Bruce Buffer
Appearances
Right About Now with Ryan Alford
The Voice of the Octagon UFC’s Bruce Buffer
the rules of business are very simple so when you have a king kong gorilla like the ufc as your base unless you're doing something wrong or you don't know what your brand is all about there's no reason but to move forward and keep branding and building yourself and now it's time for the radcast with ryan alford this is right about now with ryan alford a radcast network production
Right About Now with Ryan Alford
The Voice of the Octagon UFC’s Bruce Buffer
This is one of the ways, even though I'll make whatever I make out of this and all that, that's all great. I'm really doing this as a pay it forward thing to help athletes. I see too many athletes losing opportunities to make money and expand their careers because they don't have proper management or they don't know what to do themselves. And that's why I started millions.co.
Right About Now with Ryan Alford
The Voice of the Octagon UFC’s Bruce Buffer
Sorry if I segued there for a second.
Right About Now with Ryan Alford
The Voice of the Octagon UFC’s Bruce Buffer
Well, leverage works in different ways, you know, and what you're saying too is like, of course you have, you watch the Super Bowl, right? Now, I've had a Super Bowl commercial. I was in a Budweiser commercial, okay? Bucket list fulfilled. How many times do you watch a commercial on the Super Bowl where people have spent millions of dollars and it's over and you're like, what was that all about?
Right About Now with Ryan Alford
The Voice of the Octagon UFC’s Bruce Buffer
That's called ego advertising. I can't believe on the highest levels that this still happens. When you've got the UFC behind you, when I appear for the Las Vegas Raiders, which is the new thing I started this year, it's not about the UFC. It's about me appearing for the Raiders. But in respect to the UFC, they have to realize that I just gave them a million-dollar commercial.
Right About Now with Ryan Alford
The Voice of the Octagon UFC’s Bruce Buffer
Because I've been told I'm one of the three faces of the UFC with Dana and Joe Rogan, let's say, right? Aside from all the amazing fighters we have who come and go as champions do. But we're constants. We're consistent. So I'll laugh and giggle with Dana and say, hey, I just gave you a million-dollar commercial. Time to renegotiate. It's true. You've got to use the powers that you have.
Right About Now with Ryan Alford
The Voice of the Octagon UFC’s Bruce Buffer
Don't be cocky. Just be real and go for it.
Right About Now with Ryan Alford
The Voice of the Octagon UFC’s Bruce Buffer
I've had people throw buckets of money at me. But you're loyal. Loyal. Honestly, you don't leave the NFL to join the CFL. All respect to the CFL. Right? Bellator is down there. All respect to Scott Coker. Scott's a great guy. I've worked with Scott. I did K-1 fights for him. But, you know, they're like catching fighters dropping out of the octagon, falling into the Bellator ring.
Right About Now with Ryan Alford
The Voice of the Octagon UFC’s Bruce Buffer
I say it every day I wake up, man. It's time to have the best day that I can.
Right About Now with Ryan Alford
The Voice of the Octagon UFC’s Bruce Buffer
With all respect to Bellator, it does a fine job. Here's the simple thing. Success breeds competition, and competition breeds success. You want other people to be successful. But the UFC is the rocket ship. The flames are coming, and everybody's following their path. And I'm very lucky, again, to have a first-class seat on that rocket ship. Don't forget where you came from and what got you there.
Right About Now with Ryan Alford
The Voice of the Octagon UFC’s Bruce Buffer
I've seen many people get cocky and make that mistake and leave, and they're done. Their relevancy is gone in six months.
Right About Now with Ryan Alford
The Voice of the Octagon UFC’s Bruce Buffer
Well, I spent almost two years on this. It's the It's Time energy drink. Yes. Never thought I'd have my face on a can. So what this is is basically I don't drink energy drinks. I might have to sip one once in a while and I'm just exhausted at a show or something for the main event or whatever. But I'm so full of energy, it's not an issue.
Right About Now with Ryan Alford
The Voice of the Octagon UFC’s Bruce Buffer
But one of the reasons I don't drink energy drinks is because they're crap. No offense. Monster, Red Bull, big few successes, right? But they're full of taurine. They're full of the stuff that's so bad for you. And people are swallowing this down along with five-hour energy shots like it's candy. I mean, when I see advertising where five-hour energy shot, I'll respect you guys.
