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UFC 45 Interview: Announcer, Bruce Buffer (part 2)
Reported By: Boxing Insider - 11.19.2003 03:38 AM
Bruce Buffer Interview: Interview w/ UFC Announcer Part 1 |Part 2
The following is part 2 of boxinginsider.com's chat with "the voice of the octagon Bruce Buffer.
BoxingInsider.com: What are your thought on 'Tank' Abbott vs. 'Cabbage' Correira?
Bruce Buffer: Yeah Baby, yeah... let's do this! Now your talking about the fight that I wish happened the first time Tank came back. The UFC 40 Mir match-up was anticlimactic in my opinion for all Tank was supposed to bring back into the Octagon and Cabbage should of been his first opponent back then, but that was then and now is now and I can't wait to see this brawl. I hope it goes for at least two stand-up head banging, knee crunching, hammer throwing, knockdown drag out rounds of action.
Photo: Bruce Buffer
Boxinginsider.com: What does Tank need to do in this fight to restore his reputation?
Bruce Buffer: Win by a devastating knockout, but Cabbage is a true natural no fear fighter. Cabbage is a trip to watch fight and the last time I saw a head that big and hard it was on a 20 foot statue in Tokyo. Man can he take a punch! Anybody who can stand up to numerous Tim Sylvia's punches has got to have a skull three times as thick as a normal human being. I spent years surfing in Hawaii and know how tough the Island boys can be and Cabbage is a pure example, like Tank, of anybody, anywhere, anytime. You gotta love that kind of heart! this fight has all the makings of being the fan favorite fight of the night.
BoxingInsider.com: Ricco Rodriguez vs. Pedro Rizzo
Bruce Buffer: I'm happy to see my man Ricco back and this is an interesting match-up. When Pedro is on he is a devastating puncher and his kicks can break you in half and take you out of your game quickly. This is the last fight on his contract and I think Pedro is going to come out with a vengeance, which means Ricco has to take him down to win this fight, which is not easy. Ricco should not stand and trade with Pedro like he tried to do with Tim Sylvia and I hope he learned that and is being coached and trained properly to fight Pedro.
Everyone is looking forward to this fight.¬? Rizzo is on another roll and Rodriguez is trying to restore his winning ways. What do you think is ahead for the winner of this fight?
I feel the winner of this fight secures another fight for themselves in the Octagon and maybe a championship shot in the next year in my opinion. If Pedro loses we may not see him back again for a long time, if ever. I wish this fight was not a preliminary fight and was scheduled for the televised card because I'm sure every UFC fan wants to see this one.
BoxingInsider.com: Robbie Lawler vs. Chris Lytle
Bruce Buffer: Always exciting to see the young gun Lawler step in to fight and I look forward to this one.
BoxingInsider.com: You are fan of Robbie Lawler style. How do feel about his return?
Bruce Buffer: I'm excited and only hope it is not too soon after the recovery process from his injury, but I'm sure Pat Militech wouldn't ever put him in a bad situation that could hurt his long standing future as an MMA fighter.
Things are moving very quickly for the UFC? In your view, where is the sport of MMA in another ten years?
Definitely mainstream with network coverage and sports writers covering the UFC and MMA in major newspapers and magazines allowing MMA and it's fighters to be universally respected by all fight sport fans. Most importantly for the fighters I want to see the first million dollar plus payday happen in the next five years in the UFC and see MMA fighters being paid on the scale of boxers. This will only happen with free network TV exposure which will create the revenue streams warranted and needed to be earned by promoters such as ZUFFA to be able to up the fighters purses. Free TV exposure is also a key variable in creating marketable fighter images in the minds of the fans and building fighters personas and marketable images which will also attract outside sponsors thereby creating additional revenue streams for the fighters and the promoters.
BoxingInsider.com: What does the UFC need to do to capitalize on its success?
Bruce Buffer: The UFC is the premiere MMA brand and event in the world and it's success sets the pace for all others in MMA today and in the future, which is why it's continued success rise upward is so incredibly important to the future of MMA becoming a mainstream and respected sport internationally. MMA has a great international loyal nucleus of fans from which the UFC can expand on and grow bigger than ever in the future. The best thing that ever happened to the UFC was to be taken over and run by the powers that be at ZUFFA with the marketing avenues and necessary resources they bring to the table and having created all they have done and will continue to accomplish in the future. It's great working with Lorenzo, Dana and the whole ZUFFA team.
In any business the most crucial stage is not just getting to a key point where you are considered successful but to grow from there to become as successful as you wish to take your business and stay there. It's at that point in business evolution that the real work effort begins which is to explode from there, capitalize on the resources and marketing avenues you've created and consistently go for it to take it to the next level and keep it there through solid quality and consistent target marketing efforts. The approach I always take to the business ventures I create or am involved with is never to get comfortable and rely on your existing market being loyal forever because there is always a natural process that takes place where one loses customers or in this case possibly loses the consistent pay per view buying loyalty of fans creating a natural drop off ratio.
To me all business is the same, it's just the product that's different. Effective direct marketing and quality cross demographic promotion to bring in and create new fans combined with free TV exposure to promote exciting marketable personas and MMA fighting role models consistently is the key in my opinion. I always live by my personal rule that you can have a diamond in your hand, but if you don't present and market it's image effectively and create excitement, all anyone will see is a piece of coal. Perception is reality my friend and the only thing more exciting than the current event happening in sports and entertainment promotion is the excitement one creates in the minds of fans for the impending event about to happen. Keep the fans excited about the future and you will always have a successful business and a viable product to sell to your existing fans and the new ones you consistently create.
This can and will be achieved by the UFC and for me the UFC is the greatest fighting sport event in the world and UFC and MMA fighters are amongst the greatest athletes in the world with a few I can name being amongst the greatest. Now if that is not a product and talent pool to draw from and market then I don't know what is.
BoxingInsider.com: Any final thoughts? (Plugs, news, websites)
Bruce Buffer: I've had the pleasure of meeting tons of UFC fans all over the world and I feel that MMA fans are amongst the greatest and most loyal fans of any sport I've ever seen or been part of and they deserve the best quality entertainment and promotion our sport has to offer. If anyone ever wants to ask me a question about the UFC or MMA in general, they can post questions on the forum at www.maxfighting.com or email me at bruce@letsrumble.com I travel a lot for my work in MMA and my other various business ventures but I always make it a point to answer all my personal email and any questions to me posted at Maxfighting's forum as soon as I can.
Thank you for interviewing me and I'll see you from the Octagon on November 21st for a another great UFC.
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