Latest / The Winning Culture Podcast / Greg Hamilton's Journey On Becoming An MMA PFL Announcer | The Winning Culture Podcast Ep. 6

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Greg Hamilton's Journey On Becoming An MMA PFL Announcer | The Winning Culture Podcast Ep. 6 · The Winning Culture Podcast

• speaker-0: Introducing the best in the world! speaker-1: All I ever knew was how to win. speaker-0: I'm gonna win, I'm gonna make it yes speaker-1: Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Win and Culture Podcast. And today I have the guest of all guests. He is MMA's Professional Fighters League Cage Announcer, Greg Hamilton. speaker-0: So that's pretty ⁓ cool. speaker-1: Yes, yes, man. Hey, it was only right that you got that intro, my brother, because you're always doing the great intros yourself. You know, so I wanted to make sure. speaker-0: Feels good to get one, I'll tell you that. speaker-1: Yeah, yeah, my man. You know, you ⁓ man, I look, I've heard you announce people so many times, so it was only right that you got yours. You know what I mean? Well speaker-0: I'm grateful. I'm grateful. speaker-1: You're welcome. You're very welcome, man. So look, man, ⁓ how you doing? First off, how how you doing? speaker-0: I'm I'm good. I don't know if you saw or people saw, but I ⁓ had a shoulder injury. ⁓ I had surgery July seventeenth, yeah. I pulled it ⁓ out of socket and the little the little bone at the top that your muscle connects to at the top of the shoulder broke off and was floating around. So I had surgery. They had to put ⁓ plate and screws to put it back together. but I'm on the mend, man. I'm I'm good. And it here's the here's the thing. This this is where This is where you know the universe is is blessing you even when you go through a tough time. It's my left arm, which is my microphone arm, and I can't like this is me trying to lift my arm. I can lift it if I use help, but I can't otherwise. But but I can do this to hold microphone, which means I can work and I can adapt. speaker-1: Hey, look, I wouldn't even die speaker-0: Everything, man. speaker-1: Yes. Well I am glad that you can still do that, man. And I wish you a very speedy recovery and everything. Thank you for still coming on the podcast, my man. ⁓ really. speaker-0: I was back doing shows two weeks after the injury. My boss, I mean, and PFL were great. I gotta tell you. ⁓ you know, my boss said, Listen, your health comes first. You tell us when you're ready to come back. Your job isn't going anywhere. You tell us. and I just I did what I could, and then I I started like grabbing water bottles and seeing if I could do this. I'm like, my forearm and my elbow are fine. I can I can announce. So ⁓ yeah, I took I missed two shows. That was it. Was right back in New York on ⁓ July thirty first. And yeah, we're rocking and rolling, doing some rehab. I I'm working with a great ⁓ physical therapist. So I I'm all good there, man. I'm ⁓ again. speaker-1: Awesome man. I'm I'm very was that? speaker-0: It's a blessing I can still do what I love to do. If I had any other job though, Vernon, I'd be out for months. I mean, I couldn't make coffee at Starbucks right now if I had to, brother. But you know what I can do? I can announce. speaker-1: ⁓ yeah, and you are very talented at that, my man. Very, very talented. speaker-0: I enjoy you and I appreciate that. I enjoy what I do. speaker-1: No problem. No problem, man. Which brings me to, you know, the question, man. ⁓ you know, because you're a great announcer, man. WWE, PFL, anywhere you've been. But one of the things that I did wonder about, ⁓ how did this all start for you, man? Like where did it even begin? speaker-0: So I'm gonna give you the condensed reader's digest version so as not to bore people. ⁓ I've always wanted to host. It's something I've just always been passionate about. In in high school, I would host assemblies that we had. and then I was in college paying for myself, it just it wasn't what I wanted to do. And so I ended up ⁓ applying to cruise ships. And at twenty-one, I got an opportunity to be a social host on Carnival Cruise lines doing bingos, karaoke, trivias. And now by the time I was twenty four, I had worked my way up to cruise director. So hosting all the main shows in front of thousands of people and running the entertainment department, learning the back side of things. And then just by and then by luck and happenstance, there was a a producer from CBS that came on board to film ⁓ a a video package about vacation and cruising. And he saw my stuff. He was like, Hey man, I I like what you do. Have you ever done TV? And I said, Well, no. He said, Well, speaker-1: