Scott Coker's Ki MMA Teases Pride-Style Rules and Moneyball Strategy
Ki MMA executive Rich Chou says the promotion is discussing Pride-style rules and plans to compete for talent on multiple fronts.
Scott Coker's new promotion is starting to show its hand. Ki MMA executive vice president Rich Chou told LowKick MMA that the organization is actively discussing Pride-style rules and drawing on influences from Rizin and K-1 as it prepares to announce its schedule, launch locations, and broadcast deal.
"Pride-style rules are in the discussion," Chou said, adding that Ki MMA is consulting fighters before finalizing its ruleset. The promotion is also considering other format elements, including kickboxing components. Events across four continents would require flexibility since commissions enforce different rules by jurisdiction.
Chou described the promotion's talent strategy as a Moneyball approach: developing young fighters while also pursuing established free agents who can move the needle. He said Ki MMA can play both sides of that equation, acting as a development league and a destination for marquee names.
This is the third promotion Chou and Coker have built together. Coker previously ran Strikeforce before the UFC absorbed it in 2013, then led Bellator until its sale. Chou called Coker a "Zen master" who operates quietly but delivers when it counts. CJ Tuttle is also part of the leadership team.
Ki MMA's kickoff event drew an impressive guest list, per LowKick MMA: Nate Diaz, Mark Coleman, Fedor Emelianenko, Cris Cyborg, and Royce Gracie all attended. The promotion has not announced a launch date, a broadcast partner, or any signed fighters.
The 32-fighter Grand Prix tournament format sits at the center of Ki MMA's vision, a callback to the early days of the sport when single-night tournaments defined promotions like Pride and the original UFC.
I grew up on Pride. The grand prix format, the spectacle, the different rules that let fighters actually fight. So when I hear Scott Coker is talking about bringing that back, I pay attention. Coker built Strikeforce into a legitimate alternative to the UFC and did the same with Bellator before things went sideways. The man knows how to run a promotion.
The Moneyball angle is smart. You don't need to outspend the UFC to compete. You need to find undervalued talent, treat them right, and build around them. Farid Basharat just got released at 16-0. The market is full of fighters who would thrive under a different system.
But here's the reality check: we've heard a lot of talk and seen zero fights. No launch date, no broadcast deal, no signed roster. The guest list at the kickoff was impressive, but Nate Diaz showing up at a party doesn't mean he's fighting in a tournament. I want Ki MMA to work. MMA needs competition. Show me the card.
