Welcome to Roufusport from Duke Roufus!
Co-Founder | Head Coach
Duke Roufus is the co-founder, partner and head coach at Roufusport Mixed Martial Arts Academy in Milwaukee, WI.
With over 40 years of martial arts experience Duke is a 4-time professional Heavyweight Kickboxing World Champion who is regarded as one of the “most knowledgeable American’s on Muay Thai Kickboxing,” and is widely considered one of the world’s top Striking/Kickboxing and MMA trainers.
Career
Duke Roufus started training in martial arts at the age of 4 and is the younger brother of legendary Kickboxer Rick “The Jet” Roufus.
His professional Kickboxing career saw him collect a number of titles including the W.K.A. North American Super Heavyweight Championship, W.A.K.O. World Super Heavyweight Championship, W.K.B.A. World Super Heavyweight Championship and the K.I.C.K. World Super Heavyweight Championship during the 1990s.
Duke won the IKF International Kickboxing Federation Pro Muay Thai Rules World Super Heavyweight Title on December 4, 1998 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin over Hiriwa TeRangi of New Zealand by unanimous decision 50-43 on all 3 judges cards.
Following his retirement, Duke Roufus became one of the most recognizable MMA and striking coaches in North America, and is considered to be one of the top trainers of Muay Thai Kickboxing outside of Thailand.
Roufus also runs the Roufusport Fight Team, which includes UFC Welterweight Champion Tyrone Woodley, former UFC Lightweight Champion Anthony “Showtime” Pettis, Erik “New Breed” Koch, Sergio “The Phenom” Pettis, Phil Brooks (CM Punk), Paul Felder, Belal Muhammad and Gerald Meerschaert III, in addition to Bellator star Emmanuel Sanchez.
Former students include former UFC Lightweight Champion Jens Pulver, The Ultimate Fighter season one star Stephan Bonnar and UFC veterans Alan “The Talent” Belcher, Ben Rothwell, Pascal “Panzer” Krauss, Pat Barry, Matt Mitrione and Jesse Lennox.
Duke Roufus, along with business partners Scott Joffe and Anthnoy Pettis, operate Roufusport Academy, in addition to the online Duke Roufus Striking University (DRSU) and Roufusport Kickboxing Association (RKA) affiliate program for school owners.
Roufus has also served as color commentator for Glory Kickboxing on SpikeTV, K-1 on ESPN2, and has appeared on TSN in Canada, Walker Texas Ranger, and Fox’s Best Damn Sport’s Show Period. In January 2003, he was named one of Milwaukee Magazine’s “50 People You Should Know.”