Okay. speaker-0: You know, when you get a vacation from the ship, if you want to come be a guest co-host on our morning show, Great Day SA on CDS in San Antonio, we'd love to just have you. So it went well. He ended up becoming one of my best friends and mentor, Luis Munoz. And so about a month after I did that, he called me and said, Hey, listen, our normal male personality on the show, the male co-host, is leaving. He's moving back to Florida. Would you want to come audition to be the male host of the morning show? The co-host. And I got it. And I overnight I went from being a cruise director. To co hosting a morning show on CBS in San Antonio, and that was my start in the TV. speaker-1: Wow, man, how amazing is that? So you worked on a cruise ship. I say, how amazing is that? You worked on a cruise ship, you meet a producer from CBS. Absolutely. Absolutely. And then you end up hosting a CBS TV show. speaker-0: Wow. Yeah. Yeah. speaker-1: You know what? That couldn't have happened to a better guy, man. speaker-0: Well, I appreciate it. I I've been I've been guided by the universe along the way. From there I signed with an agent in Los Angeles. ⁓ I got a job hosting a live stage version of American Idol in Orlando for the Walt Disney Company after that. ⁓ and then as that was ending, a friend of mine who was an audio technician, ⁓ Ronaldo, Ronaldo Peña, he was a great audio tech and and he was playing a pickup basketball game with a producer. a live event producer from WWE who was like, hey, you know, we're gonna start a new hosting program with WWE. Do you know anybody that you know might be good? It's like, ⁓ my friend Greg that I work with at Idle. So I got a WWE, which happened to be based in Orlando where the performance center is, got that, started hosting for WWE, just doing like hosting live events, crowd interaction stuff. I never announced anything in my life, Vernon, understand this. I've never announced anything at this point. speaker-1: Yeah. speaker-0: And then my boss called and goes, Hey, by the way, starting next week, you're gonna be the ⁓ ring announcer for NXT. I'm like, ⁓ no, I've never announced anything in my life. And that's honestly where it started. And then ⁓ when Brandy Rhodes left the company, I got a call and they said, Hey, you're gonna be the new ring announcer for SmackDown. Like, and that off to the races, man. Smackdown, SmackDown on Fox, five WrestleMania's two video games. I joined the company having never announced anything in my life. It just given an opportunity. speaker-1: You know. Yes, yes. You know what, man? If you wouldn't have mentioned that, you know, you had never announced anything before that, I wouldn't have believed you. I wouldn't have even thought about it. Because man, I mean, y you do it, you know, like it's not your first time, man. I mean, from everything I've seen, you're a true professional at it, my brother. You really are. speaker-0: I I tell you what, once I started it, I I had become passionate about it. When I started at NXT, I was so nervous. And then I got to the main roster and I got the SmackDown and I I found ways to tell stories in those announcements. Like the way I would announce Shinsuke was his own unique way, or AJ Styles would like to be announced, is the face that runs the place, the phenomenal. So I tell stories in those announcements, and that became fun. speaker-1: Yeah. speaker-0: Because it felt like I was through my announcement helping describe what that character was that was coming to the ring. ⁓ and so I fell in love with it. Fell in love with it. speaker-1: ⁓ man, hey man, look, the Shinsuke announcement. Can you do that for me one time, please? Please. speaker-0: The artist known as Shaka. speaker-1: Man, I remember he would come out to the ring, he would go down on the ropes, man, on the bed and Hey, Greg, that was one of my favorite ones that you would do, man. I'm serious. ⁓ man. That was, yeah, that was amazing. That was amazing, man. ⁓ man. Greg. speaker-0: I'll give you some backstory. So ⁓ people who followed social media around that time knew like ⁓ on the road and in especially international shows, Shinsuke and I would hang out, like we became really good friends because we both enjoyed culture and we would when we got to these cities internationally, we would any any moment we had where we didn't have to be at the arena, we would be searching for the best food in town, the best sights to see in town, best experiences to have in town. So we became friends. Okay. And it got to the point where I would get I would get like DMs or tagged and things with his announcement. People would people would be like, It's not