It seems like there are a lot of MMA related books coming out these days. Georges St-Pierre’s book is climbing up the best seller’s list, Frank Shamrock had a book released last year, and now I’ve just finished reading “It’s Time: A 360 View of My Life Of the UFC” by Bruce Buffer. A brisk read at 277 pages, the tome finds Buffer waxing nostalgic about his days growing up with his family in California, discovering his half-brother Michael, getting into business, and a bird’s eye view of the development of the Ultimate Fighting Championships.
For those who only know Buffer for his enthusiastic introductions in the Octagon or appearances in various poker tournaments, it might be a surprise to discover the man’s got a personality not that far off of UFC President Dana White’s. He tells tales of brawls from his youth, training in various martial arts (including the first time he met Royce Gracie), and even the story of his hotel fight with Frank Trigg. Not everything is fight related, though, as Buffer details his business successes (and failures), from his start in a telemarketing room to helping his long-lost half-brother, Michael Buffer, turn his “Let’s get ready to rumble!” catchphrase into a multi-million dollar empire. There isn’t a lot of juicy gossip to be found, though there is confirmation of a few things, such as the aforementioned fistfight with Trigg, as well as the infamous Chinawhite nightclub brawl and Lee Murray’s participation.
The book, for me, didn’t start to get interesting until the latter half. Buffer drops the high life talk and discusses his views on relationships, maturing, and dealing with loss. He also discusses his recovery from ACL replacement, following a freak injury at UFC 129 that occurred while giving an over-enthusiastic introduction during the main event. He shows a bit of vulnerability, which is somewhat lost in the bravado found in the first half. He also gives his thoughts on Chuck Liddel, “Rampage” Jackson, and Jon Jones. The Jones chapter is actually very insightful, as Buffer recalls finding the current light heavyweight champion alone, struggling to find an ATM to pay for a cab after his eye-grabbing defeat of Ryan Bader in Las Vegas. It reveals the naïveté of the current 205-pound kingpin, and provides a possible explanation for his public relations gaffes.
When all is said and done, I’d have to say the book is decent. It gives you some moderate insight into Buffer’s life and the history of the UFC, but at the same time doesn’t reveal too much outside of his family history. At the aforementioned 277 pages, it has a fairly brisk pace well-suited to use as a bathroom or travel reading. With a retail price of US$25.00/CAN$27.00, it’s certainly not a waste of money, but not a must-buy.
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