Former ROH COO Joe Koff Passes Away at Age 73

Former Ring of Honor COO Joe Koff passed away today at the age of 73.

Koff’s passing was first announced by Major League Wrestling who praised his honor, integrity, and passion for the sport and thanked him for his contributions and unwavering dedication to wrestling.

MLW is deeply saddened to learn of the passing of former Ring of Honor COO Joe Koff. On behalf of MLW, we extend our heartfelt condolences to his family and loved ones.

Joe always led with honor, integrity, and a passion for the sport we all cherish. His legacy will live on in… pic.twitter.com/JNY7g2ILHG

— MLW (@MLW) October 15, 2024

Prior to his passing, PWInsider’s Mike Johnson reported that Koff had been battling cancer privately for some time. Koff reportedly made the decision this past August to discontinue treatment in order to enhance the quality of time he had left with his family.

Koff’s career in the wrestling industry spanned from the 1980s to 2022 and was most known for him time in ROH as their COO from 2011 until AEW CEO Tony Khan’s purchase of the company from Sinclair in 2022. Koff’s involvement with wrestling started with Championship Wrestling from Florida that was produced by the television station he was employed by in Tampa at the time.

Koff had joined Sinclair in 2003 as their Senior Vice President of Training and Development and remained with the company until his passing. Koff was the key person who pushed for the company to purchase ROH from then owner Carey Silkin in May of 2011 and recognized wrestling’s programming value to Sinclair’s television networks.