Duke Roufus, MMA Legend and Former Kickboxer, Passes Away at 55 Years Old

Duke Roufus, MMA Legend, Passes Away

The mixed martial arts (MMA) world mourns the loss of Duke Roufus, renowned coach and former kickboxer, who passed away at the age of 55. According to Scott Joffe, friend and business partner of Roufus, the coach died in his sleep on Thursday. Roufus was the founder of Roufusport in Milwaukee. Roufus is widely known in the MMA community for his outstanding work as the head coach of multiple former world champions.

• Anthony Pettis
• Sergio Pettis
• Tyron Woodley
• Ben Askren

Today, the Roufusport family and the martial arts world were shocked by the sad news of the passing of Duke Roufus, renowned MMA coach, founder and namesake of Roufusport MMA Academy, who passed away peacefully in his sleep. Duke was more than a coach and champion kickboxer: he was a mentor, innovator, father, and friend whose influence transformed the landscape of mixed martial arts.

Scott Joffe

Roufus’s relationship with the Pettis brothers was a defining chapter in his career.

Anthony Pettis’s Post

Before dedicating himself to teaching, Roufus earned several titles in kickboxing, following in the footsteps of his older brother, Rick Roufus. He won titles in multiple organizations, including WKA, WAKO, WKBA, KICK, and IKF.