fair. People can tell that you and Shinsuke are friends because you announce it better than anybody. That's not fair. So I'm like, I can't help it. It's it's just fun to do as an announcement. I it has nothing to do with that. speaker-1: ⁓ yeah, ⁓ yeah, ⁓ yeah. So which this brings me to your name, okay? So you had to change your name in WWE, correct? speaker-0: Yes, yes, for copyright purposes, trading cards, video games, all that stuff. Yeah. speaker-1: So how did I mean, man, cause you know what? I love my hometown. I love where I'm from. And I would have never thought about adding my hometown's name in my name. Greg, man, I've never heard of it, but I think it's so freaking cool to do that. Thank you. Like, what was your thought? You're welcome, man. What was your thought process about adding your hometown name into your name? Like I'm just wild by it. speaker-0: Yeah, so so Hamilton, man, it's it's one of those towns that gets overlooked. When I was a kid they used to call us Hamiltucky. ⁓ now since I've I actually moved back here a year and a half ago. I'm I'm in Hamlet's my house in Hamilton. I moved back a year and a half ago. So I'm about it. I mean, ⁓ it's not a it's not a joke. ⁓ and so when I got to WWE, I mean what an opportunity. You you know, it's something you watch as a kid and you're a fan of and now here I am and I'm a part of WWE. And they said, you know, you gotta change your last name and speaker-1: Yeah. speaker-0: I've always been proud of where I come from. I've been proud of the city. And so I knew I wanted to be Greg Hamilton. So so what they had me do, they said we need you to give us ten last names. We're gonna look at ⁓ from creative and then through legal, and we'll, you know, decide on one of those ten names. speaker-1: Okay. speaker-0: Bernie, I gave them nine of the worst last names you could ever think of. The worst. And then Hamilton. And I'll I I mean I probably got a call an hour later. Yep, we're at Hamilton News. speaker-1: Were you was Greg Hamilton? Gotcha, gotcha. Was Greg Hamilton the first one that you wrote down or you had, you know, it wasn't speaker-0: And then just nine of the worst last name. I'm not gonna say any because if people have the real last names, I don't want to get mad at me. But they were nine pretty for an announcer, they were nine pretty terrible names. speaker-1: ⁓ man, I bet you was hoping they chose Greg Hamilton, huh? ⁓ speaker-0: Over the moon. And and the thing is is WWE never copyrighted it. So I did with ⁓ Michael Dawkins. Michael Dawkins does a lot of copyright for a lot of the boys in the wrestling industry, and he looked it up for me and ⁓ it wasn't copyrighted. They never copyrighted it. So now I own it, and that's why I can ⁓ be Greg Hamilton in the professional fighters league and and going forward and anything else I do professionally. speaker-1: So it goes everywhere you're you know, it it went with you once you left WWE. speaker-0: My my hometown will go with me everywhere I go professionally. Yes. speaker-1: Man, that's so freaking cool, man. That is so freaking cool, man. That's amazing. That is amazing, man. Now, there is something that man, I remember when it happened when I seen it on live TV, on SmackDown. You guys are in. You guys are in Brooklyn. Shane McMahon had just won the WWE World Cup. Okay? speaker-0: Right. speaker-1: The best in the world. Introduction was born. Okay. and you know when I seen that on TV, I'm like, Shane, come on, man. Don't be giving my guy a hard time, man. He's trying, he's trying. And then at the very last moment before he walked out, you nailed it. You got it. And I just like how he would raise his head, best in the world. I'm like, what? So, dude. What was all that about? Like, what went into all of that? God. speaker-0: I I'm gonna give you I'm I'm gonna give you the behind the scenes truth of how that was born. Okay. Because that was not an an original idea. speaker-1: Truthfully. Wow. speaker-0: So that he wins the tournament and he, you know, he starts coming out with the cup and everything. And then at WrestleMania, that was WrestleMania at MetLife Stadium, was when he, you know, I was gonna announce him as best in the world. And we go through the rehearsal, and I'm just, you know, I'm doing it, I'm not doing it that big. And the producers of that segment, producers of that segment were Jeff Jarrett and Road Dog. So we're rehearsing. speaker-1: Whoa. speaker-0: We're rehearsing in front of an empty stadium hours before the show, just going through each segment rehearsing. And so I did that. And ⁓ Road Dog says to me, goes, hey man, let's hear what it looks like if you just give it everything you