On September 12, 2023, Endeavor Group Holdings, Inc. and World Wrestling Entertainment launched TKO Group Holdings, Inc.. They combined two of the biggest sports and sports entertainment brands. Both UFC and WWE are now under the same umbrella.
This could make athlete and performer crossovers easier, following in the footsteps of stars like Brock Lesnar. However, it could also lead to a sharing of other top talents. Chief among these could be the arrival of one of the best-known voices in sport: Bruce Buffer.
Could Bruce Buffer come to the WWE?
Bruce Buffer is one of the most famous announcers in the world and a huge part of the UFC experience. His line “It’s time” rings out before every main event and amps up the crowd. So familiar and pivotal to the UFC is Buffer that it wasn’t until UFC 267 that illness stopped him from entering the octagon, breaking a 25-year streak.
Now 66-years-old, Buffer’s still going strong in the UFC. This has been his main gig since the 1990s, starting with UFC 8. But he has also announced for some boxing, submission wrestling, and other MMA competitions in the past. So, perhaps, Buffer could be deployed to further enhance a major WWE show.
Naturally, the upcoming WrestleMania XL comes to mind. Taking place at Lincoln Field in Philadelphia, on April 6 and 7, Buffer might be able to attend the second day. On April 6, he might be in Las Vegas, for the UFC Fight Night, but the event won’t be one of the all-important numbered PPV ones.
Michael Buffer has laid the path and wants to return
Bruce’s older brother, Michael Buffer, is arguably the bigger name, given his long-lasting legacy in the sport of boxing and his pop culture status. “Let’s get ready to rumble” is known around the world and continues to be attached to Michael Buffer and the biggest boxing events.
This phrase and the man himself have even been crafted into a popular online slot game. Among the vast collection of Ontario online slots, you’ll find the slot game Let’s Get Ready
to Rumble from Relax Gaming. Throughout, Buffer’s iconic voice plays while you spin the boxing-themed reels in search of big-hit features.
The older Buffer brother remains active in boxing, but he’s certainly spread his wings in the role before. He used to be the exclusive ring announcer for World Championship Wrestling and even jumped into UFC for a couple of numbered events. Now, however, he’s signed as the exclusive ring announcer for DAZN.
It’s not clear if this stops him from announcing for the WWE. Back in 2021, he responded to a question on Twitter that he’d announce for a pro wrestling main event “in a heartbeat.” With the 40th WrestleMania on the way, getting Michael Buffer to announce would be the nest pick given his greater prestige and appeal.
With the UFC and WWE under the same umbrella, it would seem straightforward enough to get Bruce Buffer to announce for a massive WWE event in the future. For the next WrestleMania, though, maybe Michael Buffer would be the better option.
