Sam Coker is officially making his return to the MMA business, and this time he is bringing major financial backing with him.
According to reports from The Hollywood Reporter, Sam Coker is expected to co-found a brand-new MMA promotion that is targeting a 2027 launch. The longtime combat sports executive, best known for his work with Strikeforce and Bellator, has reportedly secured $60 million in investment funding for the new venture.
The promotion has not revealed its official name yet, but the project is already attracting attention because of the people involved.
Skateboarding icon Tony Hawk is among the investors backing the organization, while Griffin Gaming Partners’ Peter Levin is also listed as a co-founder. Levin is expected to serve as chairman of the board.
Sam Coker will reportedly take over as CEO of the new promotion as he looks to build another global MMA brand after years of experience in the sport.
“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,” Coker said in a press release.
“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.”
Sam Coker later confirmed the news himself on social media with a brief message to fans, signaling that his return to MMA is officially underway.
The new promotion is still in its early stages, but more details regarding its roster, leadership team, event schedule and branding are expected to be announced soon.
Coker remains one of the most recognizable executives in MMA history after helping build Strikeforce into a legitimate rival promotion before it was eventually purchased by Zuffa in 2011. Strikeforce later folded in 2013, but Coker quickly returned to the spotlight after replacing Bjorn Rebney as president of Bellator MMA.
Under Sam Coker’s leadership, Bellator expanded internationally and signed several high-profile fighters before the promotion was eventually acquired by Professional Fighters League in 2023.
Peter Levin praised Coker’s experience and fighter-first approach while discussing the new promotion.
“Scott is a generational operator in the world of combat sports,” Levin said.“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.”
The advisory group for the promotion is also expected to include Kevin Kay, the former president of Spike TV and Paramount Network, who previously played a major role in Bellator’s television success.
While the MMA landscape already features organizations like the UFC, PFL and ONE Championship, Sam Coker clearly believes there is still room for another major player in the sport.
With experienced executives, major investors and a fighter-focused message already attached to the project, all eyes will now be on how Sam Coker plans to reshape the MMA scene once again in 2027.
