Most MMA fans will not remember time before Bruce Buffer was the voice of the Octagon.
The Ringomroeper is a permanent fixture at UFC events and has been over the past three decades.
He will be on the microphone that calls the fighting when Alex Pereira defends his light heavyweight belt on UFC 313 on March 8.
However, the 67-year-old may never have received his UFC roll without making a cameo in the legendary sitcom 'friends'.
Bruce Buffer on a UFC fighting evening
Bruce Buffer played Poker with the UFC after the appearance of friends
Buffer's boxing legend brother, Michael, announced some of the early UFC shows before a contract problem stood in the way.
During that time, Bruce spent more than a year trying to convince the UFC bosses that he could fill Michael's shoes.
The MMA legend made a few octagonal performances on the microphone, but could not book the performance full-time until he got the chance to play himself on friends.
Buffer used the biggest show on TV to put pressure on the forces to make him the permanent broadcaster of the UFC.
“They call me and said,” Listen, we are doing a show called Friends and The Ultimate Fighting Champion is the title of the episode, “said Buffer on Monday's episode of the Ariel Helwani Show.
“They have a voice over, but they wanted the real announcer, so Warner Brothers sent a runner to my house to get audio and tape. And they hired me to participate as myself to friends.
“And I thought:” Okay. This is it. I saw [UFC co-creator] Robert Meyritzz on the set. I said: 'Listen, we have to meet during lunch. I have to talk to you '. I met him and I put him straight with it.
“This was the last time I started asking. I said: “Robert, I play together as myself in the greatest comedy on TV that is the greatest publicity you've ever had for the UFC.”
“I'm going to ask you again. I feel like a girl waiting to be asked to be asked and nobody asks me about it. Let me be the octagon more broadcaster to grow with you and help you build this brand with what I can bring to the table. I don't want anything for that. I just want to be the announcer and grow with you like a show '.
“It is the best poker hand I played, Ariel. That is where we have closed the deal, and from that moment I will continue to announce the UFC. '
Bruce Buffer's most embarrassing UFC moment
In a sport filled with massacre, Buffer has become the one that UFC fans can always count on.
Yet it is not perfect, and there has been a few mistakes during his 29 years on the Octagon Mic.
However, he assesses one of them above the rest as the 'most embarrassing' moment of his career.
Buffer was called for a lightweight fight between Jim Miller and Pat Healy on UFC 159 in April 2013.
The fight had ended in a submission of the third round for Healy. Unfortunately that was not the Buffer initially called the outcome, 'ladies and gentlemen', he announced. “Referee Herb Dean called a stop at this match at 4:02 of the third round and declared the winner by submitting Jim Miller.”
Buffer immediately added: “Oh, excuse me, Pat” Bam Bam “Healy.”
The rare Blooper was met with a smile from Healy who threw a quick look back to buffer while he was lifted his hand by Dean.
Buffer said when he was asked to name his worst moment at work for UFC 168 that same year: “I think we all saw earlier this year when I ruined my perfect record for the two gentlemen in the octhoek that the somewhat reddish beards Had, and I mentioned the wrong winner in the Pat 'Bam Bam' Healy Fight. “
Why it happened, Buffer said, “I am alone, and that was my only mistake.”
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