Scott Coker launching new MMA promotion in 2027 with $60M

Scott Coker is returning to MMA promotion with a new league scheduled to launch in 2027, backed by $60 million in startup funding.

The former Strikeforce and Bellator CEO announced the venture Thursday alongside investors including Peter Levin of Griffin Gaming Partners, who previously held a stake in Strikeforce before its 2011 sale to the UFC. ESPN's Brett Okamoto reports that additional backers include Upper Deck, D.C. United owner Steve Kaplan, Visional's Swimmy Minami, skateboard icon Tony Hawk, and former Fortress Investment Group Vice-Chairman Dean Dakolias.

Coker's track record building fight brands

Coker built Strikeforce from a kickboxing promotion in 1985 into an MMA outfit that launched the careers of Daniel Cormier, Ronda Rousey, Luke Rockhold, Miesha Tate, and Robbie Lawler before the UFC acquisition. He later ran Bellator MMA for over a decade until the promotion folded operations earlier this year.

"I always knew I wanted to come back when the time was right, with the right vision and a carefully curated team," Coker said in a statement, per the release. "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."

No league name, event schedule, broadcast deals, or signed fighters have been disclosed. The announcement lands days after Jake Paul's Most Valuable Promotions claimed 12.4 million viewers for its first MMA card on Netflix, and months after the UFC closed a $7.7 billion rights package with Paramount in 2026.

Source: espn.com