<P> In mixed martial arts (MMA) competitions, no time count is given after a knockdown, as the sport allows submission grappling as well as ground and pound . If a fighter loses consciousness ("goes limp") as a result of legal strikes it is declared a KO . Even if the fighter loses consciousness for a brief moment and wakes up again to continue to fight, the fight is stopped and declared a KO . As many MMA fights can take place on the mat rather than standing, it is possible to score a KO via ground and pound, a common victory for grapplers . </P> <P> In fighting - based video games, such as Street Fighter and Tekken, a player scores a knockout by fully depleting the opponent's health bar, which awards the round to the winning player . The player who wins the most rounds (by scoring the most knockouts) wins the match . This is different from real - life combat sports, where a knockout would end the match immediately . </P> <P> A technical knockout (TKO or T.K.O.), or stoppage, is declared when the referee or official ring physician decides during a round that a fighter cannot safely continue the match for any reason, without the need for an intervening count . In most regions, a TKO is declared when a fighter is knocked down three times in one round . Other reasons for stopping a fight include severe facial lacerations and a fighter's inability to put up a sufficient defense following a knockdown . </P> <P> A TKO only occurs if the fight is stopped during a round . If a fighter or his / her cornerman decides to end the fight between rounds, it is ruled a corner retirement or "referee technical decision" (RTD). Both TKO's and corner retirements are counted as knockouts in a fighter's record . </P>

What is the meaning of tko in boxing