Coker Petitions CSAC On Grounded Knees For Ki MMA

Scott Coker has petitioned the California State Athletic Commission to allow knees to grounded opponents when his new promotion Ki MMA launches in early 2027.

The former Strikeforce and Bellator chief, who is bringing fights back to a ring format instead of the UFC's cage, confirmed on social media that he submitted a formal rule change request to CSAC. MMA Mania reports that the petition excludes soccer kicks, stomps, and linear knee strikes per Rule 533. The commission will discuss the proposal at its December 1 stakeholders meeting.

What Coker's Rule Change Request Means For MMA

Coker framed the move as part of MMA's natural evolution. "I've always believed MMA should keep evolving," he wrote, per the MMA Mania story. The proposal seeks to bring elements of global MMA rules into the unified framework used across most North American jurisdictions.

Former Strikeforce fighter Josh Thomson backed the petition in his own social media post. "Scott Coker is leading that charge with what most people want … knees to the head of a grounded opponent!" he said, according to MMA Mania.

The challenge will be getting CSAC to approve regulations that remain banned in other states. If California green-lights grounded knees while other commissions do not, fighters competing in Ki MMA events would need to adjust strategies depending on the venue. The commission's December meeting will determine whether Coker's ring-based promotion can debut with the expanded ruleset when it launches early next year.

Reported via:

• MMA Mania — PRIDE never die! Scott Coker petitions CSAC to bring controversial strikes to Ki MMA