SAN JOSE, CA (May 21, 2026) – After nearly four decades shaping the global combat sports landscape, Scott Coker has announced a powerful return. Coker is returning to build a new international mixed martial arts league designed to set a new standard for the sport, and place athletes firmly at the center of the global MMA ecosystem. The venture launches with $60 million in financing led by Creator Sports Capital, with participation from Griffin Gaming Partners and a coalition of strategic investors across sport, media, technology and finance.
The timing reflects an inflection point for the sport. Mixed martial arts has grown into a $20 billion-plus global market with more than 625 million fans worldwide, driven largely by the highly coveted male 18–34 demographic, and industry projections suggest it could become the world’s third most-watched sport by 2035. Yet despite that growth, professional athletes across more than 40 countries lack a clear pathway to career advancement and access to elite competition, a gap the new league is being built to close.
Coker brings an unmatched track record to the venture, having founded one and scaled two legendary MMA franchises in Strikeforce and Bellator MMA. A pioneer in the sport, he promoted the first MMA events in California, France, Italy, Hungary and Israel. At Strikeforce, he was the first to feature women’s MMA on a major platform and the first to put a women’s main event on national television. Across more than 700 events globally, Coker has discovered and developed the careers of MMA legends including Daniel Cormier, Ronda Rousey, Gina Carano, Cris Cyborg, Tyron Woodley, AJ McKee, Aaron Pico, Usman Nurmagomedov and Luke Rockhold, among many others. A 9th-degree black belt in Taekwondo, he is a lifelong martial artist with deep roots in the combat sports community and the entertainment industry.
“I always knew I wanted to come back when the time was right, with the right vision and a carefully curated team. That time is now,” said Coker, who will serve as the company’s CEO. “There is an incredible demand for a fresh, new global brand in MMA. This new league is about returning to what matters: the integrity of competition, respect for the athletes and sharing their remarkable journeys with the world. We are building something authentic, something that belongs to the athletes and to the fans who live and breathe this sport. I’ve spent nearly two years developing this concept, and I’m thankful to Peter, all of our investors and the team we’re putting together.”
Coker is joined as co-founder by Peter Levin of Griffin Gaming Partners, who will serve as Chairman of the Board. Levin has a long history with Coker, having served as both an advisor and investor in Strikeforce, which was sold to UFC in 2011.
“Scott is a generational operator in the world of combat sports,” said Levin. “He has proven time and again that he can scale a business globally and profitably. His ‘fighter-first’ orientation has earned him loyalty and admiration from MMA athletes around the globe and across generations. He’s a world-beater, and I’m looking forward, yet again, to embarking on this journey together.”
“Scott Coker is one of the few operators in combat sports who has built winning franchises at a global scale, and he has done it by putting athletes first. The sport has reached a moment where a generation of world-class talent deserves a clear path to the top, and Scott has the experience, the relationships and the vision to deliver it. We’re proud to lead this round and partner with Scott, Peter and this group of investors to build something the athletes and the fans deserve,” said Benjamin Grubbs, Co-Founder and Co-Managing Partner of Creator Sports Capital.
The broader investor and advisor group reflects deep expertise across sport, media, technology and finance. Additional investors include 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; iconic skateboard legend Tony Hawk; former Fortress Investment Group Vice-Chairman Dean Dakolias; and others, including several with ownership stakes in both the NFL and NBA. The advisory group features former TelevisaUnivision CEO and former Viacom CFO Wade Davis, former Sony Pictures Television Chairman Steve Mosko, and former President of Paramount Network, CMT, Spike TV and TV Land Kevin Kay.
Coker has begun tapping his significant network, built on experience, honesty and integrity, to assemble a global leadership team of long-time associates and accomplished operators. The full leadership team will be named in the weeks ahead as the league prepares for a global debut in early 2027. Additional details, including league name, structure, multi-region and athlete participation, and event schedules, will be announced soon.