got. Which I was never allowed to do in WWE. If anything, I was told to pump the brakes. You know? Like I had to stop doing ⁓ pausing for one fall. Like I never got to go to fifth gear in WWE like I do in MMA. Never got to. ⁓ gotcha. So empty stadium, met life hours before WrestleMania, and Road Dog says, Hey man, let's see what it sounds like. You give it all you got. Man, I hold that thing, and that thing just reverberated all over that stadium. I held that for 13 seconds. And the whirr. And it's just all over the stadium, empty stadium. And then I and then Road Dog looks at and he goes, Can you do that tonight? And I said, sure. So ⁓ let me tell you, I was worried I bit off a little more than I can chew. It's one thing to do it with nobody in the stadium, it's another with 60, 80,000 people at WrestleMania watching. But yeah, I pulled it off that night at WrestleMania. It went over huge and then it was born. From there, we did it every time Shane came out. Yeah. speaker-1: Yeah. ⁓ my god. ⁓ yeah, I s I I saw that. And it w ⁓ go ahead. speaker-0: No, I was gonna say what you need to know about Shane though is that after a while he started just messing with me. Because he would do this and I would have to hold it until he did this. So he would be on the top corner post looking down at me on the floor, and the camera didn't always you can't always see me, but he's looking at me and he's holding it, he's like got a little twinkle in his eye, a little smirk on his face. No, yeah, I'm turning purple. Knowing I'm turning purple. And then finally, at the last second, every He would do that right when I was about to just pass out. And I'm just like I'm like you speaker-1: Hey, you know something? speaker-0: He thought it was so funny. speaker-1: Hey man, I tell you what, you were always on cue though. Every time I saw you was on cue. Yeah, I mean, because it's just like when he would do the movements with the hand and everything, you would stop at the right moment and then hit that next note. And I'm like, I could never do that. Never. Never, never, never. speaker-0: There are times that I was about point zero zero zero zero two seconds away from just passing out or stopping. But he he had this internal clock every time. Shane had this internal clock that he would do that right when he knew. And I'm just like, man, you're gonna one of these days, you're gonna kill me. speaker-1: ⁓ man. Well, I tell you what, Greg, man, you you done a great job on that. You know, ⁓ I mean that best in the world was one of my favorite introductions, my man. Definitely. And even though at the time Shane was a heel, you know, he was a heel at the time, but I'm like, okay, I I love the introduction though. So, you know. speaker-0: fun. You know what? And for me, career wise at WWE, that was that was probably one of the most fun things that I've ever been a part of. speaker-1: ⁓ yeah, ⁓ yeah, ⁓ yeah, yeah, man. Yeah, you you you did a great job on that, Greg. You really did. Now, yes, sir, yes, sir. So look, man, just switching gears a little bit, okay? Yeah. Netflix, okay. ⁓ supernova boxing. My man, I ⁓ I checked it out. You guys did a great job announcing, man. English commentators, good job on that. And ⁓ I just gotta ask you, brother, what was that feeling like for you for that event? speaker-0: Man, that I'll tell you, that was so crazy. ⁓ because I don't, you know, maybe a lot of I'm I mean a lot of people in the US saw it, but that was a big global event. ⁓ these massive Latin superstar influencers and then like these massive Latin superstar performers and singers doing like five songs in between each fight. So it was a high between a boxing event and a and a concert. And you saw the production value that Netflix put into that. Unbelievable. So I was actually in where were we? Belfast, Northern Ireland, doing a PFL show when I got a message from a producer from Netflix who said, Hey, we've got this event coming up. I want to see if you'd be interested in doing it. And so I spoke with her and she told me about the event. She said, you know, they don't just want translators, they want an actual true English commentary team. And we think you would be great for like, you know, the color commentary, providing some some energy, some fun. You know, what do you think? And I said, I mean, what I mean, this is Netflix, incredible opportunity. And ⁓ so I mean, that was literally the following week. So I got back from Belfast, flew down to Fort Lauderdale. We called it from a studio in Fort Lauderdale, watching it live. it was Even though we're in a studio, the the energy was just electric. And knowing that we were the English commentary for the