Laura Sanko reacts to former MMA fighter returning to Bellator broadcast team

UFC commentator Laura Sanko, amongst many die-hard MMA fans, is stoked to hear that veteran analyst Jimmy Smith will return to the sport soon. Smith, who worked as a commentator and analyst for the UFC, is also a former MMA fighter like Sanko.

Smith revealed in an interview with MMA Fighting that he's back on the commentator's table for Bellator MMA, saying:

"Right now, it's Bellator. They said, 'Go overseas. Do some Bellator shows in the UK for us', which is great. That sounds absolutely fantastic."

Laura Sanko is one of the most excited by this news, saying in the comments section:

"Congratulations @jsmithmma!!!! Can’t [wait] to hear your voice again!"

Laura Sanko's comment on Jimmy Smith's announcement [Image credit: @mmafighting on Instagram]

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Jimmy Smith had an interesting reply to Laura Sanko's comment on his announced return to Bellator's broadcast team

Quick as a whip, Jimmy Smith had a clever reply to Sanko's otherwise wholesome comment, saying:

"@laura_sanko well, you know you can call me and get your fix whenever you need it 🤷‍♂️"

Smith's reply to Sanko's comment [Image credit: @mmafighting on Instagram]

Whether that could qualify as what kids these days call "rizz" is up for debate. What we do know is that Sanko and Smith have had a healthy professional relationship and friendship through the years. The two worked together as broadcast partners in several promotions in the past, most notably Invicta FC, which is on UFC Fight Pass.

As mentioned, both Laura Sanko and Jimmy Smith are former MMA fighters, with Sanko having fought in Invicta FC and Smith in King of the Cage and other regional promotions. Smith initially gained popularity in the Discovery Channel show Fight Quest, where he traveled the world learning different martial arts.

Since retiring from MMA fighting and focusing on commentating, the Jiu-jitsu black belt bounced around different promotions, most notably M-1 Global, Bellator, and the UFC, amongst others. He also had a year-long stint as a color commentator for WWE from 2021 to 2022. In addition to Fight Quest, Jimmy Smith also hosted American Ninja Warrior in 2010.

Here's a video of Smith and Sanko in the broadcast booth of an Invicta FC event in 2019: