Scott Coker: “They Couldn’t Destroy Us”, His New $60M MMA Venture & Why McGregor Isn’t Done

One of the most influential promoters in combat sports history sits down with Ak and Barak. Scott Coker built Strikeforce from scratch, developed Ronda Rousey, Daniel Cormier, Fedor and a heavyweight division he says was better than the UFC’s — and then sold it in a deal he calls one of the worst days of his life. He opens up about the pressure campaign that came before the sale (“they couldn’t destroy us, so they had to negotiate”), the seven-year non-compete the lawyers demanded, and why his fighters never wanted to leave. Then it turns to the money: the $500 million in purses he’s paid, the 58% of revenue Strikeforce shared with fighters, and the question about pay he says belongs to Dana White. Plus Cyborg calling out Claressa Shields and why he’d pay to see it, the truth about Conor McGregor’s injury and why he believes Conor can’t go out like that, the Crawford–McGregor $200M two-fight idea, remembering Kimbo Slice, and what’s next: $60 million raised for a new MMA venture that includes a one-year invite-only tournament at 126 pounds launching in 2027, built on the Super Six blueprint that made Andre Ward a star. 00:00 Intro: Welcoming Scott Coker 00:28 The Bellator–Showtime Years & COVID Fallout 02:12 Selling Strikeforce to the UFC 09:38 Building Bellator From the Ground Up 14:16 What Makes a Fighter a Star? 18:36 MMA Money vs. Boxing Money 22:06 Fighter Pay & the Strikeforce Model 33:05 Launching a New Tournament Promotion 34:01 Inspired by Pride & K1's Tournament Format 38:19 The $60M Funding Round 40:54 Weight Class Strategy & Q1 2027 Launch 58:49 Naming the New Company See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.