entire world for this major, major event that I'll tell you at the time, the numbers globally beat Jake Paul Mike Tyson. speaker-1: What wow. Yeah. Wow. Yeah. speaker-0: That's how big it was globally. So it was incredible. And it was so much fun. And I think also personally, and and I don't mean this in the in a negative way, but the fact that I got on Netflix because I'm Greg Hamilton, not because I work for WWE, was really special. Like if I work for WWE and I'm on Netflix, okay, cool, 'cause I'm part of WWE. No, I Netflix called me Greg Hamilton and said, Hey, we want you to do commentary for this. And like, that's kind of what really humble was humbling and just really made me grateful that, man, you know what, I did this on my own. I I earned this on my own. I didn't write anybody's coattails to do this. That's that was a very humbling and grateful feel. speaker-1: Yeah, man. Hey, look, man, that says a lot about you, man. Your your work ethic, your talent, and everything, man. I mean, Netflix reached out to you. I mean, that is I mean speaker-0: I still get goosebumps when we're having this conversation, man. speaker-1: Yeah, yeah. ⁓ wow, man. And and you know, ⁓ I I caught the ⁓ main event, you know, between ⁓ Florvinia and Alana Flores. ⁓ and I kinda felt that that seemed like a passion of the torch for me, in my opinion. Yeah. You know, ⁓ however, you know, you guys man, y'all did great announcing that that match, that boxing match. And ⁓ You know, so what do you think? You think it was a passing of the torch moment? speaker-0: Yeah, I definitely think so. And I and I think you're gonna see more of these events as well. I hope I get I'm blessed enough to be a part of them. But yeah, I mean that was a really great fight. Really, really great fight. And do you if you recall the entrances on that coming out with like the the the bug the VW Beatle painted as the Mexican flag, drones in the sky, and both of those women brought it. And ⁓ you know, sometimes when you think about speaker-1: ⁓ man. speaker-0: celebrity or influencer boxing, you're like, I don't know if these guys are really gonna show. But these these women really put in the work. And yeah, I agree. I I think that was a passing of the torch for the future. I think for the next one that you see, the next supernova Genesis that you see, there'll be a continuation of that. And and ⁓ I don't see how there's not gonna be another one. It's I mean I'm listening even if I don't get invited back, I'm a fan at this point. And I can't wait to watch it because it was a special speaker-1: Yeah. Absolutely, absolutely. Well, I'm definitely hoping that you're on that announced team for the next one, man. I I I really do. Yeah, I really do, man. I mean, I I could tell, man, it's just when you guys were doing you know your commentary, it's like, man, the people at home, man, they was just hyped up even more. I'm like, okay, yeah, I can get used to this. Keep Greg and that commentary team together, please. Please. speaker-0: That that's the other thing too is there was a true chemistry between ⁓ the three of us. and the main commentator, the the guy doing play-by-play, his name is actually Jason Anik. He's John Annik's brother. John Anik, the announcer from UFC. Twin brother Jason Anik. Yeah. So that and he's just a wonderful dude, man. And and we there was just a magic and a chemistry right there. ⁓ speaker-1: ⁓ yeah. ⁓ man. ⁓ man, it's nothing like having a great announce team, g great great chemistry between them. That's why we got a great event. speaker-0: It makes yeah. It makes it when that magic just that chemistry happens. speaker-1: Absolutely, absolutely, man. So I did want to also ask you, ⁓ so between the WWE and the PFL, as far as your style of announcing fighters and wrestlers, ⁓ do you have more freedom to do it your way in PFL versus WWE by chance? speaker-0: 100%. and actually that's the first thing that they said to me, my producer said to me was listen, we're hiring you because we want you to be you. There's no you don't have to sound like anybody else. There's no certain structure. We want you to do this the way that you want to do it. You create this yourself. And so ⁓ what I will say is, you know, I learned so much in WWE, ⁓ especially not just about announcing, but about storytelling. speaker-1: Okay. speaker-0: And so when I announce in PFL, ⁓ what I like to do is I create my cards for each fight and I spend probably four to five hours on the entire card. Because for each fighter, I want to tell a story. So if somebody sits down in a sports bar and we're on TV and they've never seen us before, what announcement can I make for these fighters