Right About Now with Ryan Alford
The Voice of the Octagon UFC’s Bruce Buffer
Please don't get upset with me. But you're telling people to have it for breakfast? Are you kidding me? Right? If I'm going to drink an energy drink, I want it to be full of vitamins and minerals. So we made this with athletes in mind. It's purely natural. Yes, there's 200 milligrams of caffeine from a natural source of caffeine in this.
Right About Now with Ryan Alford
The Voice of the Octagon UFC’s Bruce Buffer
We've got wolfberry extract, amino acids, vitamins, minerals. This is a nutritional drink with no crash. Right? It'll perk you up and no crash. We're actually dealing with USADA. Jeff and Vesky put me in contact with another company that's going to go after our barrels and batches and give a stamp of approval where this can be drunk. Right? So energy drinks is a huge seller.
Right About Now with Ryan Alford
The Voice of the Octagon UFC’s Bruce Buffer
People are looking for them all over. But if I'm going to be in this business, I'm going to have the best product out there. And that's exactly what we created. So I just launched it in the U.K., on a private launch, excuse me, a soft launch. My company's from the UK that's making it, and we're distributing out all over the world.
Right About Now with Ryan Alford
The Voice of the Octagon UFC’s Bruce Buffer
We're going to have four distribution centers alone in the United States because the demand's going to be that big, and it's going to be everywhere. So the response has been tremendous. We've got five different flavors coming out, but it's also going to eventually go into a line of another 50 products. I'm going to have pre-workout and post-workout and nutritional products and everything. But...
Right About Now with Ryan Alford
The Voice of the Octagon UFC’s Bruce Buffer
Slow, organic development is the way I build business. And this is going to be the first one out of the gate, followed by other products I'll load the pipeline with. And I'm very excited because the response has been tremendous, and the critiques have been tremendous, positive.
Right About Now with Ryan Alford
The Voice of the Octagon UFC’s Bruce Buffer
Well, you know, when I started in the UFC announcing and I've been managing my brother, Michael Buffer, you know, the legendary greatest announcer of all time. Let's get ready to rumble. We met late in life. And when we did, I owned two companies. I had my first company when I was 19. I've been an entrepreneur ever since.
Right About Now with Ryan Alford
The Voice of the Octagon UFC’s Bruce Buffer
We're going to launch it first on Amazon. Okay. And so then the retail stores will be coming afterwards. Okay. What I would say is follow me on Instagram at BruceBufferUFC. I make all my announcements there.
Right About Now with Ryan Alford
The Voice of the Octagon UFC’s Bruce Buffer
Just keep going. I go take another five or 10, whatever. I'm looking at what I, my gadget got a note. My Kristen is coaxing me. She goes, you're cool. You're cool. You're cool.
Right About Now with Ryan Alford
The Voice of the Octagon UFC’s Bruce Buffer
No, there'll be other people involved. I just can't name who they are yet. I don't talk about anything unless the deal is signed on the dotted line. I have access to some of the most amazing influencers from Logan Paul to you name it, my buddy and stuff like that. If there's a business deal where money changes hands and things are proper, but there's one rule I have.
Right About Now with Ryan Alford
The Voice of the Octagon UFC’s Bruce Buffer
If they don't like the product, they don't get the money.
Right About Now with Ryan Alford
The Voice of the Octagon UFC’s Bruce Buffer
you know i try i put it out on social media but i don't want to be like every post that i'm showing for something i'm showing so i mix it up you know i get a examples my personal life and things that i do and obviously you have seen that it's a timely fat at factor i'm gonna put things out that are pertinent and uh... make a point but i don't want to override i've learned a long time ago marketing five words of air let's get ready to rumble which could have easily become where's the beef show me the money you know how does any war all fifteen minutes and died out
Right About Now with Ryan Alford
The Voice of the Octagon UFC’s Bruce Buffer
Saturation, avoiding saturation is key, knowing how to do it so people don't get sick of hearing it. And that's why I come out with a variety of different products because it's time is such a strong, somewhat generic statement that I own, you know, in respect to where I own in trademark wise, that I don't want to abuse it. I want to build it.
Right About Now with Ryan Alford
The Voice of the Octagon UFC’s Bruce Buffer
So it's careful marketing, careful, consistent marketing. If that answers your question.
