Scott Coker has officially returned to the fight game — and this time he's going global.
“"By the end of the year, we will have a star, and we will have a new champion. Yes, will the fighters have to dig deep because of fighting two times in one night at the end? That's going to be tough, but that's why you've got to have your ki together."”
At a press conference at Cipriani 25 Broadway in New York on Monday, September 14, the former Strikeforce founder and Bellator president unveiled Ki MMA, his fourth promotion after Strikeforce, Bellator, and Fight Night at the Tech. "Ki" is the Japanese word for spirit, mind, and energy — and Coker told MMA Junkie the name is a statement of intent. The centerpiece: a 32-man featherweight World Grand Prix launching in the first quarter of 2027, built around a format almost nobody runs in modern MMA.
How the tournament works
Eight fighters from each of four continents — North America, South America, Asia, and Europe — will compete in single-elimination regional brackets. The four continental winners then advance to a final event, where the semifinalists will each fight twice in one night to crown the inaugural Ki MMA champion.
Do the math: three wins to escape your continent, two more on finals night. The eventual champion will need five wins. Coker indicated the tournament is aimed at young featherweight prospects the promotion can build from the ground up. He believes the format can manufacture a star in twelve months, faster than the standard one-fight-per-quarter promotional build.
The ring returns
Every Ki MMA bout will take place in a ring, not a cage — a deliberate nod to Japanese MMA and to Coker's own history. Coker frequently partnered with RIZIN during his Bellator tenure, and the ring immediately distinguishes the promotion from the UFC and every other major organization.
Coker, matchmaker Rich Chou, and media executive Peter Levin took the stage together in New York; the promotion is reportedly backed by $60 million in financing.
No fighters signed yet
Here is the honest caveat. For all the ambition on display, Ki MMA has not announced a single signed fighter, a broadcast deal, or a scheduled event beyond the unveiling. Coker is clearly not worried. "If you're a free agent, give us a call," he told the room. "We have a budget where there's not any free agent that is untouchable."
Our take
Nobody in MMA history has a better résumé for this than Coker. He built Strikeforce into a genuine UFC rival — the promotion where Ronda Rousey and Daniel Cormier rose to prominence — and then ran Bellator for years. But the graveyard of failed promotions is deep, and the UFC, PFL, ONE, and RIZIN aren't waiting around. Tournaments are a proven Coker strength — Bellator's featherweight grand prix was one of its best products — but $60 million and a ring won't matter if the fighters don't come.
Coker believes he can build a star in a year. The industry will be watching to see whether the third powerhouse is born — or whether the MMA world is simply too crowded now. The grand prix starts in 2027, and we'll find out.
