Laura Sanko achieved a significant milestone in her broadcasting career as she became the first female color commentator in modern UFC history. Her remarkable journey began with her position as a color commentator on Dana White's Contender Series, where she displayed her exceptional skills and knowledge of the sport.
After establishing herself as a valuable asset to the UFC's pre- and post-fight shows for several years, Sanko has now been given the opportunity to call the action during an official UFC Fight Night, further cementing her status as an integral part of the organization.
In addition to her commentary work, Laura Sanko has also showcased her talent as a commentator for the Road to UFC tournament alongside John Gooden. Her wealth of experience and expertise in mixed martial arts make her a valuable addition to the UFC's broadcasting team.
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Laura Sanko, also known as 'Fancy', has made history as the UFC's first female commentator. But her achievements extend beyond the commentary booth. Before starting her broadcasting career, Sanko was an MMA fighter herself and competed in the atomweight division, where she boasts a 1-0 record.
After retiring from active competition, The 40-year-old joined Invicta FC as a broadcaster, where she showcased her expertise in analyzing fights and providing insightful commentary. Her skill and professionalism caught the attention of the UFC as she made the transition to the organization in 2016.
Laura Sanko addresses unpleasant claims that she was sleeping around in order to land a UFC commentator job
Laura Sanko's journey to the commentary booth has been far from easy, as she has faced numerous challenges and baseless rumors along the way. In a recent media scrum, Sanko addressed absurd rumors and shed light on the difficulties that women face in the industry.
'Fancy' revealed that women often have to deal with unfair and unfounded comments about how they landed their positions, suggesting that their achievements are somewhat less legitimate than those of their male counterparts.
In a recent interaction with media personnel, the former mixed martial artist stated:
"I'm thankful that the reception has been soo warm. You're always going to have detractors. I think women, in particular, get commented on in a particular way... On the way up there is a lot of questioning... I'll just say it, the number of people I've supposedly slept with is just endless."
She further added:
"It's soo long and it would be exhausting if it was true. And I don't see other well-respected voices in the sport, you know, they don't get that, Brett Okamoto doesn't get that... So I hope, by being the first to go down this, can be a little bit of a gnarly path at times."
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