Right About Now with Ryan Alford
The Voice of the Octagon UFC’s Bruce Buffer
I've owned a variety of companies, a couple failures here and there, but most all successes, you know, I'm proud to say. And when I met him, knowing that he was the announcer, he was and everything else, we eventually, I sold two companies and became his manager.
Right About Now with Ryan Alford
The Voice of the Octagon UFC’s Bruce Buffer
I appreciate your kind words. I think because I walk out in the tuxedo and I've got the jewelry and all that stuff, my show, walk in the phone booth and go out to the octagon. But that's still me. That's me. I walk with a swagger. A lot of people do. I might be misinterpreted as being – because I have – I represent. I'm so strong in my beliefs.
Right About Now with Ryan Alford
The Voice of the Octagon UFC’s Bruce Buffer
Maybe not cocky, but just a little overconfident or whatever. But I'm really humble. I treat everybody around me with respect. I treat people the way I want to be treated. I believe we're all created equal. And I just like to be that way with everybody. It's real simple. I don't like cocky people. I don't like arrogant people. And I don't like assholes. Okay?
Right About Now with Ryan Alford
The Voice of the Octagon UFC’s Bruce Buffer
And you put 10 men in a room, you know you're going to get three of them that are going to fit that mold. So I'll deal with the other seven. It's real simple. And I don't like liars. I'm very honest in everything. I could sell an air conditioner to an Eskimo, but I'm not going to lie about it.
Right About Now with Ryan Alford
The Voice of the Octagon UFC’s Bruce Buffer
Yeah, it's a good question. I'm an equal opportunity announcer. I don't bet the fights. I don't go in like, oh, geez, I got five grand on BJ Penn. I think I better give him a big boost here. No, it's not like that. These warriors, male and female, deserve every ounce of energy I can give them. It's my job to enhance the moment for them and enhance the moment for the fans. The show is not about me.
Right About Now with Ryan Alford
The Voice of the Octagon UFC’s Bruce Buffer
It's about them. I know what it's like to bang. I've fought a lot in my life, okay? I was never a pro. I've fought on the beach, I've fought in the ring, I've fought in the match, you name it, I've fought in back alleys. The bottom line is I understand the mentality of a fighter.
Right About Now with Ryan Alford
The Voice of the Octagon UFC’s Bruce Buffer
I've been around fighters longer than the UFC has been in existence because I've been around boxing and my own past history in fighting. So I understand the fighter mentality. That intensity, that passion I'm throwing forward is because I'm introducing the fighters the way I would want to be introduced if I was fighting because I want you to get me ready to go.
Right About Now with Ryan Alford
The Voice of the Octagon UFC’s Bruce Buffer
managing his career and everything i want to announce back then we agreed i would be boxing and i said something come along and boom this a very short version and when the ufc came along and i worked my way into the ufc but i never wanted to be frank sinatra junior i never wanted to be not no respect for a senator junior but i i want to create my own style i want to grow with the ufc to help market the brand being the marketing and branding uh... personally and first and foremost before i do anything else
Right About Now with Ryan Alford
The Voice of the Octagon UFC’s Bruce Buffer
These guys are like and women are like Kentucky Derby horses in the cage or in that gate before that gate opens. And my job is to get them frothing at the mouth and blowing snot like crazy. So when that door opens, they just go for it.
Right About Now with Ryan Alford
The Voice of the Octagon UFC’s Bruce Buffer
They called me the ring announcer for about six years in a meeting. I kept telling everybody until Dan said, guys, will you get this straight? I'm the octagon announcer. This is not a ring.
Right About Now with Ryan Alford
The Voice of the Octagon UFC’s Bruce Buffer
No, I'm a fan first and an announcer second. I mean, there's plenty of shots of me like when Conor knocked out Jose Aldo in 21 seconds or whatever it was. And everybody focused and it made social media all over because my face was like... You know, like that. And suddenly it's like... You always got to remember there's a camera on you somewhere. But you know what?
Right About Now with Ryan Alford
The Voice of the Octagon UFC’s Bruce Buffer
I go in and do my job, but I have a right to enjoy those fights like anybody else, you know?
Right About Now with Ryan Alford
The Voice of the Octagon UFC’s Bruce Buffer
I have bucket lists yet to be fulfilled. You know, I've got a number of TV commercials. I've got a motion picture project in the works right now that I can't talk about. Not necessarily starring him, but producing. I'm always working on something, and what I'm trying to do is mainly it's real simple.
