Overview
- Scott Coker announced on Thursday that he will serve as CEO of an unnamed international mixed martial arts league that has secured $60 million in seed financing led by Creator Sports Capital.
- The investor group includes Griffin Gaming Partners plus named backers such as Tony Hawk, Upper Deck, Steve Kaplan, Swimmy Minami and Dean Dakolias, and the advisory roster lists Wade Davis, Steve Mosko and Kevin Kay.
- Coker frames the venture as ‘fighter-first’ and says it aims to close gaps in career pathways for professionals across more than 40 countries after nearly two years developing the concept.
- Organizers said core operational details — including the league name, leadership team, regional structure, athlete rosters and event schedule — will be released in the coming weeks ahead of the targeted early-2027 launch.
- The announcement positions the new league inside a $20 billion-plus global MMA market with roughly 625 million fans and signals that distribution deals, regional operating models and athlete contract terms will be key to how it competes with existing promoters.