Referee for California State Athletic Commission outlines unified-rules changes to grounded-opponent and north-south strikes, effective Nov. 1

Mike Beltran, a licensed referee for the California State Athletic Commission, told listeners there are "2 major changes in the unified rules" and described alterations he said take effect "as of November 1."

Beltran said the first change concerns strikes to the head of a grounded opponent. He stated, "As of November 1, now what's gonna be considered to be legal is gonna be the grounded opponent with 1 hand placing down. If Tsar decides to kick or knee him to the head, that is going to be legal per November on November 1, per the unified rules." In the same explanation, however, Beltran also said, "That kick or knee to the head, that is gonna be considered a foul," and clarified his working definition of a grounded opponent as when "a fighter is on his knee or his... or his forearm touches the ground or on his back."

The transcript records both statements without resolution; the referee presented them sequentially in the same talk. The transcript does not include any additional staff, commission members, or published rule text to reconcile the apparent contradiction. The effective date Beltran cited is "November 1" but the transcript does not state a year.

Beltran described a second change involving north-south positioning. He said, "Also, a new change is gonna be the 12:00 to 06:00, north south. This rule is now also taken out of the unified rule." He demonstrated what he called "a north south elbow" and said, "As of November 1, that is going to be a legal blow," adding it may target the head or the body "as long as you are targeting a legal area."

The presentation in the transcript is a single-speaker summary and demonstration by a referee; it does not record any vote, formal rule text, publication, or response from the California State Athletic Commission staff or commissioners. The transcript contains the referee's descriptions and demonstrations but does not provide the official unified rules document, the exact regulatory citation, or the year attached to the Nov. 1 effective date.

The commission, its staff, or a posted rulemaking notice would be the authoritative source for the definitive rule text and effective date. The transcript—an audio or spoken briefing by a referee—should be read as an informal presentation of changes rather than the formal promulgation of regulatory text.

Closing: Beltran concluded his remarks by thanking listeners; no further procedural action or questions were recorded in the transcript.