Outside Source
The news broke on Friday night from Roufusport co-founder Scott Joffe, who posted on social media of his friend and co-owner’s passing. According to Joffe, Roufus died in his sleep of currently undisclosed reasons. The beloved coach, born Jeffrey Ryan Roufus, started training when young alongside fellow future kickboxing star and brother Rick Roufus. Racking up multiple kickboxing titles from a career that spanned from 1988 to 2007, Roufus hung up his gloves to coach multiple future world champions.
Advertisement
Roufus formed his team of Roufusport in 2006 along with Joffe in his home city of Milwaukee. He allegedly first named this camp when in his 20s and built it from the ground up. Many champions in MMA and other disciplines have passed through the doors of the gym, including future owner Anthony Pettis, Sergio Pettis, Tyron Woodley and Belal Muhammad to name a small few.
Before teaching, Roufus amassed a professional kickboxing record of 36-8-1 with 26 knockouts to his credit. “Duke” picked up belts in the World Kickboxing Association, the World Association of Kickboxing Organizations, the World Kick Boxing Association—the WKBA, different from the aforementioned WKA—and the International Kickboxing Federation. Over the years, he also earned belts in Roufusport Kickboxing, taekwondo and Brazilian jiu-jitsu.
An Irreplaceable Void in the Sport
Joffe wrote a statement about the passing of “Duke,” grieving the loss of his friend and business partner.
“Today, the Roufusport family and martial arts world was stunned by the heartbreaking news that ‘Duke’ Roufus, world-renowned top MMA coach, founder, and namesake of Roufusport MMA Academy, passed away peacefully in his sleep,” Joffe wrote on Friday night. “‘Duke’ was more than a celebrated trainer and champion kickboxer—he was a mentor, innovator, father and friend whose influence transformed the landscape of mixed martial arts. His knowledge, charisma, and passion inspired countless fighters to reach heights they never imagined possible. From world champions to first-day students, everyone who crossed his path felt his genuine care and unwavering belief in their potential. His loss leaves an irreplaceable void in the sport and in the hearts of all who knew him.
“Though we grieve deeply, Roufusport MMA Academy will continue forward, driven by ‘Duke’s’ enduring philosophy and commitment to excellence. The culture he built—rooted in respect, hard work, and family—will live on through the fighters, coaches, and students who proudly carry his torch. His impact will echo in every strike, every lesson, and every victory that bears the Roufusport name.
“Champions. Today. Tomorrow. Forever.
“My fantastic business partner for 29 years…”
Anthony Pettis also put out a series of posts in memory of his deceased coach, thanking him for all he did and promising to honor him going forward.
“When my dad was killed you took me in and became my father…Together we did the impossible and made it to the top! I will always make you proud, you’ve taught me so much. I will make sure your legacy continues on,” “Showtime” wrote.
Muhammad did the same, posting a photo of Roufus taping his hands before a match with the caption of, “Learned so much from you coach…we lost one of the best minds in the game today.”
This article first appeared at Recent News on Sherdog.com
Help support MMACrazies.com when you shop Amazon by starting your online Amazon shopping at MMACrazies.com/recommends/amazon. You are not charged extra, but we receive a small and very helpful commission on everything you purchase. Thanks for thinking of us every time you shop at Amazon.
