LAS VEGAS – Laura Sanko got her wish.
The former fighter and UFC interviewer got her chance to commentate fights live at Dana White Contender Series 37 on Tuesday night. Sanko had expressed interest in stepping in the commenting booth several times in the past and she finally got her chance.
Dana White’s Contender Series 37 took place at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The card streamed live on ESPN+.
Sanko joined the commentary team alongside former UFC fighter Paul Felder and Dan Hellie.
In addition to commentary duties, Sanko also did the post-fight interviews and ring announcing for the event. She’s previously worked doing post-fight interviews with Invicta FC, the UFC’s former broadcast partner FOX, and now ESPN.
“I’m ridiculously excited to be here,” Sanko said at the beginning of the broadcast. “I’ve been a part of every episode of this show, so to be an even bigger part of it, sign me up every day of the week.”
Let’s do this pic.twitter.com/Dg3um7M7TN
— Laura Sanko (@laura_sanko) August 31, 2021
Sanko hopes to one day make it on the UFC commentating team and the DWCS is a good step towards that goal.
“My dream would be to eventually be part of that booth,” Sanko told MMA Junkie back in April. “One of the things that’s kind of allowed me to succeed in this job despite no broadcasting training whatsoever, is I do really understand the fight game. Over the years, I feel like behind the scenes, in production meetings and even just hanging out, I’ve been able to kind of demonstrate to all of the guys, whether it’s Paul (Felder) or Dominick (Cruz) or (Michael) Bisping, that I really do what the hell I’m talking about. My hope is that one day I can have a little bit, even more of a voice there. But any amount of time I can spend there talking to those guys is pretty awesome.”
Laura Sanko makes commentating debut at Dana White’s Contender Series
