Former Strikeforce & Bellator head Scott Coker launching new MMA promotion
Scott Coker is returning to the world of MMA as part of a new promotion co-funded by a group of investors with $60 million in financial banking.
Announced on Thursday, the former head of Strikeforce and Bellator MMA is the co-founder and CEO of the unnamed company which is planned to launch in early-2027. From The Hollywood Reporter’s story, Peter Levin of Griffin Gaming Partners is also a co-founder and chairman of the company’s board. He was also an investor and advisor to Strikeforce and has a long history with Coker.
The news comes less than a week after the debut of Jake Paul’s MVP promotion in the MMA space with two former Coker fighters in Ronda Rousey and Gina Carano.
Coker was last on the scene with Bellator, joining the organization in June 2014 and resigning as CEO when it was sold in 2024 to the PFL. He is most known for Strikeforce, the organization he founded in 1985 as a kickboxing promotion but went full on MMA in 2006. It was bought by Zuffa/UFC in March 2011 and Coker remained contractually obligated to Zuffa through 2014.
From the company’s media release, Coker said:
“I always knew I wanted to come back when the time was right, with the right vision and a carefully curated team. That time is now. There is an incredible demand for a fresh, new global brand in MMA. This new league is about returning to what matters: the integrity of competition, respect for the athletes and sharing their remarkable journeys with the world. We are building something authentic, something that belongs to the athletes and to the fans who live and breathe this sport. I’ve spent nearly two year developing this concept, and I’m thankful to Peter, all of our investors and the team we’re putting together.”
The investor group includes Tony Hawk, DC United owner Steve Kaplan, New York Yankees limited partner Swimmy Minami, and many others in addition to investment firm Creator Sports Capital and the aforementioned Griffin Gaming Partners.
More news on the promotion is said to be revealed in upcoming weeks.
Since 2011, Josh has been a contributing editor to Wrestling Observer/F4WOnline.com and also hosts the Punch-Out podcast. He has also written for Fight Magazine, Bloody Elbow, Bleacher Report, and other websites. He's a 2000 graduate of the University of Maine, worked in pro sports, and once was an indie ring announcer.