Life Outside Poker is a new podcast for PokerNews hosted by Connor Richards that seeks to pull back the curtain on poker players and allow viewers and listeners to get to know them on a personal level.
In the eighth episode, Connor speaks with legendary UFC ring announcer Bruce Buffer in an exclusive in-depth interview after Buffer's deep run in the 2024 World Series of Poker (WSOP) $50,000 High Roller. Buffer, a longtime poker player, finished in eighth place for a career-best $212,423 after kicking off Day 3 with his trademark "it's time" introduction.
Buffer talked about finding his long-lost half-brother, Michael Buffer, and becoming his manager, the early days of the UFC, the similarities between poker and martial arts, his relationships with Joe Rogan and Dana White, playing poker with Tobey Maguire and Leonardo DiCaprio and the time he injured himself in a poker tournament before announcing the biggest UFC fight in history.
The action folded to Lucas Blanco in the small blind who made it 200,000, and left himself a single chip worth 5,000 behind. Jake Schwartz then shoved all in from the big blind, and Blanco called.
Lucas Blanco: A♠2♣
Jake Schwartz: K♥5♣
Schwartz picked up a gutshot on the 10♣9♦Q♣ flop and completed it on the J♦ turn. Only a king on the river could keep Blanco alive and he did survive as the K♠ gave him a higher straight.
Brandon Schwartz opened to 115,000 from middle position. It folded to the small blind Turbo Nguyen, who put in a three-bet to 325,000. Schwartz then opted to four-bet to 1,100,000, which Nguyen quickly five-bet to put Schwartz all in for 2,915,000. After sitting in the tank, Schwartz decided to make the call, and was at risk in a massive pot.
Brandon Schwartz: Q♠Q♣
Turbo Nguyen: A♦A♣
It was a massive cooler for Schwartz, but when the flop came out Q♥6♦10♦ it was now Schwartz who jumped in front of the aces with a set of queens. The 6♥ turn meant only an ace on the river could eliminate Schwartz, after improving to a full house. The 2♦ on secured Schwartz the double up, and left Nguyen short stacked after the bad beat.
After a series of raises and re-raises Sonny Franco found himself all in and in big trouble vs Ihar Soika who woke up with aces in the big blind.
Sonny Franco: K♥J♥
Ihar Soika: A♦A♠
The flop didn't give Franco very much as it came 5♣3♣Q♠ as he could only survive with running cards. The turn completed part one of that unlikely process as the J♠ came off and the river was a dramatic K♣ to give Franco runner-runner two pair and crack the aces to stay alive.
