Mutual combat is an affirmative defense, recognized in a small number of US jurisdictions, that a fight was entered voluntarily by both parties and therefore should not be punished as an assault. A mutual combatant is a participant who consented to the fight rather than a victim of one.
It is a defense raised after a charge — not a permission that makes fighting lawful, and not a nationwide rule.
Which states recognize it, and what it protects: see the full breakdown in Mutual Combat Laws by State. That page carries the state-by-state table, the Texas and Colorado consent statutes, the Seattle ordinance, the Oregon statute that rules it out, and the limits that apply everywhere.
Related Terms
- Sanctioned vs Unsanctioned -- The regulatory divide in fighting
- Waiver -- Legal release signed before fighting
- Code of Honor -- Unwritten rules governing fighter conduct
See Also
- Streetbeefs -- Organization built on mutual combat principles
- Athletic Commission -- Regulatory bodies for combat sports