Tag: Laura Sanko

Laura Sanko: Israel Adesanya vs. Sean Strickland ‘a more competitive fight’ than people think

Laura Sanko thinks Sean Strickland has more of a chance against Israel Adesanya than the odds suggest before UFC 293.

SYDNEY – [autotag]Laura Sanko[/autotag] thinks [autotag]Sean Strickland[/autotag] has more of a chance against [autotag]Israel Adesanya[/autotag] than the odds suggest.

Adesanya (24-2 MMA, 13-2 UFC) defends his middleweight title against Strickland (27-5 MMA, 14-5 UFC) in Saturday’s UFC 293 main event at Qudos Bank Arena. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPNews/ESPN+ and early prelims on ESPN+.

Sanko will make her pay-per-view commentary debut for Saturday’s event. According to BetMGM, Strickland is a big +500 underdog, meaning a $100 bet on the challenger would win $500 profit. Adesanya is a -700 favorite, meaning a $700 bet would be needed on the champion to return $100 profit. But Sanko doesn’t see the fight that lopsided.

“I think Sean knows what he needs to do to win, and I do think that this could be a more competitive fight than a lot of people are giving it credit for,” Sanko told MMA Junkie. “Sean has a particular style that – we often talk about the guys that have really flashy techniques as being hard to emulate in the gym. I would argue that Sean Strickland would be very hard to emulate in the gym. Not a lot of people can keep up that particular style of pace.

“Izzy is a jazz musician. He’s out there bending notes and being extemporaneous with how he expresses himself. Sean Strickland is like thrash metal. He’s in your face, and he’s unrelenting. It may not be everybody’s cup of tea, but it can be very effective.”

Strickland already had his shot at an elite kickboxer but was quickly knocked out by former champ Alex Pereira at UFC 276. Strickland has since trained with Pereira, and Sanko said if Strickland can apply pressure cautiously, he could find success against Adesanya.

“So, if Sean can effectively get in there and safely find a way to make this more of a messy fight,” Sanko continued, “get in Izzy’s face like he does everybody, but do it safely unlike he did in the Pereira fight. Maybe drag the fight out a little bit longer.

“Which I think this will be a longer fight actually, unless he gets slept early somehow by Izzy. Mix in the grappling. There are not easy paths to victory for Sean, but there are paths. Sean’s not going to win a kickboxing fight against Israel Adesanya, but Sean could win a fight.”

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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

Laura Sanko didn’t expect the opportunity to commentate a UFC pay-per-view this soon, and now she’s looking to make the most of it at UFC 293.

SYDNEY – [autotag]Laura Sanko[/autotag] 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.”

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 293.

UFC 293 commentary team, broadcast plans set: Laura Sanko makes pay-per-view commentating debut

Laura Sanko continues to break barriers as she’s set to join the commentary team for her first pay-per-view at UFC 293 in Sydney.

The 11th numbered UFC event of the year is rapidly approaching with UFC 293 on Saturday at Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney.

As always, some marquee on-air talent will be there to help guide viewers through the experience.

Details of who will be working as commentators and analysts for the show have been acquired by MMA Junkie through a person with knowledge of the plans – and you can see the scheduled broadcast team below.

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Laura Sanko says she’s still learning in UFC commentary role, hopes to call fights with Jon Anik, Joe Rogan

Laura Sanko admits she has “a lot of growing to do” on UFC commentary but hopes chemistry with her partners will flourish over time.

LAS VEGAS – In April 2020, [autotag]Laura Sanko[/autotag] made known her goal to join the UFC commentary team in an interview with MMA Junkie. She knew it wasn’t going to happen “anytime soon,” but it remained a goal nonetheless.

A little more than three years later, Sanko finds herself in the rotation among the core group of the promotion’s cageside commentators, with a number of events already under her belt. She’s the only female to call UFC fights in the promotion’s modern era, and she’s humbly determined to make the most of her dreams being realized.

“It is everything I thought it would be,” Sanko told MMA Junkie. “I love it so, so, so much. … I’m still learning on the job. I’ve got a lot of growing to do, but I feel really good about the moments where I’m able to maybe see something or explain something in a way it’s not always done or isn’t being done in the moment. A lot of learning to deal with, with the personalities.

