Scott Coker names six-person executive team for new MMA promotion launching in 2027

Scott Coker has named a six-person executive team for his new, as-yet-unnamed MMA promotion, which is backed by $60 million in financing and expected to launch in 2027.

Kevin Kay headlines the appointments as Chief Content Officer. Kay has an extensive television background that includes developing programming for Viacom and Spike TV, and he played a central role in bringing the UFC to Spike TV and launching The Ultimate Fighter in the early 2000s. His hire signals that Coker’s organisation intends to make broadcast and content strategy a cornerstone of its identity from the outset.

Tom Fox takes the role of Chief Operating Officer, arriving with senior leadership experience at Gatorade and Nike. Rich Chou, a familiar face across American MMA, joins as Executive Vice President of Athlete Relations. Chou’s résumé spans Bellator, Strikeforce, Elite XC, and Rumble on the Rock, giving the promotion an immediate depth of fighter-side relationships that few new organisations could claim.

The remaining three appointments fill out the international and communications arms of the business. Paulo Boccotti becomes Executive Vice President of European Production and Operations, a hire that suggests the promotion has ambitions beyond the North American market. Lawrence Stewart steps in as Executive Vice President of Media Rights and Business Development, while Chris DeBlasio — a long-standing public relations figure in combat sports — takes the dual title of Executive Vice President and Global Head of Communications.

The promotion was launched with $60 million in financing, led by Creator Sports Capital. Coker, who previously built Strikeforce into a major force before its UFC acquisition and then ran Bellator for over a decade, has not yet disclosed a name for the new venture. Further announcements are expected in the coming weeks.