When someone sits down to write the history of mixed martial arts someday, Scott Coker will have a prominent place in it.
As Strikeforce founder and current president of Bellator MMA, the 54-year-old executive has for years served as one of the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s chief rivals. His subtle, reserved approach to fight promotion stands in stark contrast to the in-your-face style of UFC President Dana White. Coker arrived on the MMA scene in 2006 and built Strikeforce into a combat sports powerhouse before selling the organization to UFC parent company Zuffa LLC in March 2011. After a brief hiatus, he was tapped lead Bellator on June 18, 2014. Coker with the backing Viacom has driven Bellator to new heights, turning away from its original tournament-based format while supplementing home-grown talent with more familiar names. Under his direction, the promotion has signed a number of high-profile free agents, from Benson Henderson, Gegard Mousasi and Ryan Bader to Lorenz Larkin, Matt Mitrione, Frank Mir and Roy Nelson.
With Bellator 184 approaching on Friday in Thackerville, Oklahoma, here are five things you might not know about Coker:
1. He practices what he preaches.
Coker is a fifth-degree black belt in taekwondo under Ernie Reyes Sr., co-founder of the West Coast World Martial Arts Association.
2. As Strikeforce founder and Bellator President, he burns the midnight oil.
A total of 128 mixed martial arts events -- 63 in Strikeforce and 65 in Bellator -- have been promoted under Coker’s watch with the two organizations. He staged his first MMA show on March 10, 2006. Strikeforce “Shamrock vs. Gracie” featured a main event between Frank Shamrock and Cesar Gracie before 18,265 fans at the HP Pavilion in San Jose, California. Shamrock knocked out Gracie in 21 seconds.
3. Strikeforce under his direction served as a launching pad for some of MMA' s most accomplished fighters.
Daniel Cormier, Cristiane Justino, Amanda Nunes, Luke Rockhold, Tyron Woodley, Germaine de Randamie, Ronda Rousey and Miesha Tate all competed in Strikeforce before moving on the become UFC champions.
4. He can call upon a multicultural background.
The second of three sons born to an American father and Korean mother, Coker spent the first nine years of his life in Seoul before his family put down roots in California.
5. He has tied to Hollywood.
Coker had small roles in three feature-length films, according to IMDB.com: “The Last Dragon” (1985) and “Dragon Fight” (1989) and “Surf Ninjas” (1993). “The Last Dragon” brought it nearly $26 million at the domestic box office and became a cult classic.
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5 Things You Might Not Know About Scott Coker
