Joe Koff, ROH’s former Chief Operating Officer during its ownership by The Sinclair Broadcast Group, has passed away.
Koff had been battling cancer for some time, and PWInsider reports that he decided in August to “discontinue treatment in order to enhance the quality of time he had left with his family” before passing away on Monday night.
Mike Johnson stated that Koff did not want anyone to feel sad or sorry for him because he lived a wonderful life and wanted to keep the news quiet. The paper noted, “He faced his illness with a dignity that is impossible to describe and when we last spoke at length, he was very much at peace.”
Koff was the distributor for Championship Wrestling from Florida’s Battle of the Belts specials in the 1980s before becoming the General Sales Manager for several television stations. In 2003, he started working for Sinlcair as Senior Vice President of Training and Development.
Sinclair bought ROH in 2011. Later on, ROH was led by Koff, a well-known wrestler and company executive who played an important role in the promotion’s growth. Koff, along with other key ROH figures, is credited with helping ROH become one of the first promotions to safely resume wrestling during the COVID-19 pandemic.
ROH later adopted a different leadership style before being sold to Tony Khan and AEW.
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
