Laura Sanko might not always say it but it turns out the UFC broadcaster is one of the OGs of MMA. Sanko’s relationship with mixed martial arts goes all the way back to the early 2010s when she was a resident of New York and used to train under Plinio Cruz. Yes, the same Plinio Cruz who is UFC light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira’s coach.
Sanko and Cruz, both look unrecognizable in the ‘Then and Now’ picture the UFC broadcaster shared while feeling a little bit nostalgic. She also revealed that Cruz used to have a cute nickname for her on account of her being really undersized!
“He barely spoke English and he nicknamed me “Tweetie Bird” because I was so small. Crazy to see how far we’ve both come in our journey in 17 years!”
View this post on Instagram
Sanko was also seen reminiscing about training on a 12×12 mat. However, it didn’t stop her from making it as a professional fighter. In 2013, while she was in New York City, Sanko made her pro-MMA debut against Cassie Rob at 105 lbs in Invicta FC and won by submission.
According to the UFC website, her career as a professional fighter was cut short due to the weight class she was fighting in. The 105 lbs or the atomweight division, as it is known, wasn’t a frequent flier at many promotions.
While she was disappointed by this, Sanko considers herself fortunate to be working with the sport in the capacity she is right now.
From backstage reporter to color commentator
Sanko’s broadcasting debut happened in Kansas City, Missouri for Titan FC. Interesting she didn’t get paid for the gig. But she got tickets to the event!
“I got tickets in exchange for covering blow-by-blow recaps of the fights, I got to sit cageside, and just be in the mix. It was a very humble start to begin with, for sure.”
After this, Sankao joined the analysts’ team at Invicta FC and Legacy Fighting Alliance. She joined the UFC as a backstage reporter in 2016 and has only gone places from there. From Dana White Contender Series to Road to UFC, to the UFC weigh-in shows, Sanko has helped the audience get a better idea of what goes on behind the scenes at the promotion.
Her crowning moment, however, came in 2021, when she became the first woman of the modern generation to become a color commentator for a UFC event.
In an interview later, the broadcaster asserted that she wanted to establish a platform for all the women who would follow her into the business. Admitting that she didn’t fully comprehend what representation meant until she was part of it, Sanko added,
” I don’t know that I’ll be the best to ever do it, but I’m excited to be the first (in the modern era), but there are so many other women with the knowledge and the passion to be able to fill that role, as well.”
From being ‘Tweety Bird’ training on 12×12 in 2013 to becoming one of the faces of the UFC, Sanko has truly come a long way! Hopefully, there’s a lot more to come.
