© Rob Schumacher-Imagn Images
Tony Hawk is getting into the fight business.
On Thursday, The Hollywood Reporter revealed that former Strikeforce nd Bellator CEO Scott Coker was getting back into the MMA business with a new league.
Apparently, the league has already received $60 million in funding from an investment group that includes skateboarding legend Tony Hawk.
Coker is back to lead a new MMA league venture with funding led by investment firm Creator Sports Capital and participation from Griffin Gaming Partners and others. Additional investors include Upper Deck; Steve Kaplan, owner of D.C. United and co-founder of Oaktree Capital; Swimmy Minami, founder of Visional and a limited partner of the New York Yankees; skateboarding legend Tony Hawk; former Fortress Investment Group vice-chairman Dean Dakolias; and others, “including several with ownership stakes in both the NFL and NBA,” according to the founders.
“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,” said Coker. “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.”
While the new league is getting praised by many, Jake Paul doesn’t seem to be a big fan of Coker’s new venture.
Need to see the investors backing this and let them know that they gonna lose all their money – I feel like Superman trying to help them
Wow Jake such a good guy https://t.co/fyowFassq0
— Jake Paul (@jakepaul) May 21, 2026