Chad Fishburne Jessica Kleinschmidt interview on an MMA score error

The Chad Fishburne Jessica Kleinschmidt interview began with the work behind a fighter’s introduction and reached a moment that could have changed an MMA result: Fishburne caught a scoring error before announcing the decision. He also told Kleinschmidt how criticism of his comedy pushed him toward ring announcing, why his first announcing job took him to Sweden, and how he built a catchphrase of his own.

How does Chad Fishburne prepare for ring announcing?

Chad Fishburne treats an introduction as a fighter’s story, not a list of statistics. He checks names and hometowns closely enough that a single fight card can take an extended stretch of research. When possible, he asks fighters to send a voice note saying their own names rather than relying only on written pronunciations.

His spreadsheet is a starting point. A name or place he cannot pronounce can send him to fight videos, Google Translate and ChatGPT; he said he might spend another 10 or 15 minutes checking one detail. He pays particular attention to sounds that do not follow English pronunciation patterns.

Direct contact is his preferred check. If he has a fighter’s phone number, he asks for a voice note covering both the fighter’s name and where they are from. When someone tells him to call them whatever he wants, Fishburne presses for the version they use to introduce themselves. He sometimes asks what their mother calls them.

What did Chad Fishburne notice about Muay Thai crowds in London and Sweden?

Chad Fishburne found that the martial art can shape a crowd’s response more than the country hosting the event. After working Muay Thai shows in London, Sweden and the United States, he described overseas Muay Thai audiences as especially attentive: they react to individual strikes together and stay focused on the fight.

Each kick, punch, elbow or knee can draw a response, he said. To Fishburne, the collective anticipation feels almost choreographed, though he stressed that nobody has to instruct those spectators when to react.

He has warmed up audiences at other kinds of events, including music and auto shows. Muay Thai crowds, in his experience, arrive knowing what they like. His comparison was not that American fans lack knowledge; he said people at events in the United States may be there for different reasons and can be more easily distracted.

How did improv and comedy lead Chad Fishburne to ring announcing?

Chad Fishburne credits improv and roughly 18 years of live-event work with making him comfortable in front of crowds. His first major professional sports job, as a backup with the Atlanta Hawks, tested that confidence. A later comedy booking gave him a harder lesson: the person who hired him thought his introduction was stronger than his jokes.

Improv in Atlanta and the Atlanta Hawks

Fishburne met the Hawks’ main announcer through an improv theater where they were both members. The backup job put him in Philips Arena, which he said could hold 30,000 people when full. Improv helped him stay calm because it taught him to respond to whatever happened in the moment; repeated work as an MC strengthened that skill.

He started at the Whole World Theatre Company of Atlanta, Georgia, Inc. d/b/a Whole World Improv Theatre Co. and later helped create another theater with friends. In Los Angeles, he spent more time on stand-up and writing. Unlike improv, where a team can support a scene, stand-up required him to build a routine that earned laughs on its own.

The comedy booking that changed his direction

While opening a show headlined by Saturday Night Live performer Darrell Hammond, Fishburne introduced the headliner in the style of a ring announcer, drawing on his admiration for Michael Buffer. Afterward, the person who booked him told him, “yeah, you're a way better announcer than you are comedian.” Fishburne said the comment stung, then made him ask why he had not pursued announcing sooner. His first ring-announcing job was in Sweden.

How did Chad Fishburne catch an MMA scoring error?

Chad Fishburne spotted a score that had not been added correctly as he carried an MMA decision toward the cage. He returned it for a check before announcing the result. According to Fishburne, the error would have changed the fight’s outcome, which is why he takes time to verify information even when a broadcast is waiting.

Checking a decision before announcing it

Fishburne said an announcer can be blamed for incorrect information even when someone else supplies it. He checks decisions delivered through his earpiece or on paper and repeats them back to confirm that everyone agrees. He knows commentators must fill the time while scores are prepared, but he would rather avoid a wrong announcement than rush to end a pause.

Keeping the microphone during Diego Sanchez’s moment

Another kind of quick decision came after a Diego Sanchez bout. Fishburne said Sanchez was celebrating a win and preparing to announce that he was getting married. As Sanchez took hold of the microphone, Fishburne let him have the moment while gradually moving his hand back to it. His rule as a host is to remain responsible for the microphone without turning an emotional exchange into a confrontation.

What is Chad Fishburne’s catchphrase, and what did he learn from Michael and Bruce Buffer?

Chad Fishburne’s catchphrase is “It's time for this crowd to get loud.” He said he worked with an attorney to trademark it, wanting a memorable line that could lift a main-event crowd. Michael Buffer influenced his vocal delivery, while Bruce Buffer influenced both the energy he brings and some of his formal wardrobe choices.

The Sweden booking was already in place when Fishburne prepared the phrase, though he was unsure whether its trademark was complete before that first show. The rhyme makes it easy to remember. He uses the line after asking the crowd if it knows what time it is, then works to raise its response.

Fishburne grew up watching Michael Buffer and studies other announcers for useful choices in wording or delivery. He described his own approach as Bruce Buffer’s energy paired with Michael Buffer’s booming, old-school vocal style. Bruce’s dinner jackets also inspired him to wear a black-tie dinner jacket and tuxedo pants at some events, alongside more conventional suits.

Where does Chad Fishburne want to take his ring-announcing career?

Chad Fishburne wants opportunities with major promotions, naming UFC, Matchroom Boxing and Top Rank among the jobs he would welcome. He is not limiting himself to one organization: he also cited an LFA show he worked in Spain. For now, he is focused on consistent performances, presenting himself professionally and showing promoters what he can do.

Social media helps him show that work. Fishburne uses TikTok’s templates to turn pictures and videos into short posts without spending as much time editing. He said those posts can catch someone’s attention, but the performance behind them still has to justify a closer look.

From his seat beside the cage or ring, he has to stay close enough to respond when a knockout or submission ends a fight. He admitted that, particularly earlier in his career, he could get caught up in a finish as a fan before remembering he had an announcement to make. Now he tries to put that excitement into the introduction or result instead.

Fishburne gave Kleinschmidt his simplest description of the job:

I mean, I would say that I'm a fan with a microphone.

That connection to martial arts followed a setback in another sport. After he was cut from his high school baseball team, Fishburne turned his attention to martial arts. He said his father’s advice about character stayed with him, and he now brings that long-standing interest to his work without claiming to be a fighter.

Who is Chad Fishburne?

Chad Fishburne is a professional ring announcer whose work has appeared on DAZN, Triller TV, Fubo Sports and UFC Fight Pass.