Right About Now with Ryan AlfordJoin media personality and marketing expert Ryan Alford as he dives into dynamic conversations with top entrepreneurs, marketers, and influencers. "Right About Now" brings you actionable insights on business, marketing, and personal branding, helping you stay ahead in today's fast-paced digital world. Whether it's exploring how character and charisma can make millions or unveiling the strategies behind viral success, Ryan delivers a fresh perspective with every episode. Perfect for anyone looking to elevate their business game and unlock their full potential. Resources:Right About Now NewsletterFree Podcast Monetization CourseJoin The NetworkFollow Us On InstagramSubscribe To Our Youtube ChannelVibe Science MediaSUMMARYIn this episode of "Right About Now," host Ryan Alford welcomes Bruce Buffer, the iconic voice of the UFC. Buffer shares his journey from managing his brother, Michael Buffer, to becoming a renowned UFC announcer. He discusses the origins of his catchphrase "It's time," the UFC's growth, and his strategic approach to branding and marketing. Buffer also highlights memorable moments in his career, his relationship with UFC president Dana White, and his new business initiatives aimed at helping athletes build their personal brands. The episode underscores Buffer's passion, dedication, and entrepreneurial spirit.TAKEAWAYS Bruce Buffer's career journey as the voice of the UFC. The origins and significance of his catchphrase "It's time." The growth and evolution of the UFC as a dominant force in combat sports. Memorable moments and highlights from Buffer's time in the octagon. The importance of branding and marketing in the mixed martial arts industry. Bruce Buffer's personal philosophy on business and life. The culture and lifestyle surrounding UFC fans. Insights into his relationship with UFC President Dana White. The business landscape of mixed martial arts and its financial impact. New business initiatives aimed at helping athletes build their personal brands. If you enjoyed this episode and want to learn more, join Ryan’s newsletter https://ryanalford.com/newsletter/ to get Ferrari level advice daily for FREE. Learn how to build a 7 figure business from your personal brand by signing up for a FREE introduction to personal branding https://ryanalford.com/personalbranding. Learn more by visiting our website at www.ryanisright.comSubscribe to our YouTube channel www.youtube.com/@RightAboutNowwithRyanAlford. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Chapter 1: What is Bruce Buffer's journey in the UFC?
I knew of his acumen overall as a human being and as a person, but his acumen as a marketer was unbelievable. That's why if you're watching, I got this belt on. We're number one because of you, and we're number one because of guys like Bruce coming on our show, laying it down. telling you what it's like, telling you what the UFC is doing to grow and how to market yourself. Amazing episode.
We loved it. We love you. Happy holidays from Ryan Offord and the whole team at Right About Now. What's up, Bruce? Hi, how are you? Everything good? Everything's great, man. Appreciate you coming on. No problem. I know you're a busy man, and there's no better catchphrase than, it's time.
I say it every day I wake up, man. It's time to have the best day that I can.
It is. It is. Man, you got your hands in so much now, which I want to get into, and I love the t-shirt. Where did it's time come from? I want to know where that came from. Let's start there.
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.
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.
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
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Chapter 2: How did Bruce Buffer create his catchphrase 'It's time'?
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.
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.
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.
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.
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,
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.
But I love my brother, but I'm a competitor, and I'm going to come in first.
I love it. I love it. Did you see, I mean, the UFC has had this meteoric rise in the last 10 plus years, but like, did you see that coming?
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.
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Chapter 3: What are memorable moments from Bruce Buffer's career?
Chapter 4: How has the UFC evolved over the years?
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.
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.
What's interesting, Bruce, is whether you know it or not, I have watched you on UFC and things like that. But the emotion and you wear it on your sleeve. I got to know you more, obviously, studying up for this podcast and all that. And I love Michael. But I have always seen this emotion in the way you enter the ring and all that. And I'm like, there's something deeper here with you with this.
And I think you just distilled it really well. And I think it shines in a lot of what you do. And I want to give you kudos for that.
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.
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.
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.
I do everything I can because I train and I get ready for these shows like a fighter.
Hmm.
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Chapter 5: What is the significance of branding in mixed martial arts?
Sorry if I segued there for a second.
no, I love it. I want to build on that. But I think you nailed it. And, you know, owning an agency, working with brands, the hardest thing to do is to create attention. And you, like you said, you have this base with all this built-in attention and all these fighters have all this built-in attention. And, And leveraging that appropriately into all the other channels is where the opportunity's at.
And so few people, I don't know why that's hard to grasp, but brands and businesses spend millions and millions of dollars to create attention. And the UFC gives you a platform to do that, so then you leverage off of that.
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?
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.
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Chapter 6: How does Bruce Buffer define the culture of the UFC?
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.
Don't be cocky. Just be real and go for it.
Have you had offers outside of the UFC? Oh, God, yeah.
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.
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.
I've seen many people get cocky and make that mistake and leave, and they're done. Their relevancy is gone in six months.
Let's talk about It's Time, the brand, the components that are coming out. We've talked about Million Sum. I'm excited. As an energy drink guy, I was watching your podcast last week, and I'm like, when's it coming to the U.S.? Talk about that deal.
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.
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.
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Chapter 7: What business initiatives is Bruce Buffer involved in?
Chapter 8: What is the future of MMA and UFC according to Bruce Buffer?
If they don't like the product, they don't get the money.
Period. I like it. I like it. What is the Bruce Buffer personal brand? You talked about social media. You've obviously embraced that with all the channels and platforms. Is there a strategy or something as far as how you go at it with continuing that? You obviously have the base platform of attention and you're knowing there, but how do you approach social media from a marketing perspective?
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
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.
So it's careful marketing, careful, consistent marketing. If that answers your question.
It does. It does. What do you think... People get to know you and see that. What do you think the most surprising aspect maybe is? You're intense in the ring, and then I'm sensing this, I don't know, this real empathy and real caring notion that it's been both refreshing and surprising. Is that something that a lot of people may not know or understand about you?
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.
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?
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.
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