New MMA promotion Ki MMA eyes Pride-style rules for its 2027 featherweight Grand Prix

Ki MMA, a new mixed martial arts promotion set to launch in early 2027, is seriously considering adopting elements of the late Pride Fighting Championships’ ruleset as it looks to carve out a distinct identity in a crowded market. Rich Chou, the promotion’s executive vice president of athlete relations, confirmed the discussions are already underway.

Chou addressed the topic on the podcast Bowks Talking Bouts, framing the exploration as part of a broader effort to make competition more exciting for both fighters and fans. He stopped short of committing to any specific changes but made clear that Pride’s format is a genuine reference point.

“That is in the discussion,” Chou said. “We’ve said Pride quite a bit. Yeah, who didn’t love Pride, right? Some of my favorite fights, some of the greatest fights in the history of the sport. There really was no greater spectacle for MMA — and for us, it was the same kind of adoration and love for K1 on the kickboxing side. We’re looking at all those options and then some. Some that I think some people are not thinking about. We’re in the war room having all these conversations.”

Pride, which operated primarily out of Japan from 1997 until its acquisition by UFC parent company Zuffa in 2007, was known for rules that differed significantly from the current Unified Rules of MMA — most notably permitting soccer kicks and stomps to a grounded opponent, as well as a judging system that weighted aggression and damage over the course of an entire fight rather than on a round-by-round basis.

Chou noted that regulatory differences between U.S. states, combined with Ki MMA’s plans to stage events internationally, could give the promotion the flexibility to experiment with alternative rulesets in certain jurisdictions. He also stressed that fighters would be consulted before any decisions are finalised.

The centrepiece of Ki MMA’s launch is an ambitious 32-fighter featherweight Grand Prix scheduled to take place across four continents. The tournament format echoes the large-scale Grand Prix events that helped define Pride’s legacy and have since been revisited by promotions such as Bellator and the PFL.