Andrew Ravens
Former Strikeforce and Bellator boss Scott Coker is returning to MMA, securing $60 million in financing to launch a new fight organization in 2027, according to a press release issued Thursday.
Coker will serve as CEO and co-founder of the as-yet-unnamed promotion alongside Peter Levin of Griffin Gaming Partners. Further details on the league’s name, format, and signed fighters are expected in the near future.
Levin has a prior history with Coker, having been one of the backers of Strikeforce, the organization Coker ran before it was sold to UFC in 2011 and subsequently folded. In the release, Levin said he views Coker as a rare operator capable of building a promotion into a genuine UFC competitor.
The investor group backing the new league includes Upper Deck, Steve Kaplan, owner of D.C. United and co-founder of Oaktree Capital; Swimmy Minami, founder of Visional and a limited partner of the New York Yankees; skateboarding legend Tony Hawk; former Fortress Investment Group vice-chairman Dean Dakolias; and additional investors with ownership stakes in NFL and NBA franchises.
Coker said in the release that his focus will be on athlete integrity and a fighter-first approach, framing the new promotion as a response to what he sees as unmet demand for a fresh global MMA brand.
Coker previously served as president of Bellator MMA from 2014 until the promotion merged with PFL in 2023. This is the latest promotion to launch in the MMA space, and the timing is right for a fanbase desperate for a real alternative to the UFC. With the state of the world and networks/streamers needing content, live sports have dominated the landscape and secured record-breaking media rights deals for many leagues. Now, Coker has entered the mix and could recreate the success he has had, but with a modern twist.
The news follows this weekend’s debut of MVP MMA, the first cage-fighting event from Most Valuable Promotions, which is co-owned by Jake Paul. The card broadcast on Netflix and delivered strong numbers on Saturday night.
