Now 80-years-old, Michael Buffer remains one of the most legendary and surprisingly still-active people in the sport of boxing and, to be fair, sport overall. The American ring announcer has taken his craft around the world, from championship qualifier boxing matches to the pitches of Premier League football clubs.

Firmly entrenched in the boxing hall of fame in NY as a non-participant, right between Amilcar Brusa and Bill Caplan, Buffer’s work ethic and clear love of sport would always have granted him a path to the history books. Yet, by concocting essentially the perfect catchphrase, he’s become a sporting legend without ever needing to lace up some gloves.

The Cornerstone Catchphrase of His Legacy

Michael Buffer has been a professional ring announcer since 1982. By 1983, he was a very well-known presence in American boxing, announcing for all of the Top Rank events shown on ESPN. Now 43 years into his vaunted career, he can look back on a moment 41 years ago that had a profound effect not only on his career but on the wider world of boxing.

In 1984, Buffer began to welcome the crowds and the corners with what would become his legendary catchphrase, “Let’s get ready to rumble!” Later that decade, he worked on getting a federal trademark for the catchphrase that proved immensely popular with audiences, finally being granted the trademark in 1992.

Now, where there’s Buffer, there’s “Let’s get ready to rumble!” Thanks to the trademark, he’s said to have earned over $400 million in license fees, and earns some extra cash for announcing it live. Some reports point to him getting up to $100,000 or even up to $1 million for announcing a single event with his famed catchphrase.

The iconic saying has also been monetized in broader media circles. There’s branded attire with the catchphrase here on Millions, and some audiences may remember that one (albeit unaffiliated) PJ & Duncan AKA song from the 90s that sampled Buffer's voice. There is also an officially licensed Let’s Get Ready to Rumble slot game at the most game-stacked real money online casino NJ has to offer. Featured alongside many other branded and official games on the site, Buffer’s game remains a persistent draw for sports fans.

Setting the Bar and Inspiring Others

Undoubtedly, Michael Buffer is the epitome of sports events announcers. The fact that he’s still active means that his peers must continue to battle hard to attempt to emulate his presence in the ring and beyond. One man who’s certainly achieved this in his own arena of combat sports is his half-brother.

At the time of discovering that Michael was his brother, Bruce Buffer was working in telemarketing and just watching Mike Tyson’s swagger as he entered the ring. He had found out that they were related on a drive over to CA, and is now the voice of the UFC, announcing fights in the octagon with his own catchphrase, “It’s time!”

Buffer’s influence goes far further than NJ and PA – where the two brothers were born – though. In the UK, Simon Hill is making a name for himself on the UK and Irish wrestling circuit having also worked for soccer club Walsall. He, too, cites the slick-dressed, legendary announcer Michael Buffer as his biggest influence for ring announcing.

Michael Buffer could happily retire today and have left an indelible imprint on sport at large, but ever the enthusiast, the legendary announcer and his almighty catchphrase keep on popping up for major events.