Duke Roufus, Kickboxing Legend and MMA Trainer, Passes Away
The mixed martial arts (MMA) world mourns the loss of Duke Roufus, a renowned former kickboxer and one of the most respected coaches in the history of this sport. Roufus, founder of Roufusport in Milwaukee, passed away on Thursday while sleeping, according to Scott Joffe, a long-time friend and business partner. Roufus was widely known in the MMA community for being the head coach of multiple former world champions, including Anthony Pettis, Sergio Pettis, Tyron Woodley, and Ben Askren.Roufus trained numerous high-level athletes, but his relationship with the Pettis brothers was the most significant chapter of his career. Anthony, Sergio’s older brother and former UFC lightweight champion, shared a message on Instagram after Roufus’ death.Before his coaching career, Roufus earned several kickboxing titles, following in the footsteps of his older brother, Rick Roufus. He won titles in multiple organizations, including WKA, WAKO, WKBA, KICK, and IKF.“Today, the Roufusport family and the martial arts world were shocked by the heartbreaking news that Duke Roufus, renowned MMA coach, founder and namesake of the Roufusport MMA Academy, passed away peacefully in his sleep,” Joffe wrote on Facebook. “Duke was more than a coach and kickboxing champion: he was a mentor, innovator, father, and friend whose influence transformed the landscape of mixed martial arts.”
Scott Joffe