Right About Now with Ryan Alford
The Voice of the Octagon UFC’s Bruce Buffer
I want to keep my business plan on the passionate mode that it is with everything fitting perfectly, and I just want to make sure that everything I build is enough to take care of my family for the rest of their lives and their kids. I've got two godson and nephew. I'm not married. I've never been married.
Right About Now with Ryan Alford
The Voice of the Octagon UFC’s Bruce Buffer
I've almost been divorced twice, but my ex-girlfriend from 27 years ago is my partner, Kristen. And she dealt with your company, and she's absolutely amazing. We are a two-person army here, doing more business in most small to mid-sized corporations. I'm godfather to her kids. I want to make sure nobody that I love and know has anything to worry about.
Right About Now with Ryan Alford
The Voice of the Octagon UFC’s Bruce Buffer
And when I go, I just want to make sure everybody's taken care of and that I leave this legacy and a number of businesses that still could be running and just everybody thinks that, hey, I was a good guy and I did the best I could to make everybody happy, including myself. Again, I'm real simple. I'm real simple. But I'm like a great white shark swimming. I love what I do. I'll never stop.
Right About Now with Ryan Alford
The Voice of the Octagon UFC’s Bruce Buffer
I'll be in the octagon for another 10 years until physically I can't do what I do.
Right About Now with Ryan Alford
The Voice of the Octagon UFC’s Bruce Buffer
It's not too cliche. I just paid a shitload of money for it. But you know what? I'll do it for you.
Right About Now with Ryan Alford
The Voice of the Octagon UFC’s Bruce Buffer
Ryan, when my hair stops rising up when I do my thing, then maybe I shouldn't do my thing anymore.
Right About Now with Ryan Alford
The Voice of the Octagon UFC’s Bruce Buffer
Well, when you do that, try to mix it with the finest Kentucky bourbon in the market. If I can just give one – I'm so proud of this, Ryan. Yes. Puncher's Chance is my bourbon I came out with the end of last year. It's all about how one punch can change your life. It's everything I'm all about, but it is the sweet nectar of the bourbon gods.
Right About Now with Ryan Alford
The Voice of the Octagon UFC’s Bruce Buffer
And I told him, I said, I need to grow with you as the announcer. But I didn't think I needed a catchphrase. I'm not catchphrase driven. I was more like, it's not what I say, it's how I say it. So it wasn't until about seven years later that his time came about. Um, everybody always was going, let's get ready. Let's do this. They all wanted to be Michael.
Right About Now with Ryan Alford
The Voice of the Octagon UFC’s Bruce Buffer
We've won six gold medal awards, three for the best tasting bourbon, three for the best bottle design, and as a craft distributor, we're the fastest selling, highest rated bourbon in America today. So, this is awesome. You can go to wolfdistilleryspirits.com. You can buy it online. We're in stores, not in every state now, but all across the country. And it's just one of my favorite things to do.
Right About Now with Ryan Alford
The Voice of the Octagon UFC’s Bruce Buffer
And the last thing is at my website, brucebuffer.com. Of course, I'm on Cameo. The whole business of championship introductions, birthdays, birth of babies, business videos, whatever, has grown during COVID like there's no tomorrow. And Chris and I get a lot of pleasure out of doing the weddings and the champ intros, the thank you notes we get from people. It just brings tears to our eyes.
Right About Now with Ryan Alford
The Voice of the Octagon UFC’s Bruce Buffer
We're making so many people happy. And I give partial proceeds to animal, military and children charities because you've got to pay things forward. You've got to pay things forward.
Right About Now with Ryan Alford
The Voice of the Octagon UFC’s Bruce Buffer
I don't know about the greatest, but I'll put myself up there.
Right About Now with Ryan Alford
The Voice of the Octagon UFC’s Bruce Buffer
I love it. Only because of proof. It's one thing to talk about things and talk about them, but it's about did you do it? That's the key.
Right About Now with Ryan Alford
The Voice of the Octagon UFC’s Bruce Buffer
I just didn't want to come across like that. I can tell myself if when three years I could build my own identity, my own style, I would continue. If not, I would quit because I just didn't want to be that way. So every day I wake up and I was kidding before, but I'm serious. I look in the mirror and go, it's time. It's time to have the best day that I can possibly have.
