SYDNEY – Laura Sanko is excited to make her commentary debut for a pay-per-view event at UFC 293.
Sanko will join leading man Jon Anik and former two-division champion Daniel Cormier cageside for Saturday’s event, which takes place at Qudos Bank Arena. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPNews/ESPN+ and early prelims on ESPN+.
Although it’s been a dream of hers for years, Sanko admits the call came sooner than she expected.
“It feels awesome,” Sanko told MMA Junkie. “You say it’s a long time coming, but to be honest with you it was a big surprise. I’ve known about it for a few months, but when the call did come, it was actually a massive surprise to me.
“I didn’t feel like this particular goal would get checked off probably for a few years, if I’m being honest. So I’m surprised, excited, elated now that’s it here, and I’m just ready to go.”
Sanko has already had a wealth of experience commentating for Invicta FC, LFA, Dana White’s Contender Series and Road to UFC. Although this is her biggest opportunity yet, Sanko revealed her prep won’t change too much.
“I pretty much have my process laid down,” Sanko said. “I really enjoy watching the film. That, to me, is like the story that I get to then re-tell to the audience to the best of my ability, and I love seeing things that played out maybe in past fights get implemented in a new way.
“So, anytime I can see a pattern and then see it again, I kind of geek out about that stuff. Film watching, to me, I love it, but it’s a lot of work. Honestly, I treat Road to UFC, Contender Series, Fight Nights same as a pay-per-view. I don’t think it would be possible for me to prepare more. I just have more things going on.”
Laura Sanko
UFC 293 is headlined by a middleweight title bout between champion Israel Adesanya and challenger Sean Strickland. Sanko said she geeks out when watching tape on how fighters have evolved and their way of showing it on the night, but don’t expect her to scream in excitement while on the call.
“I learned pretty early on because my husband told me, and these were his words, ‘No one wants to hear a woman scream on television,’” Sanko said with a laugh. “So, if you’ll notice, if you listen closely, I almost never yell at a finish because he’s not wrong.
“No one wants to hear, ‘Oh my God!’ Not that I would say it like that, but the way I save my voice is by waiting for the moment I can come in and contribute to a big moment, but I try not to hit the big moments too hard and that’s the key, but the energy will not be a problem, though.”
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 293.
Laura Sanko opens up on ‘big surprise’ call to commentate UFC 293, prepping for PPV debut
