A new (Coker) era has begun.
After months of anticipation, former Strikeforce founder and longtime Bellator president Scott Coker finally unveiled his brand-new mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion, along with several major details surrounding its format and expected 2027 launch (watch here).
Coker’s new promotion is called Ki MMA (pronounced “key MMA”). In Japanese, ki can refer to spirit, energy or life force, which inspired the organization’s official slogan: “Ki: The Force Within The Fighter.”
Okay, now that we have the name, how exactly will this thing work?
Ki MMA will launch with an ambitious 32-man Featherweight World Grand Prix featuring fighters from four regions: North America, South America, Asia and Europe.
Each region will supply eight competitors who will advance through a series of qualifying events until one continental champion remains. Those four winners will then meet in the World Grand Prix finale, with the semifinal winners competing twice in one night to crown Ki MMA’s inaugural Featherweight champion.
That is old-school MMA right there.
The fights will also take place inside a ring rather than a cage, separating Ki MMA from UFC, PFL and most other major promotions. According to Coker, staging MMA fights inside a ring is something he has wanted to do since his Strikeforce days.
What about the fighters?
Coker and longtime matchmaker Rich Chou did not announce any official roster signings during the presentation. However, the promotion plans to target promising fighters between 18 and 25 years old while remaining aggressive in the free-agent market.
“We have a budget that will allow us to get any free agents, so give us a call,” Coker said.
Considering the new promotion reportedly launched with $60 million in financing, that phone could start ringing quickly.
While the 32-man Featherweight Grand Prix will be the centerpiece of Ki MMA’s launch, Coker confirmed that its cards will also feature fights across other weight classes.
The promotion is expected to hold its inaugural event during the first quarter of 2027. Potential markets under consideration include San Jose, Brazil, Japan, South Korea, France, Budapest and possibly Italy as Ki MMA attempts to establish itself as a truly global organization.
Several major questions remain unanswered, including the complete roster, broadcast partner, tournament prize and exact date and location of the inaugural event.
Nevertheless, Coker’s vision is now clear: a global tournament, promising young talent, major free-agent signings and old-school MMA fights inside a ring.
In other words, this sounds extremely Scott Coker.