Right About Now with Ryan Alford
The Voice of the Octagon UFC’s Bruce Buffer
So I used to open the show saying, it's time to begin the ultimate fighting championship. And then Dana White and the Fertittas bought the show. Dana and I met. He said, I don't want you doing that at the front anymore, top of the show. And I said, fine. But then it got down to the main event, and I realized, hey, everybody's sitting here for five hours watching the show.
Right About Now with Ryan Alford
The Voice of the Octagon UFC’s Bruce Buffer
The main event's about to start. The fighter's been training six to eight weeks with its biggest moment in their lives. This is definitely its time. This is its time. This is when it's going to happen. And I started incorporating it in. And gradually over time, it developed to the style that I do it now, whether I'm jumping or doing whatever.
Right About Now with Ryan Alford
The Voice of the Octagon UFC’s Bruce Buffer
I never know physically what I'm going to do until I do it because I never rehearse. Never. I feel the energy of the crowd and I just let it fly. But when I was in Brazil and 20,000 Portuguese-speaking people said, it's time with me, I knew right then it hit. And that's when I started building it up. And then eventually over the last 15 plus years since then,
Right About Now with Ryan Alford
The Voice of the Octagon UFC’s Bruce Buffer
You know, I've developed into products, you know, and many things happening worldwide. And now it's time has taken on a very individual branding of itself. And I plan on reaching a billion dollars in sales with its time, whether it's sales of other, not in my pocket, you know, sales of other companies, everything, as I achieved over a half billion dollars in sales with Let's Get Ready to Rumble.
Right About Now with Ryan Alford
The Voice of the Octagon UFC’s Bruce Buffer
But I love my brother, but I'm a competitor, and I'm going to come in first.
Right About Now with Ryan Alford
The Voice of the Octagon UFC’s Bruce Buffer
I knew from the very first day I got involved, it was going to be the biggest thing in fighting sports. You know, when you're in business, you need to be able to hopefully recognize the brand, recognize the future. I always think three steps ahead in life, like chess. I'd apply that to every aspect of business and any business I've owned or been involved in.
Right About Now with Ryan Alford
The Voice of the Octagon UFC’s Bruce Buffer
Because to me, all business is the same. It's just the product that's different. But you've got to recognize what has the chance to be the big hit. I knew that was going to be with Let's Get Ready to Rumble. I got contacted by another company called Party Poker, back when poker was not even as popular as today, who wanted me to be part of it.
Right About Now with Ryan Alford
The Voice of the Octagon UFC’s Bruce Buffer
One of the things I regret, I didn't grab that opportunity back then because I realized online poker was going to explode, and I'm a big part of poker myself in my private life. But when the UFC came on, yes, it was raw, it was a spectacle, it needed refinement, but I decided to stick with it, make the short money back then that I made, lose money going on trips,
Right About Now with Ryan Alford
The Voice of the Octagon UFC’s Bruce Buffer
Everything I could do realizing that if I stuck with this because consistency is a key in business, that I knew it would all pay off. And I have a simple theory, and that's whenever I do business of any kind, I have a three-foot theory. Everybody around me be happy, healthy, and prosperous. My goal is to help everybody around me get there because then it all comes back to me.
Right About Now with Ryan Alford
The Voice of the Octagon UFC’s Bruce Buffer
So unselfishly, I've been just dedicating my life to the UFC for over 25 years as of February.
Right About Now with Ryan Alford
The Voice of the Octagon UFC’s Bruce Buffer
twenty five years i have so many memorable moments there's no one that outstanding i can just give you samples examples of of many whether it's pulling off a three sixty move from brock lesnar u s e one hundred after being egged on by joe rogan in the internet for six months six plus months
Right About Now with Ryan Alford
The Voice of the Octagon UFC’s Bruce Buffer
And realizing, you know, after trying it in my room three times before I went down to the arena and slipping on the carpet twice that I might not pull it off.
Right About Now with Ryan Alford
The Voice of the Octagon UFC’s Bruce Buffer
But when I turned out of the corner of Frank Mir to go to face Brock Lesnar, I realized if I didn't pull the 360 and not just casual, I'd jump up and spin around and do it, that I would be the, as I termed, the bitch of the internet on Monday. The forums would have torn me apart. So that was one. But, you know, there's just so many.
