Well holding is not against the rules...Though ,makes for boring fights but look at the videos...For example in the first at abt 40 seconds in...Wlad had him all tangled up Chagaev was not going to punch his way out of it...Why allow time to just mangle each other...I could see if there was some chance for some work to be done but more or less it is a struggle to get out of a sleeping bag not close quarter in fighting