Bruce Buffer facts for kids

Bruce Anthony Buffer (born May 21, 1957) is a famous American sports announcer. He is best known as the official "Octagon announcer" for the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). People often call him the "Veteran Voice of the Octagon."

Buffer is famous for his catchphrase, "It's time!" He shouts this before the main event of every UFC fight. He is the half-brother of Michael Buffer, another well-known ring announcer. Together, they run a company called The Buffer Partnership. Bruce also has a black belt in Tang Soo Do and used to be a kickboxer.

Early Life and Martial Arts Training

Bruce Buffer started learning martial arts when he was thirteen. He lived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania at the time. He began studying judo and earned a green belt.

When he was fifteen, his family moved to Malibu, California. There, he met students of the famous martial artist Chuck Norris. They introduced him to Tang Soo Do, a Korean martial art. Bruce now holds a second-degree black belt in Tang Soo Do. In his twenties, he started kickboxing. However, he had to stop at age 32 after getting two concussions.

UFC Announcing Career

Bruce Buffer began his UFC announcing career in 1996. He first announced a preliminary fight at UFC 8. Later, he announced all the fights at UFC 10. In 1997, he appeared as himself on the TV show Friends.

He convinced UFC owner Bob Meyrowitz to hire him full-time. Bruce became the official UFC ring announcer starting with UFC 13. He is known for his exciting introductions and special moves.

Buffer's Signature Moves

Buffer uses several signature moves during his announcements. One is the "Buffer 180." He points across the Octagon, then quickly spins 180 degrees. He then points to the fighter's corner being introduced. He usually saves the "Buffer 180" for main events.

Sometimes, he performs 45-degree or 90-degree turns before the "Buffer 180." At UFC 100, he even did a "Buffer 360." This was during the introduction of Frank Mir vs. Brock Lesnar. He also performs a "Buffer Bow" for special fighters like Randy Couture and Anderson Silva. This is like a knight bowing to a king.

Other Appearances and Projects

Bruce Buffer has announced for many other events besides UFC. These include international MMA promotions and boxing matches. He also announces for the ADCC submission wrestling tournament.

Poker Player

Buffer is also a skilled poker player. He has played in professional poker tournaments. He appeared on ESPN's World Series of Poker Main Event show. In 2005, he reached the Final Table of the World Poker Tour. He finished 6th in that event. He also played on the NBC show Poker After Dark. In 2010, he was honored to start the World Series of Poker main event. He said the famous poker phrase, "Shuffle up and deal!" The Luxor Las Vegas casino even named their poker room after him.

TV Shows and Movies

Bruce Buffer has appeared in several TV shows and movies. In 2007, he was on the HBO show Entourage. He announced an exhibition fight for a charity event. In 2012, he was featured on the Comedy Central show Tosh.0.

He also made a cameo appearance as himself in the 2012 movie Here Comes the Boom. He introduced fighters alongside actors like Kevin James and Salma Hayek. He appeared as himself in the 2015 film Hot Tub Time Machine 2. In 2018, he was a fight fan in the movie Holmes & Watson with his brother Michael. In 2021, he appeared on Hell's Kitchen season 19. In July 2022, he introduced comedian Andrew Schulz in his stand-up special. In late 2022, he appeared in ads for Dominion Lending Centres in Canada.

Video Games and Music

Buffer's voice has been used in video games. He is an announcer pack in the games Smite and Paladins. He is also a playable character in the fighting game EA Sports UFC 3. He is the official announcer for the PlayStation 5 game Destruction AllStars, released in February 2021.

He provided announcing for the UFC-inspired song "It's Time." This song was made by DJs Steve Aoki and Laidback Luke. In October 2019, a gaming company released a new video slot machine game called "It's Time" with Buffer.

Other Announcing Roles

Bruce Buffer is also the official announcer for the World Series of Beer Pong. On September 13, 2021, he announced for ESPN's Monday Night Football game. This was when the Las Vegas Raiders played the Baltimore Ravens.

Personal Life

In 1989, Bruce met his half-brother, Michael Buffer. Their birth father contacted Michael after seeing him on television. In the mid-1990s, Bruce became Michael's agent and manager.

The two brothers have worked together ever since. They formed a company called The Buffer Partnership. They have grown their business through licensing and appearances.

See also

In Spanish: Bruce Buffer para niños