Former kickboxer and MMA coach Jeffrey “Duke” Roufus, who trained some legendary fighters, died Friday at the age of 55, according to business partner Scott Joffe. Roufus died peacefully in his sleep, per Joffe. “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 …
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Brett OkamotoOct 17, 2025, 11:18 PM ET Close Brett Okamoto has reported on mixed martial arts and boxing at ESPN since 2010. He has covered all of the biggest events in combat sports during that time, including in-depth interviews and features with names such as Dana White, Khabib Nurmagomedov, Conor McGregor, Nate Diaz, Floyd Mayweather, Manny Pacquiao and Georges St-Pierre. …
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Duke Roufus, a famed trainer, coach and kickboxer, has died at the age of 55 years old. Scott Joffe, one of the head coaches at Roufusport posted the news on Facebook on Friday after Roufus passed away in his sleep on Thursday. “Today, the Roufusport family and martial arts world was stunned by the heartbreaking news that Duke Roufus, world-renowned …
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