that's gonna get somebody to say, wait, he's ⁓ he's under ⁓ wow. And this guy's what? ⁓ I gotta see this. So perfect example in the world tournament last year, you had Gaji Rabadano, who comes from the Kabib Nermagamadoff camp, who's just a Dagestani killer. The guy's unbelievable. In the first two rounds of that tournament, he beat his com opponents in a combined three minutes and nine seconds. Wow. That's it. Yeah. On the other side of the cage in the final, you got Alfie Davis. speaker-1: Uh-huh. speaker-0: Who is this charismatic British guy? Just loves life. He dances in the cage when he's fighting. Just absolute charismatic. Just laid back. Cool dude. So for their intros, for Gaji, ⁓ I said, listen, this man finished his first two opponents in this tournament in a combined three minutes and nine seconds. He does not get paid by the hour. So, like, that was my introduction. That was part of my introduction for him. And then for Alfie. speaker-1: Okay, okay. speaker-0: Yeah, and then for Alfie, I said, hey, listen, you know, I gave a status and he fights out of London, England, but his charisma can be seen from space. He's the Axeman. So it tells you a story of wait, we got this Dagestani Russian killer taking on this happy go-lucky laid back British guy for half a million dollars in the in the belt for this turn world tournament. I gotta see this. speaker-1: Yeah. So that was something for you, you know, ⁓ going over to PFL, you kinda, you know, told him that you you wanna create your own style. That was something that you kinda told him that you wanted to do, right? Okay. Okay. speaker-0: Absolutely. And they encourage, by the way, they encourage them. speaker-1: Got it, got it. You know, so like, yeah, like in WWE, you know, like you introducing Randy Arden, you know, you're giving his weight from St. Louis, Missouri, and that's probably about it, right? It's not a whole lot of okay. Yeah. But by the way, do you remember you remember his announcement for Randy? You remember the announcement for Randy Arden? Do you still know it? speaker-0: ⁓ St. Louis, Missouri, 250 pounds, the Viper or the Apex Predator, either one. Take your pick, Randy Orth. speaker-1: I love it. Man, wow, on the spot, on the freaking spot. Wow. Yeah. So that kind of stuff just never leaves you, huh? speaker-0: Brother, I did SmackDown for like five years and it's the same roster. I mean, like, I could go down the roster still to this day, probably, if I needed to. Wow. That's what's fun about MMA is that there are there are 10 to 12 fights every MMA show and it's a completely different card. It's new fighters every show. You know what I'm saying? speaker-1: Wow. So how do you prepare for that? Like w I mean, what's the preparation like for that? You know, you because whew, that's a lot of different people. speaker-0: It sent a research packet for every single show, and it's got the breakdown of every fight, and it's got stats and history and ⁓ just different fun facts. So I comb through each of those meticulously to craft an entrance for each fighter that will tell a story within that their packet, within their line. speaker-1: Okay. speaker-0: 'Cause each fighter, I mean, they're fighting, even the guys that are really, really active only fight two to three times a year. Three let's three, maybe four times a year. So it's you know, if we do fifteen shows a year, that's it's a different card with different fighters. And so you're talking twenty to twenty six different fighters every single show that you're crafting and creating stories for. speaker-1: Wow, amazing, amazing man. So have you had like a fighter, you know, it's like, hey, ⁓ hey, can you say it like this or like that? Or you just, you know, your creativity is enough for him. speaker-0: So they I craft the storytelling and the announcements the way that I want to. Now, if there's something that's a little kind of wild, I will go to that fighter and be like, hey, listen, I had an idea for your entrance. What do you think of this? Is this cool? So far, everybody has said yes. Everybody's been like, absolutely. ⁓ we had a guy, Dalton Rasta, who is just I mean, this guy Dalton Rasta, he's like 0.2% body fat. I mean, he's just shredded. He's like, he's so handsome, it'll make you sick. And so I went to him and I said, Dalton, here's what I want to do for your fights. And I do this now for all of his fights. I'll say first let's take a look at the blue corner and note do not adjust your screens. This man is not photoshopped. But he does have a record of eleven victories against the three defeat. So things like that. You know what I'm saying? speaker-1: ⁓ man, they speaker-0: His