Credit: Ki MMA

A top Ki MMA executive spoke with BetOnline’s The Fight Guys about the return of the ‘ring’ to Mixed Martial Arts.

Longtime Bellator/Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker is returning to Mixed Martial Arts as he’s set to launch his newest promotion, Ki MMA, in 2027. Ki MMA will kick off with a 32-man Featherweight World Grand Prix featuring some of the best up-and-coming featherweights across four continents.

The full event schedule for Ki MMA is expected to be finalized and announced in the coming months. The promotion’s hub, as alluded to by Coker and the rest of the Ki MMA board, will be in Japan.

Ki MMA will feature the return of several unique elements of the sport that haven’t been seen since PRIDE was among the top platforms in Mixed Martial Arts. The semifinals and finals of the featherweight tournament, for example, will take place on the same night.

Another unique aspect of Ki MMA is that fighters will compete in a square ring and not a cage. According to one of the promotion’s top leaders, this will set Ki MMA apart from other top MMA spots.

Ki MMA executive promises ring will create a PRIDE-like feel in the sport

In the latest episode of BetOnline‘s The Fight Guys podcast, top Ki MMA executive Rich Chou explained the rationale behind having fights in a ring versus the traditional cage.

“It takes us back again to what our brand, what Ki is, which is the martial arts spirit and force rooted in that love for the game,” Chou said of the Ki ring.

“The heritage, the roots of the sport, and it’s the right time to bring the ring back. It always provides high action, and it’ll allow us to tap into other sports that we’ve gotten into. Kickboxing, and whatnot. We love the ring for many, many reasons, and something that a lot of people don’t know: Strikeforce was supposed to be in a ring way back in the day…

“We’re authentically different, and we understand that we have to be. We’re creating our own style in how we present Martial Arts, and it’s a very good time to do that.”

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