Sergio Pettis Breaks Silence On Emotional Decision To Leave Roufusport

Sergio Pettis opens up about leaving Roufusport.© NDTV Photo Library

Sergio Pettis has opened up about why he stepped away from Roufusport, the Milwaukee gym that shaped nearly his entire fighting life, following the death of long-time coach Duke Roufus. The PFL bantamweight says the familiar training space became too painful without the man he regarded as a father figure, prompting a fresh start at new camps ahead of his Dubai return. Pettis faces Joji Goto at PFL Dubai on November 14, returning to the same arena where he and Roufus shared their final cage moment.

Pettis carries Roufus' legacy into the cage with an emotional gesture

Duke Roufus, the founder of Roufusport and a former kickboxing champion, died in his sleep in October 2025 at the age of 55. Just two weeks after cornering Pettis to a spectacular knockout win over Magomed Magomedov in Dubai.

Pettis had worn Roufus' name on his shorts during that fight, a small but powerful gesture from a fighter who saw his coach as family.

Pettis first walked into Roufusport as a 13-year-old, still reeling from the loss of his father in 2003. Duke took him in, taught him the fight game, and stood in his corner for every bout from the age of 14. A relationship that stretched across two decades and countless camps.

Pettis opens up about his struggle

After Roufus' passing, Pettis initially tried to carry on at the gym, hoping to honour his mentor's legacy by staying put. But the silence of a corner without Duke proved heavier than expected.

“I was still training at Roufusport; I wanted to leave a legacy, but going to the gym just didn't feel right,” Pettis said, admitting he would arrive feeling sad and out of place.

He eventually realised he needed a change of scenery to move forward. Pettis has since split his training between Valle Flow Striking in Illinois and Pura Vida and Wanderley Jiu-Jitsu in Milwaukee.

Working with new partners and coaches he feels are better suited to this chapter of his career.

Pettis hopes to honour Duke with a statement performance

The camp change comes after a setback in April, when Pettis lost to unbeaten prospect Mitch McKee in a fight that would likely have earned him a title shot.

Pettis has been candid that grief affected his preparation, though he has also credited McKee rather than using emotion as an excuse.

Now, with a renewed focus and a fresh team around him, Pettis heads back to Dubai carrying both grief and gratitude. He says he wants to finish the fight against Goto and keep Duke's lessons alive in everything he does inside the cage.