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UFC Commentator Laura Sanko Comes Clean on Her Struggles as She Slaps Naysayers With Receipt of Her Past Commentary

Published 02/04/2023, 4:22 AM EST

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At UFC Fight Night 218 on Saturday, the UFC is moving in a different direction. On match day, the world will listen to Laura Sanko, the first female commentator in the modern UFC to call an official UFC event. Sanko’s debut will undoubtedly go down in history. A female color commentator will certainly serve as an inspiration for other females inside and outside MMA. Nonetheless, she has experienced her fair share of hardships, just like all other notable women in history. In a new YouTube video posted by ‘MMA Junkie’, Sanko discussed her broadcasting career, her accomplishments, and her challenges along the way.

The Journey of Laura Sanko

Prior to her Las Vegas debut on Saturday, Sanko spoke to the media. Reporters asked how she feels after reaching a significant milestone in her career. For Sanko, it was an awesome and surreal feeling. She stated that joining the UFC commentary team has always been her goal, ever since she started her broadcasting career.

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She further added, “It is an honor to walk in the footprint of Kathy Long, 30 years after her appearance on UFC 1. I consider it a true privilege to be part of the team that is a voice to our incredible fans, communicating the fighting art of each man and woman who steps inside the UFC Octagon.

Sanko didn’t forget to mention the first female commentator the promotion had at UFC 1 in 1993.

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The mixed responses from the public

Sanko talks about having to deal with a lot of negative attention simply because of her gender. She explained the drawbacks of social media, where anyone can make up any tale. Sanko said, “whether it was fans that saw me call LFA or even Invicta fans saw me call Invicta and then LFA and then Contender series for a few years I feel like so at least some core of the fan base has been on on this ride with me um you’re always going to have detractors think, women in particular get commented on, in a particular way that men who are new to a role would never get”.

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She was quite explicit in stating that her work has gotten her to where she is today. Sanko stated that it is upsetting to see how others are simply passing judgment on social media. She went on to discuss the negative feedback she received from users of social media; many of whom went too far by accusing her of sleeping with numerous men. The world once again showed that there are two types of people. One group that cannot acknowledge or appreciate women making history and another group that cheers them for all their significant achievements.

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Written by:

Priyanka

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Priyanka is a UFC writer at EssentiallySports. She has been an ardent fan of the UFC since 2018. She is passionate when it comes to writing about the sport and this is evident in her articles.
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Edited by:

Rohini Kottu