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How Are Bruce Buffer and Michael Buffer Related? Are the UFC and Boxing Announcers Brothers?

Published 11/21/2023, 5:24 AM EST

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It’s time! These two words sound different when spoken on the mic by none other than Bruce Buffer. The UFC announcer has become synonymous with his usual phrases thanks to all the hype his voice can create. With a voice box probably worth its price in gold, Buffer gives the UFC fights a whole new enthusiasm.

But did you know, that the ‘Buffer talent’ is not limited to UFC. Bruce Buffer’s brother, Michael Buffer has been giving his voice to boxing for years now. In fact, he can be just as electrifying as his brother. But their story is something out of a movie for sure. Here’s all you need to know about them.

Is Bruce Buffer related to Michael Buffer and are they brothers?

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It is true. Bruce Buffer and Michael Buffer are half-brothers. Inducted into the International Sports Hall of Fame in 2019, Michael Buffer popularized the catchphrase, “Let’s get ready to rumble!”. He has announced boxing matches, and WWE matches, as well as been around for NFL events.

Bruce Buffer on the other hand became super popular for his signature fashion of announcing fights in the UFC. He has hopped around the UFC Octagon introducing fighters and hyping up the audience. It won’t be wrong to say that without Buffer’s voice in the UFC, main events wouldn’t feel like main events. So how are the two connected?

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Bruce Buffer would find out that Michael, an already popular announcer was his half-brother. They both shared a father who had married and divorced Michael Buffer’s mother around wartime when he had been deployed in Vietnam.

via Reuters

Michael Buffer would go on to become a foster child and eventually find out his real name. Looking through the many pages of a phonebook and many inquiries later, it became evident to the UFC announcer that the famous Boxing MC was in fact a half-brother. A truth that could finally bring the two close.

How did Bruce Buffer and Michael Buffer meet?

A story as interesting as any, Michael Buffer had already been the announcer of big boxing matches. In fact, he had been the voice of the match that set of Mike Tyson vs. Michael Spinks. It was this moment that sparked a love in a young Bruce Buffer’s eyes that he had to chase down.

“All of a sudden I’m becoming a fan and then he started putting his name on the TV screen and it said Michael Buffer and I thought ‘are you kidding me?'” Buffer told BT Sports once during a conversation. Calling the promotion’s offices time and time again would lead Buffer to know that Michael Buffer was born within a 20-mile radius from where he lived.

On a trip to San Francisco with his father, Bruce Buffer would finally inquire to eventually come to know his father’s story. As it would turn out, his brother Michael lived as a foster child who would soon enlist with the military. He was raised as Huber but would find out his real name and change it back quickly.

They finally met in 1989 all thanks to a phone call to Michael by their father. The two would be reunited and eventually become known for their dashing personas and unforgettable voices inside the ring. The UFC would appoint Bruce Buffer for themselves and the rest is history.

How did Bruce Buffer start working for UFC? Michael Buffer reveals!

Michael Buffer took him under his wing and showed him the trade. The UFC announcer just had the natural talent that it would take to get going ahead all by himself. He would go on to announce preliminary fights at UFC 8 and UFC 10. He would soon become very popular among people for showing up in the hit sitcom FRIENDS.

via Imago

In an episode titled, ‘The One With the Ultimate Fighting Champion,’ Buffer showed up as himself and eventually would go on to convince UFC owners to keep him as a full-timer. Now, he’s all the UFC fans want to hear from. But it would not have been possible without his brother.

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28 Years Later, Michael Buffer Reveals How Brother Bruce Buffer Got His Chance at the UFC to Work Alongside Dana White and Joe Rogan

“I told Michael ‘I want to make you richer than you ever dreamed and hopefully myself in the process but I want to become your manager and partner.'” Bruce would tell his brother early on. And he would be completely right about it all too. Today, the two are at the height of their fame and it’s all because of their continued partnership.

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“That was then and we’re here today and I’m still his manager and partner. We have a fantastic relationship and I love my brother very much.” Clearly, the love between the brothers is ever so strong. Finding inspiration in a person and then realizing they’re family is only something that could happen in some sitcoms. But that’s the life of Bruce and Michael Buffer. Which one of the two is your favorite?

Watch This Story: Five Surprising Facts About UFC Announcer Bruce Buffer

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Written by:

Prit Chauhan

926Articles

One take at a time

I'm Prit Chauhan, and I'm a UFC writer at EssentiallySports. I've been in the writing business for three years, covering areas like mass media marketing, and even tried my hand at fiction. My experience includes research work at the University of California, Berkeley, which helps me spin fact-based stories about the world of Mixed Martial Arts effortlessly.
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Edited by:

Joyita Das