It has been a long time coming. Laura Sanko will make her UFC color commentary debut at this Saturday’s UFC Vegas 68 event.
The news was announced in a press release from the promotion on Monday.
“Taking the next step to join the UFC commentary team has been a goal of mine since I began my broadcast career,” Laura Sanko said in the release. “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.
“I can’t think of anyone better to be the first female color commentator for the modern UFC era than Laura,” UFC President Dana White said in the release. “She has worked incredibly hard to prove herself and get to this position and I couldn’t be prouder to have her calling the action.”
Sanko has been working with the UFC since 2016. Her duties were mostly backstage interviews and reporting, before joining the commentating team on Dana White’s Contender Series in 2017.
“Laura brings passion, enthusiasm and an undeniable work ethic to all of her roles with the UFC,” UFC Vice President & Coordinating Producer Zach Candito said in the release. “There is no doubt she’ll do the same in this elevated opportunity as the first-ever female color commentator at the UFC during the Zuffa era. We are thrilled to add her to our talented stable of commentators and her expert analysis promises to be a great addition to UFC broadcasts moving forward.”
The 40-year-old is a former atomweight MMA fighter, who transitioned to broadcasting with the all-female Invicta FC in 2014.
Sanko is the second female color commentator after kickboxing champ Kathy Long called the first UFC event 30 years ago.
UFC Vegas 68 goes down from the UFC Apex on Saturday and features a main event between heavyweights Derrick Lewis and Serghei Spivac.
