SUMMARY
- Bruce has been the official octagon announcer for the Ultimate Fighting Championship since 1996.
- Both of the brothers have made a name for themselves in their respective sports and become highly regarded legends.
Bruce Buffer is one of the most well-known names in MMA and sports. The American UFC announcer has made a name for himself and was crowned the “Veteran Voice of the Octagon”. Bruce has been the official octagon announcer for the Ultimate Fighting Championship since 1996.
He is also the half-brother of boxing and professional wrestling ring announcer Michael Buffer. Both of the brothers have made a name for themselves in their respective sports and become highly regarded legends. Let’s have a look at the comparison between the personal and professional lives of the two brothers.
Is Bruce Buffer older than Michael Buffer?
Bruce Buffer was born on May 21, 1957, in Tulsa, Oklahoma, U.S., and is currently at the age of 66. His brother Michael Buffer was born on November 2, 1944, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S., and is 13 years older than Bruce, who is 79.
The heartwarming story between brothers Bruce Buffer and Michael Buffer 🙏🏻
— Overtime Heroics MMA (@OTHeroicsMMA) February 16, 2021
Michael’s parents divorced when he was 11 months old, and both of them shared the same father. Bruce was a fan of Michael and was shocked to know he was so closely related to the announcer. They finally met in 1989 after Bruce’s father made a phone call to Michael.
Bruce Buffer vs. Michael Buffer: Who has a better career?
Michael Buffer became a foster child after his parents’ divorce and was raised by a school bus driver and housewife. He later enlisted in the United States Army during the Vietnam War at age 20 and served until age 23. Holding various jobs from sales to modeling, Michael finally found his passion for being an announcer at the age of 38.
He primarily worked for boxing and wrestling promotions but was also involved in NFL and NBA events. He became the voice of boxing with his iconic catchphrase, “Let’s get ready to rumble!”. He was inducted into the International Sports Hall of Fame in 2019 after a career span of over 40 years.
How cool is this? @brucebuffer and his brother Michael were on live TV at the exact same time just seconds ago: Bruce at UFC, Michael at the NBA All Star Game pic.twitter.com/vdaMGKQQeB
— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) February 18, 2019
Bruce Buffer initially started as a kickboxer and was trained in Tang Soo Do and Judo. The UFC legend had to give up on 32 after suffering his second concussion. He later got signed by the UFC for a preliminary fight at UFC 8 and also hosted all fights at UFC 10.
Then he was finally onboarded as a full-time ring announcer, starting with UFC 13. Just like his elder brother Bruce, who got fame in the sport and was popularized with the catchphrase “It’s time!”
Bruce Buffer or Michael Buffer: Who is richer?
Both the brothers are well-known faces themselves and have worked for some of the biggest sporting events. They also own their own company, The Buffer Partnership, of which Bruce serves as president and CEO. The current estimated net worth of Bruce would be $12 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth. He is also estimated to charge $100,000 per event.
Michael Buffer would have a whopping net worth of $400 million. This would include fees of $25,000 and $100,000, which for special events can even be estimated at up to $1 million. Along with being the voice of the most memorable sports events, he has also acquired hundreds of millions of dollars in royalties over the years.