​Scott Coker believes his latest mixed martial arts venture can
produce a new generation of stars.
Coker recently unveiled Ki MMA during a press conference in New
York, officially introducing the promotion he first announced was
in development in May. The project will launch in 2027. The
promotion’s name comes from the Japanese concept of “ki,” referring
to spirit, mind and energy. Ki MMA will also adopt a format rarely
seen in modern MMA, with all fights taking place in a ring.Scott Coker explains how Ki MMA’s 32-fighter Grand Prix will
build its first champion
Coker plans to use tournaments as the foundation for building new
stars. The inaugural competition will feature a 32-fighter
featherweight Grand Prix divided among North America, South
America, Asia and Europe.
Each region will have an eight-man tournament, with the four
continental champions advancing to a final event. The remaining
fighters will then compete in two bouts on the same night to
determine the inaugural Ki MMA champion. Coker believes that format
can accelerate the process of turning prospects into recognizable
names.
“This is gonna be a great journey, and I get to do it with a lot of
familiar faces and a lot of friends,” Coker told MMA Junkie. “We’re
going to put together a company that I think is going to be strong,
well built, and have the pillars that are going to sustain for
years to come. I do feel strongly about tournaments building stars
quickly. By the end of the year, we will have a star, and we will
have a new champion. Yes, will the fighters have to dig deep
because of fighting two times in one night at the end? That’s going
to be tough, but that’s why you’ve got to have your ki
together.”