Meet glamorous ex-pro MMA fighter Laura Sanko who’s set to make UFC history for the SECOND time as the octagon action comes to Sydney
- Laura Sanko will make pay-per-view debut in Sydney
- Sanko will be first female colour commentator at PPV
- Ex-pro says calling the event is a ‘dream come true’
UFC broadcaster Laura Sanko will make history when UFC 293 hits Sydney on Sunday by becoming the first female colour commentator to call a UFC pay-per-view in the organisation’s modern era.
The former professional MMA fighter, 40, has been a part of UFC broadcasts since 2016 – working as a reporter backstage and working with the commentary team on Dana White’s Contender Series.
Sanko called her first official event earlier in the year at Fight Night 281 in Las Vegas, and says it is a ‘dream come true’ to be doing colour commentary duties for a pay-per-view event in Sydney.
‘I’m honored to join the commentary team for UFC 293 alongside @jon_anik and @dc_mma, she wrote on Twitter on Tuesday morning.
‘Dream come true. Before I was an mma analyst or competitor, I was a fan just like most of you reading this.
Broadcaster Laura Sanko will make her pay-per-view debut at UFC 293 in Sydney on Sunday
Sanko, a former MMA professional, has been a part of UFC broadcasts since 2016
‘Almost 20 years later, I’m here and excited to be a small part of connecting our incredible fanbase to the fighting art of these amazing athletes. See you in Sydney!’
Sanko will join lead commentator Jon Anik from cageside and UFC Hall of Famer and former two-division champ Daniel Cormier.
Megan Olivi will assist as a roving reporter at the event, while former UFC star Din Thomas will join as an in-fight analyst throughout the day.
Sanko debuted as a professional fighter in 2013 at Invicta FC 4 against Cassie Rob and won via submission in the second round.
She stopped fighting shortly afterwards for family reasons, before later returning to the scene to interview fighters.
UFC boss Dana White spoke about how happy he was for Sanko to call her first official event in Las Vegas earlier in the year.
‘I can’t think of anyone better to be the first female color commentator for the modern UFC era than Laura,’ said White. ‘She has worked incredibly hard to prove herself and get to this position and I couldn’t be prouder to have her calling the action.’
In 2022, Sanko slammed critics who claimed she only got her job because of her looks.
Sanko said being included in the broadcast team for UFC 293 is a dream come true
Sanko debuted as a professional fighter in 2013 but stopped shortly after for personal reasons
‘There is a whole contingent of people out there that think I got this job in some untoward and scandalous way,’ Sanko said on Blockasset’s BLOCK party podcast.
‘I can assure you that’s not how it happened.’
‘But it helps that the people who sit next to me – the Anthony Smiths of the world, the Rashad Evans’s of the world, the Michael Bispings, the Paul Felders, the Daniel Cormiers – that I think people can sense they have a certain amount of respect for me and therefore the fans should, as well.
‘I really owe a lot to my male co-workers who are making a spot for me at the table.’
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