Right About Now with Ryan Alford
The Voice of the Octagon UFC’s Bruce Buffer
You know, when Dana White and the Fertitta Brothers took over the UFC and You know, we had this amazing dinner together and we all met. Then you go back to the tough finale, the ultimate fighter with Forrest Griffin, Stephen Bonner. You know, one of the most amazing fights and amazing moments in UFC history where at that point we continued on going upward like a rocket ship.
Right About Now with Ryan Alford
The Voice of the Octagon UFC’s Bruce Buffer
where I have a first-class seat, and it's still going that way. But that night, we drew 15-share max or 12-share max on the final event, and you realize at that point that we made Spike and Spike made us, Spike TV, who we were with back then. There's all these memorable moments. But you know what? The moments to me that are most important is when I get –
Right About Now with Ryan Alford
The Voice of the Octagon UFC’s Bruce Buffer
The relationships I have with the fighters and the fans and the respect factor between us or to have a guy like Antonio Nogueira during one of his last fights in Brazil come back to me after his fight just bleeding and wounded and said, you just must understand your introduction. It took me to another level, you know? And it's like, life's not about the paycheck.
Right About Now with Ryan Alford
The Voice of the Octagon UFC’s Bruce Buffer
I'll be the first one to cash that damn paycheck and the money at the bank. Trust me, I'm first in line. I'll be there, okay? But I'm not in it for the paycheck as much as I am in it for the paycheck. What you're talking about is what life is all about, these experiences.
Right About Now with Ryan Alford
The Voice of the Octagon UFC’s Bruce Buffer
And I always tell people when I do my branding and marketing, motivational speeches or whatever, one key thing in business is find out what you're passionate about. And if you can learn how to monetize it, you're not really working. You're living a lifestyle. And I call my life by design. It's just like my new company, Millions.co, where we're branding athletes and everything.
Right About Now with Ryan Alford
The Voice of the Octagon UFC’s Bruce Buffer
This is my Millions.co t-shirt. It's Buff Life with capital B, which means B. It's real simple. Be. Be who you are. Be the best you can be. That's all you can do. Whether you're first, second, or third, if you're the best you can be, then you're winning. And that's what I'm all about.
Right About Now with Ryan Alford
The Voice of the Octagon UFC’s Bruce Buffer
Thank you so much. I appreciate that. You know, a writer once said that Michael's like a fine bottle of Bordeaux, right? But I'm like a fine bottle of puncher's champ, okay? I get out there, and again, you hit it on the head. I attack it with passion. I get back to passion. It's one of my key words, whether it's my feelings for my family, a girlfriend, or life and business, okay? Yeah.
Right About Now with Ryan Alford
The Voice of the Octagon UFC’s Bruce Buffer
I approach everything with passion. That way in business, if I get knocked down, I stand up and like Rocky said, I move forward and punch harder than ever because you believe in yourself. The moment I can't announce the way I want to announce, if I have to start phoning it in, I'm going to retire. I'm done. Okay. Every night I walk out there, it's time to be the best I can be.
Right About Now with Ryan Alford
The Voice of the Octagon UFC’s Bruce Buffer
I was out last Saturday night. I'm going in the octagon again Saturday night. I've been doing this for over 25 years. I have to prove to myself come Saturday night that I deserve this job. And it's that kind of hunger and that kind of passion that I've kept doing what I'm doing. I'm 64 now and I won't stop. I stay in shape.
Right About Now with Ryan Alford
The Voice of the Octagon UFC’s Bruce Buffer
I do everything I can because I train and I get ready for these shows like a fighter.
Right About Now with Ryan Alford
The Voice of the Octagon UFC’s Bruce Buffer
The moment I can't enjoy that progression, that evolutionary process, like I said, I'm done. It's time for me to get up from the table and find another poker game and go put my chips somewhere else.
Right About Now with Ryan Alford
The Voice of the Octagon UFC’s Bruce Buffer
You know, there is a UFC lifestyle, and fans live a UFC lifestyle, whether they're wearing the merch and all that, but I've got to look at the fans to answer that question because the reason we are where we are is because of the fans. Aside from all the work and the great mastery of Maverick marketing and management that Dana White and his team do.
Right About Now with Ryan Alford
The Voice of the Octagon UFC’s Bruce Buffer
But the fans have kept us alive and it's just gotten bigger and bigger and bigger. And aside from the younger demographic of the 18 to 34, we have the widest demographic, I think, of most sports, whether it's female or male. You know... I can just say again, it's like a lifestyle for these people. They have their first show. They want to see the next one. They want to see the progression.
