are combined at the end of each fight (15 points maximum, not counting penalties), and are then added to the teams overall total from the previous fights. The team with the most points at the end of the second half wins.
Match conduct
The referee has the right to stop the fighters if a fighter cannot defend himself intelligently, the fights goes out-of-bounds (the red zone), a fighter is downed, or the opponents are holding. Fighters are expected to follow the referees instructions at all times or be disqualified, which results in the maximum points being awarded to the winner (same as a
KO). In addition, the three-knockdown rule is in effect (three knockdowns in a round results in a technical knockout) as well as a mandatory eight count on all knockdowns.
Match outcome
At the end of each fight the judge's scores will be announced, and added to the total points awarded from the previous fights. Referee-awarded penalty points are added to the cumulative team score when they occur.
Television
The World Combat League was originally televised on the
Versus network, which was formerly known as OLN. As of Season 2, the WCL will be aired in over 100 countries
On December 1, 2009
ALN (TV channel), ALN announced that they would start airing episodes of the Chuck Norris World Combat League.
Chuck Norris' World Combat League to Air on AmericanLife TV Network(TM)
12-01-2009
WCL Championships
2007-2008 Championship Results
2006-2007 Championship Results
Notable Fighters
* Andreas Spång
Andreas Christian Spång (born November 7, 1978) is a Swedish professional mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter who last competed in 2014. A professional competitor since 2008, he has competed for Bellator, the MFC, and Strikeforce.
Personal life ...
* Raymond Daniels
* Stephen Thompson
* Uriah Hall
* Felice Herrig
Felice Nicole Herrig (born September 18, 1984) is an American retired kickboxing, kickboxer, Muay Thai, Muay Thai fighter, and Mixed martial arts, mixed martial artist who competed in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) in the strawweight div ...
* Pat Barry
* Jarrell Miller
Jarrell Miller (born July 15, 1988) is an American professional boxer and former kickboxer who competes in the heavyweight division. He first came to prominence in 2007 when he competed for the New Jersey Tigers in the World Combat League and ...
* Chris Algieri
Christopher Mark Algieri (born March 2, 1984) is an American professional boxer and former kickboxer. In boxing he held the World Boxing Organization, WBO junior welterweight title in 2014 and challenged for the WBO welterweight title later that ...
References
External links
Official WCL Site
Official WCL Forums
Official WCL Charity Site
WCL on Versus
{{Martial arts
2005 establishments in Texas
Chuck Norris
Kickboxing organizations
NBCSN shows
Mixed martial arts television shows