Pro Wrestling World Reacts to Former ROH COO Joe Koff’s Passing

The wrestling world is deeply saddened by the passing of Joe Koff, the former Chief Operating Officer of Ring of Honor during the Sinclair Broadcast Group era. Koff, who passed away at the age of 73, played a crucial role in ROH’s growth and influence in the wrestling industry.

According to PWInsider, Joe Koff had been privately battling cancer for some time. In August, he made the difficult decision to discontinue treatment in order to focus on enhancing the quality of the time he had left with his family.

Koff played a key role in convincing Sinclair Broadcast Group to buy Ring of Honor when it was still an independent promotion. He became the Chief Operating Officer in September 2011 and helped the company grow, getting ROH TV aired weekly through Sinclair’s network of channels across the U.S. Under his leadership, ROH became the second-largest wrestling promotion in the country, reaching a major milestone by running a joint show with NJPW at Madison Square Garden in 2019.

During his time, stars such as Cody Rhodes and The Young Bucks rose to fame in ROH, and Koff also helped them with their independent “All In” pay-per-view event in 2018. He managed to keep ROH going through tough times, including the launch of AEW in 2020, which led to the loss of key talent and even the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, when shows were filmed in empty arenas. However, after the pandemic ROH struggled financially and in 2022, Koff sold the company and its tape library to AEW Preisdent, Tony Khan.

The pro wrestling world reacted to Joe Koff’s unfortunate passing on social media. Cody Rhodes took to Twitter and expressed his admiration for Joe Koff, describing him as a great man from whom he learned a lot. He mentioned feeling fortunate to have been in Koff’s presence and extended his love and support to Koff’s family.

Ian Riccaboni took to Twitter and addressed Joe Koff’s passing, stating Joe Koff was fair, honest, and loved talking about wrestling. He made sure Ring of Honor kept running during the pandemic and would often send friendly messages, even recently. Riccaboni thanked Joe and wished peace for him and his family.

AEW’s official Twitter account took to the social media platform and stated that both the AEW and Ring of Honor families, along with the entire wrestling world, are mourning the passing of Joe Koff. They expressed that their thoughts are with his family and friends during this difficult time.

Former Ring of Honor name Will Ferrara took to Twitter and expressed his sadness about Joe Koff’s passing. He shared his gratitude for working under Koff at Ring of Honor for nearly a decade and extended his heartfelt condolences to Koff’s family.

”Joe Koff. Really great man that I learned a lot from and was always happy/lucky to be in his presence. All love to his family.

My friend Joe was fair, honest, direct, and could talk wrestling all day. He ensured @ringofhonor had a place to go. Doors open during pandemic. Sent out happy birthday & “I saw you on AEW!” texts as recently as Grand Slam ❤️ Thank you, Joe. May peace be to you and your family.

The AEW & Ring of Honor Family, along with the wrestling world mourn the passing of Joe Koff. Our thoughts are with his family and his friends.

It’s unfortunate to hear about the passing of Joe Koff. I’m very grateful to have worked under Joe’s ROH for close to a decade. My sincere condolences go out to his family.

R I P Joe Koff. My former boss at Sinclair Broadcasting. When i was signed by him in December 2018 to December 2021. My sympathies to all his friends and familles. You will be missed by a lots of great people Joe.

Rest in peace Joe Koff. Joe loved pro wrestling and was integral to putting together a roster in the original Ring of Honor that would shift the industry. His contributions were immense. Goodbye my friend and Godspeed.”

Joe Koff’s influence on the wrestling world will be remembered. He created a legacy based on respect, passion, and commitment to the world of professional wrestling and his contributions will forever make him one of the most important figures in the business.

What were your favorite memories of Joe Koff? Please share your condolences in the comments section below.