• Arm strikes: full repertoire, including spinning punches. No elbows.
• Clinch: 1 knee strike only. No pulling. Leaning on the opponent with the arms is allowed.
• Kicks: full repertoire, from the head down to the full leg.
• Forbidden: striking the back or the back of the head.

Same rules as Classic, with the addition of:

• Clinch: knee strikes while pulling the opponent for a maximum of 3 seconds.
• The leg may be grabbed for one second.

K-1 with 4 oz gloves.

• Rules Applied: Full K-1 Classic or K-1 Oriental EKU rules apply, including the same official weight categories.
• Difference: 4 oz gloves instead of traditional 10 oz gloves.
• Rounds: 3 rounds of 3 minutes, 1 minute rest.
• Purpose: added to follow the modern trend of major international galas, where 4 oz gloves increase excitement and speed while maintaining K-1 technique.

Seidokaikan style K-1 / Full Contact with karate gloves. K-1 Classic EKU rules apply with the following changes:

• Gloves: Full Contact karate gloves, open-palm or closed.
• Duration: 3 rounds of 2 minutes, 1 minute rest.
• Surface: bouts may be held on tatami as well as in the ring.
• Clinch: only 1 knee strike action is permitted.
• Purpose: added due to the historical influence of Seidokaikan in the development of modern K-1 — it combines karate speed with K-1 structure.

• Victory: by points 10–9. Two counts in one round = loss of the round.
• KO / Withdrawal / Disqualification / No Contest in the 1st round.
• From the 2nd round onward, it goes to the scorecards.

Only athletes of legal age may compete for the title. Bouts are held exclusively in the ring — no tatami, no cage.
For European belts, athletes must come from two different countries within the European community. For national belts, they must be from the same country.

Weight tolerance: 200g on official weigh-in day for women · 120g for men.

Referees must wear elegant black trousers (no jeans, no leggings), fully black shoes, and a black polo or shirt with no logos or sponsors. Black t-shirts are not permitted.

Team t-shirt or polo · no tank tops.

During the round, coaches must give instructions to their athlete without using derogatory language toward the opponent. The coach and the second must remain seated in their corner throughout the round: they may not lean under the ropes or rest on the ring.

The belt remains valid for 12 months. By the eighth month, a new bout date must be declared to retain the belt. After that date, the belt may be optioned by another promoter, with a challenger chosen by the organizer.

In any case, the belt may be defended a maximum of two times within the same category, unless otherwise agreed with EKU.

EKU – European K-1 Rules Union acts exclusively as the authorizing body for the title. The organization and all responsibility for the event remain with the requesting promoter.