Laura Sanko is living the dream.
The former fighter and UFC correspondent finally got her long-desired chance to debut as a commentator on Tuesday at Dana White’s Contender Series 37. Sanko, who typically conducts pre or post-fight interviews and serves as a roving reporter, sat on the commentating booth alongside retired UFC veteran Paul Felder and Dan Hellie.
It was goal that Sanko had in mind for a long time and she’s ecstatic it finally came to fruition. Sanko commentated the event, plus she did the in-cage results announcements as well as post-fight interviews backstage. It was a dream come true for her.
“It was awesome, it was over the moon,” Sanko told MMA Junkie Radio on Wednesday. “I’m still floating on air. I still have gosh, so many people to respond to who have said so many kind things, and a laundry list of people to thank for helping me get to that moment.”
Dana White praised @Laura_Sanko after her commentary debut at #DWCS.
“I think tonight was the beginning of a great career for her.”
Full video: https://t.co/YbOtAf08FP pic.twitter.com/0jANPwvcvH
— MMA Junkie (@MMAjunkie) September 1, 2021
Sanko was offered the opportunity by UFC president Dana White the night before the event. She was told she could wait until the following week’s episode of Dana White’s Contender Series since it was on short notice, but she didn’t hesitate on taking the last-minute opportunity.
Sanko has been working with Dana White’s Contender Series since the launch of the show 2017. Sanko hopes to one day make it to UFC broadcasts for UFC Fight Night and pay-per-view events, but is happy to have made her debut in the show that’s been her home for many years.
“It felt perfect and it was the right way to introduce me to fans in this way because listen, we all know UFC can be a tough lot,” Sanko said. “I’m well aware of that. This is a show where I have built-in credibility. I’ve been on every episode since Day 1.
“Originally it was the UFC Fight Pass crowd before it was on ESPN+. It was a die-hard-fan crowd, so most of them knew me from Invicta or knew I had fought or seen other work I’ve done. So their reception had always been positive. It was the perfect place to (debut). It was kind of like, ‘Let’s put her out here, it’s kind of her home and I was happy it happened there, but I’d be lying if I said I that one day I hope to be able to do more. It feels greedy to talk like that because I’m over the moon and loving this moment for what it is, but my competitive nature, my driven nature doesn’t allow me to revel on this moments for too long.”
Laura Sanko ‘over the moon’ after DWCS commentary debut: ‘It was the perfect place’
