It’s Time! (For Joe Martinez)

Bruce Buffer is about to break his historical UFC streak, which ranks somewhere above The Undertaker but below Cal Ripken.

In case you were looking for another reason to despise COVID-19, “Veteran Voice of the Octagon,” Bruce Buffer, was struck down by coronavirus and removed from the UFC 267 fight card, which takes place this Sat. (Oct. 30, 2021) on Fight Island in Abu Dhabi.

Filling in for Buffer is former WEC announcer Joe Martinez, according to MMA Junkie.

Buffer, 64, has called every UFC pay-per-view (PPV) and officially numbered card since the UFC 11 show back in late 1996, a staggering streak of 255 straight events. Just to give you some perspective on that timeline, UFC 11 was headlined by Tank Abbott’s unanimous decision victory over Scott Ferrozzo.

And refereed by none other than “Big” John McCarthy.

Jon Anik will handle UFC 267 play-by-play alongside color commentators Daniel Cormier and Paul Felder. John Gooden takes over as roving reporter and retired UFC middleweight Chael Sonnen joins Anik on the “Blachowicz vs. Teixeira” post-fight show.

For the complete UFC 267 fight card and ESPN+ lineup click here.

MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the entire UFC 267 fight card RIGHT HERE, starting with the ESPN+ “Prelims” bouts at 10:30 a.m. ET, followed by the ESPN+ main card start time at 2 p.m. ET.

For much more on this weekend’s UFC 267 card click here.