Issue 197

February 2023

Laura Sanko will make history at UFC Vegas 68 as she takes the microphone to be a part of the UFC’s commentary team and, in the process, becomes the first female UFC commentator in the modern era. Ahead of fight night in Las Vegas, Sanko chatted with the media for a Q&A session to talk about her experiences, her reaction to getting the biggest broadcasting opportunity of her career so far, and her response to a big-name endorsement from one of the legends of women’s sport.

I'm sure, once you started commentating on Contender Series, you thought this was a possibility, but to actually have it come to pass, how does it feel? And what does it mean to you?

Yeah, I mean, it's surreal. And it's awesome. And I'm incredibly honored to be here. And I am just, I'm grateful that the UFC had the belief in me to give me this opportunity in the elevated role. And I'm also simultaneously glad that they made me earn it. Because as cool as it is to break the mold, or maybe I guess, make a new mold. The UFC is very much a meritocracy. So nothing is ever everything here is earned. And nothing is given, even you know, regardless of gender.

It's interesting to hear you say that, because a lot of people obviously are mentioning in the historical importance of this, and I think it is, it deserves that. But in your mind, do you think, hey, look, I might have done this, but going forward, let's get rid of the historic factor and just make it like who's the best for the job, and we'll make that what matters?

Oh, that’s exactly it. I love that this moment is a win for progress, right? We had international girls and women's national sports day, just two days ago. So it's neat to have these moments that feel like progress. But real progress will be when this isn't a story.

What is the emotion in regard to the reaction you've had? I mean, it's been unanimous support, basically. Sometimes when these sorts of things happen, you get people like, ‘Oh, this is unfair.’ But for you to have earned it and gotten a reaction where people acknowledge you've earned it, and are very happy to see you get this position, what's that been like?

That's been wonderful. I mean, as I said, I've kind of been sticking my head in the sand a little bit. Because, you know, social media is a double-edged sword. And I'm thankful that the reception has been so warm. And I'm glad that I was able to kind of work my way into it, whether it was fans that saw me call Invicta, and then LFA, and then Contender Series for a few years, I feel like at least some core of the fan base has been on this ride with me.

You're always going to have detractors. I think women in particular get commented on in a particular vein that men, even men who are new to a role, would never get. And so one thing I think that's really important to me about doing this is that I think anytime you do something for the first time, people are going to have something to say about it. And I'm incredibly thankful that, apparently, the reception has been overwhelmingly good. 

But on the way up, there is a lot of questioning and, you know, I'll just say it. The number of people I've supposedly slept with is just endless. It's so long, and it would be exhausting if it was true! I don't see other well-respected voices in the sport… you know, they don't get that. Brett Okamoto doesn't get asked, you know? So I hope I guess by being the first to kind of go down what can be a little bit of a gnarly path at times, that the next woman and the next and the next won't get that type of treatment at all.

Billie Jean King giving you a shout-out? That’s pretty cool.

Crazy, crazy! And I'm really glad I finally opened up Twitter because, like I said, I've just been staying off it and trying to remain present in the moment. But I just happened to go on, and that was the tweet that came up and I literally had to look at it several times because you know, Twitter's got a lot of times where there's like Billie Jean King appreciation account or whatever. And so it's like, is this really her? And yeah, that was incredibly special to have. I think what many people would consider to be the queen of breaking glass ceilings, even acknowledging this moment, it's awesome.

You're a very goal-orientated person. What can I get next? What can I achieve next? You know, this is just the first one, right? I'm sure you have plans already about where you can go from here. Maybe you don’t want to reveal them, but what are some of your goals going forward and what can we expect from you next?

I am a very goal-oriented person. But it truly right now I'm focused on what's right in front of me because now that I've sort of walked into this new arena, I have a lot proving to do here now to and that's all I'm thinking about. For now, of course, I have goals to continue to elevate my role, but that's, you know, way, way, way down the line and I want to I want to earn my stripes at this level. And if that day ever comes, I want that to be a natural progression as well. And not one that people are like, ‘h, that's weird. Why are they putting her there?’

I know you just want to get to work and do that sort of thing. You don't want to make too much of the momentous occasion. But, like you said, Billie Jean King reaching out. Is there a part of you that accepts the mantle in the sense of feels like she's passing the mantle on to you to help push women forward in sports?

Wow! Well, I didn't look at it that way. But now I do feel the pressure now! Yeah, I do feel that responsibility, I do. I think anytime you are the first female in a male-dominated space, there are expectations that go along with that. And there is the feeling like I can't screw up. Now, we're all going to screw up, right? I'm sure I'm going to say something incorrect or stupid. We've got seven hours of talking to do. And I've said incorrect things on other broadcasts before, but in general, I have that feeling like I cannot make a mistake, I cannot mess up. Because, to a lot of people, it will just automatically reflect on women in general. So I do feel the responsibility of this role in this moment, but I'm happy for it and I'm happy to be taking on that responsibility. I'm gonna do my best with it.

I know you don't want to make mistakes. But you know, mistakes have happened in the past, you know, but that's why you're as good as you are now. So if you had a chance and a time machine to go back and look at the young Laura Sanko who was just getting started again, what would you tell her about this whole journey and where it would eventually end for you?

Oh, you’re gonna make me cry! And now I’m feeding into every stereotype! It’s OK. I think anybody who’s watched me on Contender Series knows I cry, so that won’t be news!

