UFC 293 was full of firsts, as we saw the first UFC knockdown landed on Israel Adesanya by Sean Strickland, and Laura Sanko broke ground as the first woman to be on the commentary desk at a UFC pay-per-view event.
Even though Strickland cemented his name in history as a new UFC champion, Dana White had nothing but the best to say on the Contender Series commentary veteran.
Laura Sanko Makes Headlines in Sydney
Laura Sanko made her first appearance behind the PPV desk at UFC 293 at the Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney, Australia. She made her official UFC commentary debut in January, earning the respect of both fans and UFC brass alike. Sanko’s time as a fighter no doubt gave her experience behind the desk, as she went 4-1 as an amateur and earned her lone professional win under the banner of Invicta FC.
She brings technical insight into both the minds of the fighters and the techniques that they employ in the Octagon. This adds a professional element to Octagon commentary that plays well with Daniel Cormier’s analysis and Jon Anik’s play-by-play.
Sanko has clearly impressed the UFC, as well. Dana White had this to say surrounding the seven-year company veteran: “What she’s done in such a short amount of time is amazing. She’s so talented.. She’s a true professional, she knows she’s first… she’s doing everything she can to carry the banner for women to break into this role.”
Sanko responded with gratitude and humility, saying: “Thank you sir. And thank you for believing that I could put the work in and eventually get there”.
White made it clear that Sanko would be a part of the UFC commentary team for a long time, and it is easy to see why. Her professionalism and enthusiasm is infectious, and adds so much to the fights.
Featured Image Credits to Embed from Getty Images
