As UFC 300 fight week has arrived, there will be many looking back to the road traveled to get everyone to the historic event. There have been hundreds of coaches, fighters, and UFC personnel through the years who have all brought the promotion to where it is today, but one consistent has been the voice of the UFC, Bruce Buffer.
The long-time veteran cage announcer has been with the promotion and has seen it overcome down times while rising above all during the up times as well. Leading up to the historic night for the UFC, Buffer spoke with the ‘On The Mic’ podcast about his tenure with the promotion, Dana White’s ever-lasting impact, and more.
When speaking on the historic nature of the event, Buffer said it is a reflection of the growth from spectacle to mainstream sport.
Every time we hit a millennial mark like 100, 200, 300, it just goes to show how the UFC has progressed from spectacle to mainstream sport, where it has gone to, it’s just amazing how it’s done.. With that being said, 300 is an earmark to the fact that we just reached another pinnacle in the history of the sport. The event, with three championship bouts, the ‘BMF’ belt, the strawweight championship, light heavyweight championship, along with a bunch of other great fights on the card, it’s stacked. Dana White and the powers that be have delivered an amazing card.
Seeing the growth of the UFC as a promotion ultimately means the growth of the sport of MMA, and as Buffer sees it, there’s growth top to bottom in every possible way.
First off, we wouldn’t if it wasn’t for Dana White, number one, he’s a maverick. Granted he’s had amazing people on his team helping him, getting to the point we are at, but without the figurehead of Dana, his passion, the Fertitta brothers when they were involved, their passion, their finances needed, we never would’ve gotten to where we are at today.
We will continue to go up this rocketship into the air, which I have a first-class seat in, which I love, for many years to come. I hope Dana stays with it for many, many years to come. It’s just growing exponentially all over the country. With the feeder shows from Contender Series to everything else the UFC is doing to supply gyms, fighter benefits all around the world, with over 500 employees in the organization. It’s just grown into a powerhouse. People have no idea how big this is.
The sport, as well as the industry leader, will continue to grow into UFC 300 and beyond, and as for the future of Bruce Buffer, he hopes to be around for the next millennial mark as well.
I would love to see UFC 400, so we will see what happens.
Fans and the UFC alike will certainly want to see Bruce Buffer for many more years to come, but as we approach UFC 300, as the rocketship continues to soar, there are certainly even higher heights that can be reached.