We're filming a documentary right now, and for part of it they had me go back and actually watch my Invicta fight and commentate my own fight, which was so hard to watch, because the technique was so bad! But there was a moment when I win the fight, I get the finish, and I can see the look on my face. And I remember what was going through my mind at the time. That was, ‘This is the beginning of my future. I'm gonna be an atomweight MMA fighter, and I'm gonna make it to the top and I'm gonna become a champion.’ 

And then a lot of other things happen, and I got pregnant and there was no atomweight division in the UFC to strive for. So I guess I would tell her, ‘It's not going to look like what you think it's going to look like. But it's going to be awesome!’

When you watched that fight did the itch to get back in the cage (return)? I see you training still quite often. Does the itch ever show up to want to get up and compete again?

No, the only itch I'm getting these days is ringworm, occasional ringworm! That’s a gym joke! I do have the competitive edge from time to time, I think it will most assuredly be in some sort of grappling setting. I'd like to do combat jiu-jitsu, but that is so physical that I would really want to be able to actually train almost like I would for a fight for that. A regular grappling match maybe would be a little bit easier for me to get into. But, you know, my schedule is pretty demanding right now. And it's hard to block out long periods of training.

I know every other member of the commentary team is going to want to be jumping on shows that you're there because you bring a lot of fun. But do you have a dream team of guys that you want to work at an event with?

Oh, man, I mean, genuinely, everyone that I've worked with has been amazing. And it's kind of like hitting pads with a new person or dancing with someone. It can feel a little fumbly at first when you've never worked with someone in the booth. And sometimes it just feels like it clicks right away, like my first show with Paul Felder felt so just immediately, like we were vibing and bouncing off of each other, but everyone has been amazing.

Dream team? I don't know if I could pick, honestly. I love going back and forth with DC on the weigh-in show, so maybe I'll put maybe I'll put him in there. Joe Rogan was and is the gold standard, I think, in terms of how the fans connect with the sport, so it'd be incredible to work alongside him one day down the road. But he's a pay-per-view guy, so I've got a ways to go before I ever get to sit next to him.

Well, we know you could drink DC under the table, but are there any of the other guys that you think will give you a challenge when it comes to some of the shenanigans that you guys like to do on some of these events?

Oh, the shenanigans! No, no. No one’s gonna out-shenanigan me. That’s not a thing. Yeah, if DC can't out-shenanigan me then I don't think the rest of them can. Bisping gets a lot louder than I do. He was on the weigh-in show. He was he was a lot of fun. You guys should go back and watch that one. He was out of control. But that weigh-in show is great. It’s a lot of fun. And it's the first time that the UFC put the label of analyst on me. So, as much as that show is like a lot of games and goofiness and playing around, that was super important, because when my boss Zach called me about it, he was describing the show. And in my mind, I'm like, ‘I don't know if I have time to host another show.’ But he hadn't explained what my role was yet. And he's like, ‘…and you'll be an analyst.’ I'm in! I'm in! Absolutely, I'm in! Not that I wouldn't appreciate the work as a host, but that felt so validating to finally kind of cross that line between play-by-play host anchor to analyst color commentary, it's hard to make that jump. And that show did a lot for me. 

Does the family realize the difference in the roles? I’m sure they just see you come work at a UFC event, but do they understand the gravity of the difference in roles now?

Oh, definitely, they do. My husband. He’s never trained, but he is as educated a fan as you will ever find. He watched UFC 1 live, and basically hasn't missed a fight since, so he very much knows this game and follows it even more closely now ever since I was a part of it. 

My son, when I when I first started calling Contender Series, and there was a little bit of buzz around that, he would come home from school with these cute little drawings with like stick figures and said, ‘My mom was the first girl commentator in the UFC,’ and he spelled commentator with a K. It was just the cutest thing. So they’re very well aware, because we talk about it a lot at home.

Can I say one thing before (we finish)? Sorry, I'm just gonna own the stage! I know a lot has been made of this moment being about women, and I think that that's incredibly important. And I'm so honored to be walking in the same footsteps as Kathy Long and I so appreciate that she is getting more recognition because of these moments. Maybe people are looking at who she is because she's an absolute badass, and to take that job for commentary on a sport that didn't exist until the night she was commentating it, is just absolutely wild. 

But I really have to acknowledge and thank the other people that blazed this trail before me. There's sort of two groups. On one hand, you have the women who have been part of this broadcast team for a very long time. Megan Olivi, Karyn (Bryant), Heidi Androl, now we've got Charlie (Arnolt), and there are others I'm sure I'm not naming. They showed me that there was a path to be a host, anchor, and reporter, and that was amazing. And I'm excited about this, because I feel like now there's representation on that other side. 

But the reality is that I wouldn't be sitting here if it wasn't for guys like DC (Daniel Cormier) and (Michael) Bisping and Dom (Cruz) and Paul (Felder), because when I was watching MMA it was Joe (Rogan) and Goldie (Mike Goldberg), and Joe was and is the gold standard of color commentary. So it wasn't until those guys came along. And I went, ‘Oh, the UFC is intent on giving a voice to people in the fighting community.’ 

These guys completely reinvented themselves. And if you're willing, if you have the fight knowledge, and you're willing to put in the work and turn yourself into a broadcaster, there is a place for you. So I want to, even though this is like a girl power rah-rah moment, I have to acknowledge the guys that came before me, as well. And how amazing and awesome every single one of them has been in welcoming me into their sandbox, so that has meant a lot to me, as well.