Scott Coker, former head of the Bellator mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion, has unveiled an executive team for a new MMA venture he unveiled late last month.
The new promotion – as yet unnamed – announced former Nike executive Tom Fox as chief operating officer earlier this week, alongside various other new senior appointments.
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These include Kevin Kay coming in as chief content officer, Lawrence Stuart arriving as vice president of media rights and business development, and Paolo Boccotti being named as executive vice president of European production and operations.
In addition, Rich Chou – formerly of Bellator – is now the new promotion's vice president of athlete relations.
Fox has announced on LinkedIn that the first events will take place in early 2027.
Aside from his time at Nike, Fox has also held senior roles at significant English soccer clubs Aston Villa and Arsenal, while also spending eight years at PepsiCo as senior vice president of sports marketing.
Coker – founder and chief executive at his new creation – announced the venture in late May, and said at that point that it would be backed by $60 million of funding from a set of strategic investors.
He has now said, referring to his leadership team: "We have assembled a team of premium sports leaders who share our values and respect for combat sports. Tom, Kevin, Rich, Paolo, Lawrence, and Chris each bring world-class experience and the industry relationships needed to drive MMA forward, while always honoring its roots, the athletes, and the fans who supported this sport from the beginning. Collectively, we see where the sport can go, and we also know where it comes from.”
Peter Levin, from Griffin Gaming Partners, acts as chair of the board (and is also the co-founder), meanwhile.
Bellator was acquired by the rival Professional Fighters League (PFL) promotion in late 2023, with its name and branding formally dissolved over the course of last year.