opponent and his opponent in Charlotte was Brian Battle, who's from Charlotte, and he's called The Butcher. And so for his intro, I gave all the stats, and then I'd say, and tonight he's bringing the Butcher Show to his hometown of Charlotte, North Carolina, and he's got his meat books ready. He's Brian The Butcher. speaker-1: Wow, wow, man. ⁓ yeah, yeah, yeah. So you you you pretty much take, you know, person you know, personality or the name or something and you incorporate it in and then you make it their intro. It's like spot spot on Wow. Great stuff, Greg. Great stuff. speaker-0: Yes, precisely. Precisely. Thank you, brother. It it's just it's a form of storytelling that help helps tell the people who they are to get people to care here, you know? Yeah. And yeah, here's the other thing too. Ain't gonna be another Bruce Buffer. He he is the goat and he does what he does with the energy that he does. I am not trying to go out there and sound like Bruce Buffer, because I nobody can. So, you know, so I wanted to see it. What can I do to create my own? speaker-1: Yeah. Yeah, yeah. speaker-0: found my own lane is through storytelling. speaker-1: Yes, yes. Yeah, I I definitely see that. I see that. For sure. For sure. So the question of questions. I wanna ask. speaker-0: That's just scared me here, Barney. You scare me, brother. speaker-1: Know what's coming. I know what's coming. So speaker-0: I I told that's what I'm worried about. speaker-1: The merge. I want to talk about the merge between Jake Paul and MVP. Please elaborate on that. speaker-0: So, yeah, so everybody's heard of ⁓ Jake Paul and most valuable promotions. He and Nikisa run that company that you know you've seen all the fights that they put on, the events that they put on. There was a merger announced on July 30th. I'll never forget it because I found out, we all found out, the world found out, that morning of July 30th, which was the morning of the weigh-ins for the show in New York on July 31st. Okay. So you've got ⁓ MVP promotions, Jake Paul and Nikisa. speaker-1: Okay. speaker-0: Who have this, who have just tapped into this younger generation and just get eyeballs on anything that they do. You have us at the PFL with a full roster of incredible MMA fighters, ⁓ an executive suite of people like John Martin, our CEO, who has a background in negotiating television contracts, negotiating sports contracts, ⁓ all of this television executive background. And they have the the resources to get eyeballs that we need. We have the infrastructure, the roster, the actual company, ⁓ the company logistics that they need. And it just makes perfect sense. And so when they came together, John, Makisa, and Jake, they all spoke, here's what you gotta understand. PFL, we're on ESPN right now. This is the last year of our ESPN contract. So we've been ⁓ you know Shopping other networks that are interested in getting MMA because UFC's locked into Paramount for seven years. So you've got this global MMA community that is the most underserved of any sports base fan base. And if there's only one option and you're stuck on Paramount, now you've got a full resource of MMA with PFL and now MVP that gives networks an opportunity to say, hey, we want real MMA on our network. It's a massive fan base. There's a massive fan base out there. So with the promotional abilities that MVP has, with the roster production and infrastructure that PFL has, we're creating ⁓ MVP MMA and there's gonna be one lucky network next year that has direct competition for UFC. speaker-1: Wow, wow. Any possible ideas where it may end up or it's just up in the air right now. speaker-0: You know, I I'll tell you, I wish I did, ⁓ and this isn't me just, you know, playing coy. The one thing I will say, and I saw this in an art in a ⁓ interview from John Martin directly, where John Martin said, ⁓ our CEO, he's now the CEO of MVP altogether. He said, Listen, we made this announcement, and the very next day I had networks calling me saying, This is awesome. We need to talk. This is game-changing. We want to talk. We want to talk. speaker-1: Okay. speaker-0: So I I don't know which ones those are. I'm not privy to that. But I saw that that I know John Martin has said that that very next day networks reaching out and and they want MVP MMA on their screens starting next year, twenty twenty seven. speaker-1: This is gonna be so good. Greg, I'm ready for it. I'm looking forward to it. I think I'm gonna I'm gonna plan on coming to a live event for real. speaker-0: I got you. I I listen, you find an event on that calendar and I got you one hundred percent. We're we're you're in the Midwest, right? Are you in the