Veteran mixed martial arts promoter Scott Coker announced his new venture, Ki MMA, during a media event Monday in New York.
The global MMA promotion is scheduled to launch in early 2027. It will feature a 32-fighter World Grand Prix featherweight tournament, with events in North America, Europe, Asia and South America. In addition to its primary tournament format, Ki MMA plans on featuring Super Fights involving well-established names in the sport.
“Some of the most rewarding moments of my career have been watching fighters go from prospects to stars on the world stage, and that’s what we’re setting out to do with Ki MMA,” Coker said in a statement. “We’re giving fighters across four continents a clear path to becoming our first World Grand Prix champion. We want to build stars while staying true to the discipline, character and respect that drew us to martial arts in the first place.”
All Ki MMA bouts will be contested in a ring.
Coker, the former head of Strikeforce and Bellator MMA, secured $60 million in funding earlier this year and is joined by Peter Levin of Griffin Gaming Partners on the executive team.
Scott Coker wants to bring a little PRIDE back to MMA.
Specifically, Coker announced Tuesday he has made a formal request to the California State Athletic Commission to discuss implementing at least one rule from the famed Japanese fighting organization for his newly launched Ki MMA promotion—though that doesn’t include soccer kicks or stomps.
See Coker’s statement below.
I’ve always believed MMA should keep evolving.
Ki MMA has formally requested a rule change to bring elements of the global MMA rules into the unified rules, excluding soccer kicks, stomps and linear knee strikes as per Rule 533.
We’ve asked CSAC to discuss this topic at the Dec. 1 stakeholders meeting.
According to former fighter Josh Thomson, Coker is specifically requesting the allowance of knees to the head of a grounded opponent, which is not permitted under the current unified rules. The technique would give fighters another weapon to use during grappling exchanges on the mat.
Coker, who formerly served as the head of MMA promotions Strikeforce and Bellator, announced his return to the combat sports world this past September with Ki MMA alongside longtime business partner Rich Chou. Currently, Ki MMA is expected to kick off with a 32-fighter featherweight grand prix tournament, with bouts to take place in a ring as opposed to a cage.
If Coker’s request is accepted, the rule discussion will take place at a shareholders meeting on Dec. 1.
Should Coker and his team be successful in bringing in a rule used by such promotions as RIZIN in Japan, it would further set Ki MMA apart from major North American promotions like UFC and PFL, both of which use some version of the unified rules depending on where events are held.
Scott Coker, the former head of Strikeforce and Bellator, is looking to shake up MMA rules, and his latest proposal could have a major impact on the sport’s ground game. Through his new promotion, Ki MMA, Coker has asked the California State Athletic Commission (CSAC) to consider allowing knees to the head of a grounded opponent, a technique currently banned under the Unified Rules.Watch What’s Trending Now!Ki MMA confirmed on Tuesday that it has requested a discussion on incorporating elements of the Global MMA Rules into the Unified Rules at CSAC’s December 1 stakeholders meeting. However, Coker isn’t pushing for a complete overhaul of the rulebook.“I’ve always believed MMA should keep evolving,” the statement read. “Ki MMA has formally requested a rule change to bring elements of the global MMA rules into the unified rules, excluding soccer kicks, stomps and linear knee strikes as per Rule 533. We’ve asked CSAC to discuss this topic at the Dec. 1 stakeholders meeting.”ImagoMma Event Bellator 296 in Paris Bellator president Scott Coker during the Bellator 296 MMA mixed martial arts in Paris Bercy, Accor Arena, France on May 12, 2023. Photo by Victor Joly/ABACAPRESS.COM Paris France PUBLICATIONxNOTxINxFRAxSPAxUKxUSAxBELxPOL Copyright: xJolyxVictor/ABACAx 852671_051 JolyxVictor/ABACAx 852671_051Former fighter Josh Thomson has thrown his support behind Scott Coker’s push to change MMA rules, with knees to the head of a grounded opponent at the center of the debate.Thomson believes the move fits into the sport’s ongoing evolution, alongside other proposed changes such as redesigned gloves and open scoring.“We have most recently heard Jon Anik on The Anik & Florian Podcast talk about the importance of the sport continuing to evolve with things like new gloves, open scoring, etc,” he wrote on X. “Scott Coker is leading that charge with what most people want….. KNEES TO THE HEAD OF A GROUNDED OPPONENT.”Under the current Unified Rules, a fighter is considered grounded when any body part other than the soles of their feet is bearing weight on the canvas. That means knees to the head are off-limits, giving fighters some protection while defending takedowns or trying to recover from a vulnerable position.However, the rules are different in promotions
PRIDE rules are ok, but that alone isn’t going to interest people for very long.
A new promotion needs to come along and do full early days style one-night tournaments. Each event fully dedicated to one, no filler. Now that would be different in this day and age, would set yourself apart from every other promotion.
