“We’re looking at a January date,” Coker told NY Post. “And when I say January, it’s not going to be just one event. It’s going to be bang-bang-bang, bang-bang-bang. It’s going to be a gauntlet of events that we produce in the first half of the year. We’re going to identify the next set of stars; but also, we’re going to buy free agents from the top down, just like we built Strikeforce.”
Strikeforce was acquired by UFC in early 2011 and summarily dissolved.
“We’re going to have the tournament format, and the tournament format leads to new-star development,” Coker explained. “And that’s something I think we’re really good at: fighter procurement. I think we’ve done it better than anybody else, but we will bring in free agents to sprinkle from the top down, and that’s going to be a very robust roster, let’s say, in a year or two.”
Coker claims the new platform will provide “a big pot of gold” for participating fighters.
It sounds great on paper, but Coker and Co. may find it challenging to locate value in the free agent market. Whatever talent is not already locked up by UFC and PFL are typically old, expensive, or broken down. It also depends on where Coker can stream his fights now that pay-per-view (PPV) is off the table.
How many times can this dickhead run a MMA org into the ground and then get another job?
I love tournaments but I don’t think it will work in modern mma - injuries and the sport has evolved so much ..
Coker might be the last real MMA promoter left who cares about the fighters and puts his heart and soul into the product
Ain’t Coker the guy that sold Strikeforce at its peak to the UFC?
yes
Good to see BJ coherent.
Scott Coker doesn’t have a name for his new MMA promotion, but the former Strikeforce and Bellator MMA boss does have a leadership team comprised of familiar faces.
Joining Coker for his return to cage fighting are Kevin Kay, Chief Content Officer (Paramount Network, Spike TV), Tom Fox, Chief Operating Officer (Gatorade, NBA Properties, Arsenal), and Rich Chou, Executive Vice President, Athlete Relations (Strikeforce, Bellator MMA).
Kay helped develop the original “Ultimate Fighter” (TUF) and was instrumental in bringing UFC to Spike TV. Without that network deal, and the legendary Griffin-Bonnar showdown to close the inaugural season, there’s a pretty good chance UFC would not be where it is today.
Joining them are Paolo Boccotti, Executive Vice President, European Production & Operations (Fight Code, Bellator MMA), Lawrence Stuart, Executive Vice President, Media Rights & Business Development (CMP, Screenz, ICM Partners), and Chris DeBlasio, Executive Vice President, Global Head of Communications (Showtime Sports).
“We have assembled a team of premium sports leaders who share our values and respect for combat sports,” Coker said in today’s release. “Tom, Kevin, Rich, Paolo, Lawrence and Chris each bring world-class experience and the industry relationships needed to drive MMA forward, while always honoring its roots, the athletes and the fans who supported this sport from the beginning. Collectively, we see where the sport can go and we also know where it comes from.”