Midwest? speaker-1: Well, I'm actually in the south, in ⁓ Louisiana. speaker-0: Okay, cool. Well yeah when we bring a show down south, brother, I got you. speaker-1: ⁓ well thank you, thank you, man. Thank you. I appreciate it, man. And look, I'll be willing to travel too if if needed, you know. ⁓ you know, I I love the sport. Hey that's fair. So yeah, man. Count me in. ⁓ I think that's great, man. ⁓ both sides to come together. And I think it's gonna be something very special, my brother. So congratulations to you guys on that, and I look forward to to seeing it continue to prosper for sure. Yeah. speaker-0: Thank you. It's ⁓ I truly believe 2027's gonna be a big year for us. I mean, you you look at the ability and reach that Jake Paul has on social media and what he's able to do, and then I know I can already tell you what we have as far as a roster of production and leadership goes. This this is this is gonna make some noise in twenty-seven, brother. I'm here to tell you. speaker-1: Man, I can't wait. I can't wait. I'm looking forward to it. Can't wait. And so that brings me to my last question of the night. ⁓ so somebody's that some somebody that is looking to ⁓ become an to become an announcer, to get in the business that's aspiring, what advice would you give them, Greg? You know, if they want to do that. speaker-0: So, I mean, you heard my story. I was just a kid from Hamilton, Ohio, man. Just a kid from Hamilton and just started reaching out ⁓ like to cruise lines and to into that. But more than anything, find things in your community that you can do. Even the smallest thing that you could host. Because here's the thing about this business, but not just about the business, but about hosting in general or public speaking or announcing. There's no class you can take that's gonna make you better right away. It's reps. It's hours on the microphone. It's rehearsing yours by yourself. It's ⁓ getting in front of people and becoming comfortable getting in speaking in front of people. So that's where it starts. Now if you feel like okay I've got that confidence already. What what do I need to do? Make a reel for yourself. So even if and you don't have these days with you know technology and and GoPros and our phones, my goodness, you can create a reel and edit it together of you hosting. So you could Whatever it is you're passionate about, whether it's sports, ⁓ anything, write yourself some copy, put it on a free free teleprompter program for your phone or for your laptop, and create a hosting reel. Or take your camera, set it up, and go set up in front of like a major league baseball stadium if you're passionate about baseball. And be like, hey, listen, we are just weeks away from from ⁓ the fall playoff season, Major League Baseball. Talk to the camera, but be in front of a stadium like a real reporter because people just want to see if you can do it. So, and then on top of that, if you do get an opportunity in your community, say yes to everything. Say yes to everything. You need those hours, you need that footage for your reel, and you need that experience. speaker-1: Got it. Got it. Got it. Ladies and gentlemen, MMA, PFLs, Cage announcer, Greg Hamilton. Hey Greg, thank you for coming, man, and blessing us here on the Win and Culture Podcast, my man. Thank you so much, man. So glad to have you, brother. speaker-0: I listen. Well, I I appreciate the invite and ⁓ you you know, the way that you inspire people, man, you do create that winning culture. And you know, when my agent called me and said that she wanted me to be on this podcast, I I didn't even hesitate. I said, absolutely. ⁓ so I'm humbled that you invited me here and and blessed. I I keep the positivity going, man. There's not enough of it out there right now. And ⁓ I I love what you're doing and that positivity you create. And you got my yeah, I'm not gonna sleep, man. I'm excited right now to try chatting with you. It's already, know. I it's getting late, but I'm I'm still amped just from your energy and your positivity, brother. I appreciate you. speaker-1: ⁓ thank you, Greg. And you are very welcome, my man. Hey, we're gonna do many more of these in the future, my brother. So get ready. We got many more of these to do. Thank you. Thank you so much, Greg. Hey, appreciate you, man. Keep on doing your thing. Keep on announcing and doing the great job that you're doing, man. It's much love. We appreciate you here on the Winning Culture Podcast for sure. speaker-0: Let's go. You got it. Thank you, brother. I appreciate you. speaker-1: You're very welcome. All I ever knew was how to win. speaker-0: Gon' los, I'm gonna win, I'm gonna speaker-1: Wanna make it here?