Right About Now with Ryan Alford
The Voice of the Octagon UFC’s Bruce Buffer
Granted, there's a lot more shows now. It's hard to keep track of all the fighters, but they're so interested in what they have for breakfast, what they do in their private lives. Once you can lock people in like that, then you've got a successful audience that's going to be a dedicated audience. They'll be consistently watching you forever.
Right About Now with Ryan Alford
The Voice of the Octagon UFC’s Bruce Buffer
Not just as happens in boxing now, which I love and I grew up in and I participated in. The bottom line is that the younger demographic is dying off in boxing. The Logan and Jake Paul fights are bringing him back in. But are they consistently going to watch other boxers or are they just going to wait for their influencers? But at least young eyeballs are coming into the sport.
Right About Now with Ryan Alford
The Voice of the Octagon UFC’s Bruce Buffer
The UFC is just capturing and holding people. Definitely. Let's face it, in COVID, we were the first sport to come back. Yes, you were. And it's really blown up as a result. Yeah.
Right About Now with Ryan Alford
The Voice of the Octagon UFC’s Bruce Buffer
it's great you know i mean dan and i know each other before he took over the u f c called me when he bought it uh... he's managing chocolate on tete ortiz back then and uh... the previous owner called me up robert meyer said i have good news and bad news the bad news i sold the f c the good news i sold a day to wait for cheetah brothers and they want to give you a john mccarthy everybody else is going so dana we we get along really well uh...
Right About Now with Ryan Alford
The Voice of the Octagon UFC’s Bruce Buffer
We're friends. We're brothers in arms. He's a maverick. He's nonstop. You've got to really appreciate a man who's worth probably a half billion or more dollars and still has the passion to do everything he needs to do to keep this going. Because he could easily back off and live in one of his many homes and do whatever he wants. It's a rare breed. There's very few mavericks in life.
Right About Now with Ryan Alford
The Voice of the Octagon UFC’s Bruce Buffer
I consider myself a maverick in business. But you've got to look at Dana. And you look at the Vince McMahons and you look at whether you agree with them or not, the Don Kings of this world. It takes people like this to keep these kind of things alive. And it's perfect. It works well. And Dana is very generous and very loyal. But if you're on his bad side, you're screwed. Okay?
Right About Now with Ryan Alford
The Voice of the Octagon UFC’s Bruce Buffer
We'd probably throw a few punches at each other and have a beer afterwards.
Right About Now with Ryan Alford
The Voice of the Octagon UFC’s Bruce Buffer
Yeah, you're talking about my business?
Right About Now with Ryan Alford
The Voice of the Octagon UFC’s Bruce Buffer
A big business. It's a billion-dollar business. I mean, you're talking about a company in UFC that sold for $4.2 billion, the highest price ever paid for a sports franchise in the United States. If that doesn't speak volumes, I don't know what does.
Right About Now with Ryan Alford
The Voice of the Octagon UFC’s Bruce Buffer
And then... You've got to look at it from the standpoint, for me personally, the octagon is my base. When I teach people about branding and business, you always have to have a base to work from. Forget about selling something 150 miles away from your base. Sell within a mile of your base. If everybody's your customer, you're a multimillionaire. You have to assume that attitude.
Right About Now with Ryan Alford
The Voice of the Octagon UFC’s Bruce Buffer
The octagon's my base. It's established over 25 years. All the other business ventures I have, I'm building out of the base. I did the same thing managing my brother's career. HBO Rocks and Ring was his base. We built the movies, the TV, the products, everything, which is what I'm doing too. Neither one of us ever crossing over against each other unless we work with each other.
Right About Now with Ryan Alford
The Voice of the Octagon UFC’s Bruce Buffer
But the rules of business are very simple. So when you have a King Kong gorilla like the UFC as your base, Unless you're doing something wrong or you don't know what your brand is all about, there's no reason but to move forward and keep branding and building yourself.
Right About Now with Ryan Alford
The Voice of the Octagon UFC’s Bruce Buffer
And that's one of the reasons I started the company, Millions.co, because I'm trying to teach athletes in all sports how to brand themselves. You don't have to have a million, two million followers to be the top athlete in your sport to be able to brand yourself and monetize yourself even when you're starting out. But people don't realize that.