Former Bellator boss Coker to launch new fight league

Breaking news from the world of sport: Former Bellator boss Coker to launch new fight leagueImage source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Scott Coker is the former president of Bellator and StrikeforceByPaul BattisonBBC Sport JournalistPublished6 minutes agoFormer Bellator and Strikeforce boss Scott Coker has announced plans to launch a fight league next year which he hopes will become a "global brand in MMA". The project is backed by $60m (£44. 7m) in funding, Coker said.

He stated it will involve investors from within sport, media, technology and finance. Coker, 63, is regarded as a pioneer in MMA after being instrumental in the rise of former promotion Strikeforce, which was purchased by the UFC's parent company Zuffa in 2011. His last major role was at Bellator, where he was the promotion's president until it was acquired by the PFL at the end of 2023.

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"I always knew that I would come back when the time was right, with the right vision and a carefully assembled team. That time has arrived," said Coker, who will serve as the company's CEO. "There is a huge demand for a new global brand in MMA.

This new league is about going back to basics: 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 fans who live and breathe this sport. "Details including the organisation's name, structure and athletes are yet to be announced.

The term 'fight league' suggests it may adopt a round-robin structure, as opposed to a rankings-based matchmaking model like the UFC. Although Coker's last promotion Bellator struggled to rival the UFC's popularity, his new project comes at a time when the sport's landscape could be altering. Last week, Ronda Rousey beat Gina Carano inside 15 seconds in a fight that was promoted by Jake Paul's Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) and watched by a record 17 million viewers on Netflix.

Rousey and fighters such as Cris Cyborg and Daniel Cormier built their brands in Coker's Strikeforce before joining the UFC where they became champions and flourished. Coker was also president of Strikeforce when Cyborg faced Carano in 2009 in the first women's fight to headline a major MMA show.

The story has climbed to the top of the sports agenda, with fans and analysts following closely.