Skateboarding and combat sports have been crossing paths more and more in recent years, so it makes sense to see skate legend Tony Hawk getting involved with a new MMA promotion.
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According to reports, the project already has major financial support behind it, with reports saying around $60 million has been committed from investors connected to sports, media, finance, and entertainment.
Scott Coker has been one of the most recognizable names in MMA for years after helping build Strikeforce and later running Bellator MMA.
Now he is preparing another promotion that plans to launch in 2027 with a focus on fighters and international talent.
As per to the group behind the league, they want to give athletes from different countries more opportunities to compete at a high level while building a worldwide brand that can stand alongside the biggest MMA companies today.
Seeing Hawk connected to MMA is not completely out of nowhere.
Combat training has quietly become more common within skateboarding over the last decade.
Many pro skaters have gotten into jiu jitsu, boxing, kickboxing, and other martial arts as a way to stay active, recover mentally, and challenge themselves outside of skating.
Hawk’s own son, Riley Hawk, has been heavily involved in Brazilian jiu jitsu and has been working toward earning his black belt.
READ MORE: Riley Hawk Opens Up About How Jiu Jitsu Transformed His Life and Reignited His Love for Skating
Riley has shared clips of training over the years and has become one of several skaters balancing life between skateboarding and martial arts.
A lot of fans have noticed how naturally skating and jiu jitsu seem to connect since both require patience, timing, balance, and constant repetition.
Another name often brought up is Chris Russell, who has also spent time training jiu jitsu.
READ MORE: Pro Skater Chris Russell Shares His Passion For Jiu-Jitsu
Russell has talked before about how martial arts training helped him physically and mentally while continuing to skate pools, vert ramps, and rough terrain that demand a huge amount of endurance.
Paul Rodriguez has also been active in combat training, especially kickboxing. Rodriguez has posted training sessions online over the years and clearly enjoys the discipline and conditioning that comes with it.
READ MORE: Switch God Paul Rodriguez Can Whoop Your Ahh w/ His New Kickboxing Skills
Fans have noticed more skaters adding combat training into their routines, especially as they get older and look for new ways to stay competitive and healthy.
The new MMA league itself is still without an official name, but the people involved are already talking about big plans.
Alongside Hawk, the investor group includes executives tied to major sports organizations, gaming companies, and media businesses.
Coker will serve as CEO while longtime sports investor Peter Levin will help lead the company as chairman.
MMA has grown massively around the world over the last twenty years, and the organizers believe there is still room for another major promotion with a different approach.
They say the new company will focus heavily on athlete treatment and international growth while creating more opportunities for fighters outside the usual MMA hotspots.
This is another interesting move in the skate legend’s career, and over the years he has been involved in video games, live events, media projects, business investments, and philanthropy.
Adding MMA to that list shows how connected action sports and combat culture have become.
With more skateboarders training in martial arts and more crossover between the two worlds, Hawk investing in an MMA league honestly feels like a pretty natural fit.