Scott Coker outlined his vision for his new MMA promotion, which is set to launch in 2027. Coker vowed to shake up the MMA landscape and provide an entertaining product for a fan base he believes is underserved.
The former Bellator president has been out of the MMA industry since PFL absorbed the promotion from Paramount. He did not join the PFL as a figurehead or in another managerial role. Instead, Coker used his time to evaluate the sport while also promoting his own regional events.
Now, Coker is ready to get back in the mix and unveiled his plans for his new promotion. Several notable names are associated with it, including Tony Hawk and former Spike TV producer Kevin Kay. Additionally, former Bellator matchmaker Rich Chou has also joined the promotion.
Coker has a strong relationships with many MMA gyms and is well-respected by fighters who have competed for his promotions.
“I feel like there’s a little bit of a funk in the MMA space right now. And I don’t know what it is. But I just feel it’s got a funk to it right now. So, let’s stir it up,” Coker said during his appearance on The Ariel Helwani Show. “The thing with MVP, their show, they’re stirring it up. It gets people excited, it gets people to root for somebody. And then we’re gonna do the same. People are gonna root for us too, and we’re gonna go stir it up.”
Scott Coker Clears Up Misconception About Tournaments
Scott Coker also clarified the misconception about the tournaments he plans to run with his promotion. He clarified that while his promotion will have tournaments, they will not be the primary focus.
Coker shared his stance on tournaments and revealed that his new promotion will only have one tournament in 2027. Aside from tournaments, he plans to book the best fights possible.
“I grew up in a martial arts school where you compete and everybody lines up in a tournament. There’s sixteen fighters and you go compete until you have one person left,” Coker told The Ariel Helwani Show. “We’re not gonna be a tournament-only. No, we’re going to put on great super fights. There’s only going to be one tournament [in 2027 and the rest of the card will be filled out by traditional fights].”
Coker Expresses Joy to be Back in MMA
Coker also expressed his joy to be back in MMA in a promoter capacity. He spoke about his team, many of whom previously worked for him at Bellator.
Coker clearly has a passion for martial arts as he is essentially starting over again. He wants to continue building a positive future for the sport.
“I enjoyed the process along the way. So, I said, ‘Okay, this is gonna be exciting to me. This is going to be fun for me.’ And to me, I love martial arts. That’s what this is about. I mean, it’s time to bring martial arts back to MMA,” he told The Ariel Helwani Show. “This is going to be something that I feel is going to have great legs and is gonna go for years and years and years. We’re putting the right team together, the right people together, and we’re gonna do it right.”
Scott Coker Outlines Vision for New MMA Promotion, Vows to ‘Stir It Up’