Scott Coker requests rule change for Ki MMA promotion

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Scott Coker | José Prestes, PxImages/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images Scott Coker wants to bring a little PRIDE back to MMA. Specifically, Coker announced Tuesday he has made a formal request to the California State Athletic Commission to discuss implementing at least one rule from the famed Japanese fighting organization for his newly launched Ki MMA promotion—though that doesn’t include soccer kicks or stomps. See Coker’s statement below. View this post on Instagram I’ve always believed MMA should keep evolving. Ki MMA has formally requested a rule change to bring elements of the global MMA rules into the unified rules, excluding soccer kicks, stomps and linear knee strikes as per Rule 533. We’ve asked CSAC to discuss this topic at the Dec. 1 stakeholders meeting. According to former fighter Josh Thomson, Coker is specifically requesting the allowance of knees to the head of a grounded opponent, which is not permitted under the current unified rules. The technique would give fighters another weapon to use during grappling exchanges on the mat. We have most recently heard @Jon_Anik on @anikflorianpod talk about the importance of the sport continuing to evolve with things like, new gloves, open scoring, etc. @ScottCoker is leading that charge with what most people want….. KNEES TO THE HEAD OF A GROUNDED OPPONENT https://t.co/TPQKrEPAJP — Josh Thomson (@THEREALPUNK) October 20, 2026 Coker, who formerly served as the head of MMA promotions Strikeforce and Bellator, announced his return to the combat sports world this past September with Ki MMA alongside longtime business partner Rich Chou. Currently, Ki MMA is expected to kick off with a 32-fighter featherweight grand prix tournament, with bouts to take place in a ring as opposed to a cage. If Coker’s request is accepted, the rule discussion will take place at a shareholders meeting on Dec. 1. Should Coker and his team be successful in bringing in a rule used by such promotions as RIZIN in Japan, it would further set Ki MMA apart from major North American promotions like UFC and PFL, both of which use some version of the unified rules depending on where events are held.

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Will Ki MMA allow knees to a grounded opponent?