Combat sports-Coker unveils Ki MMA, plans global 32-fighter tournament

Sept 14 - Veteran mixed martial arts promoter Scott Coker on Monday unveiled Ki MMA, a new global promotion set to launch in the first quarter of 2027 with a 32-man featherweight tournament spanning four continents.

Coker, the former head of Bellator MMA and Strikeforce, announced the venture at a news conference in New York alongside longtime MMA executive and matchmaker Rich Chou, who will lead athlete relations, and media executive Peter Levin, who will serve as the chairman.

Ki MMA's inaugural competition will feature eight featherweight fighters from each of North America, South America, Asia and Europe. Regional events will determine one finalist from each continent, who will advance to an international semifinal stage.

No fighters were announced on Monday.

The promotion is targeting events in the U.S., Ireland, Hungary, Brazil, Japan, South Korea, and either Italy or France, Coker said. The initial tournament will be contested at 145 pounds (66 kg), a division that has produced some of the sport's most prominent champions and fighters.

Its fights will be held in a ring rather than the fenced cage used by the UFC and many other leading MMA organizations, a format that reflects Coker's longstanding interest in Japanese combat sports.

Coker previously led Strikeforce, which emerged as one of the UFC's most significant rivals before it was acquired by UFC parent Zuffa in 2011. He later became chief executive of Bellator, which was purchased by the Professional Fighters League in 2023.

Ki MMA enters a crowded market led by the UFC, with the PFL, ONE Championship and Japan's Rizin also competing for fighters, media rights and international audiences. Coker's record of building Strikeforce and Bellator, however, gives the new venture immediate credibility within the sport.

The company did not disclose broadcast partners, financial backing or a timetable for announcing its first group of athletes. REUTERS