Strikeforce founder and former Bellator boss Scott Coker is returning to MMA, according to website.

Scott Coker (left) next to Chris Cyborg (dir.). at Bellator. Photo: Reproduction / Bellator

PUBLICITY:

The UFC remains the world's largest MMA organization, but it may soon have a new competitor. Scott Coker, former president of Bellator and founder of Strikeforce, believes there is still room for a new powerhouse in the mixed martial arts market. He has assembled a group of investors from the sports, media, technology, and finance sectors, who have guaranteed an initial investment of US$60 million (approximately R$300 million at the current exchange rate) to put the project into practice.

Scott Coker will be one of the founders and will hold the position of CEO of the new organization, which has not yet had its name revealed and is scheduled for a global launch in early 2027. Peter Levin, an executive at Griffin Gaming Partners, will be part of the project as a co-founder and chairman of the company's board. The information was revealed by the American website The Hollywood Reporter.

[related]

According to the website, other details of the new organization should also be revealed soon, including the league's official name, its structure, competition format, athletes, and event calendar. The complete leadership team for the project should be announced in the coming weeks.

Confidence in a new project doesn't happen by chance. Before taking over Bellator, an organization he led between 2014 and 2023, Coker was responsible for creating Strikeforce, an event that became one of the biggest powers in world MMA in the late 2000s. Strikeforce gained notoriety for revealing elite athletes and promoting historic fights, as well as rivaling the UFC at times. Strikeforce was bought by Zuffa (the company that owns the UFC) in March 2011.

Golden Age of Strikeforce:

Several big names have passed through Strikeforce before achieving international fame. Among them, the UFC double light heavyweight (93kg) and heavyweight (120,2kg) champion, Daniel Cormier, who began his outstanding career in Strikeforce. Another big name was the Dutchman alistair overeem, champion and one of the most feared athletes in the division at the time. The American Nick Diaz He also played an important role in popularizing the organization by starring in memorable fights in the welterweight division (77kg), defending his belt three times.

The event also featured historic athletes such as Ronda Rousey, responsible for boosting women's MMA in the United States, in addition to the Brazilian Ronaldo 'Jacaré', a multi-time jiu-jitsu champion and former holder of the organization's middleweight belt. Names like Luke Rockhold and the multi-champion Chris Cyborg They also helped solidify Strikeforce as one of the sport's leading showcases on the world stage.