“Whether it’s (Michael) Bisping or – I haven’t called a Fight Night yet with (Daniel Cormier) – but we called (Dana White’s) Contender Series fights together, and with Paul (Felder). It’s almost like hitting pads with someone or dancing with someone. At first you’ve got to figure out the other person’s rhythm and how they move and stuff. I’m still learning, but I love it so much.”

Sanko emphasized the importance of chemistry in the booth. The UFC’s norm is to have three people on commentary, with either Jon Anik, Brendan Fitzgerald or John Gooden commanding play-by-play. The two color commentator positions are filled with some combination of Sanko, Bisping, Cormier, Felder or Dominick Cruz. Joe Rogan works a select number of pay-per-view events per year that take place in the U.S., as well.

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Each member of the team brings their own perspective and demeanor to the table, and Sanko said finding comfort with each pairing is something that can only come with repetition.

“I’m not quite 100 percent relaxed in there yet,” Sanko said. “I think it just kind of depends. It’s like dancing. Whenever I call fights with Paul Felder, it’s like he and I are seamless. It’s just super easy. Bisping is such a huge personality I have a harder time sometimes not stepping on his toes, or vice versa. But he also ups my game in a way that nobody else does.”

So far, Sanko has worked with the majority of the team in some capacity – with two notable omissions. She’s yet to broadcast live fights alongside Anik or Rogan. But as she becomes more deeply engrained in this role, a situation could arise in which that eventually changes.

“I really look forward to the day where I can sit alongside (Anik),” Sanko said. “When I was trying to manifest that moment, it was definitely Anik in the vision, so hopefully they make that happen soon. Of course (Rogan, too). The thing is, I don’t know if they would ever put us together. Maybe they would. But I don’t know if they would, and Joe doesn’t do the international (events). If I had to guess, that would be where they put me first, but who knows.”

UFC Fight Night 224 commentary team, broadcast plans set: Michael Bisping calls fights on native soil

The broadcast team is set for UFC Fight Night 224, and Michael Bisping will return to England to call the action on his native soil.

The UFC schedule continues this week with UFC Fight Night 224 on Saturday at The O2 in London.

As always, some marquee on-air talent will be there to help guide viewers through the experience.

Details of who will work as commentators and analysts for each event have been acquired by MMA Junkie through a person with knowledge of the situation, and you can see the scheduled broadcast team below.

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UFC on ESPN 45 commentary team, broadcast plans set: Laura Sanko returns to booth

Laura Sanko will join UFC Hall of Famer Michael Bisping and Brendan Fitzgerald on commentary at UFC on ESPN 45.

The UFC schedule continues this week with UFC on ESPN 45 on Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.

As always, some marquee on-air talent will be there to help guide viewers through the experience.

Details of who will work as commentators and analysts for each event have been acquired by MMA Junkie through a person with knowledge of the situation, and you can see the scheduled broadcast team below.

UFC on ABC 4 commentary team, broadcast plans set: Daniel Cormier, Dominick Cruz on call

Two former multitime UFC champions will join Jon Anik in the broadcast booth for Saturday’s network-televised UFC on ABC 4 card.

The UFC schedule continues this week with UFC on ABC 4 on Saturday at Spectrum Center in Charlotte, N.C.

As always, some marquee on-air talent will be there to help guide viewers through the experience.

Details of who will work as commentators and analysts for each event have been acquired by MMA Junkie through a person with knowledge of the situation, and you can see the scheduled broadcast team below.

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UFC on ESPN 44 commentary team, broadcast plans set: Laura Sanko returns to analyst desk

Check out the cageside commentary and analyst booth assignments for Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 44 in Kansas City.

The UFC schedule continues this week with UFC on ESPN 44 on Saturday at T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Mo.

As always, some marquee on-air talent will be there to help guide viewers through the experience.

Details of who will work as commentators and analysts for each event have been acquired by MMA Junkie through a person with knowledge of the situation, and you can see the scheduled broadcast team below.

UFC on ESPN 43 commentary team, broadcast plans: Michael Bisping makes quick turn from London PPV

Michael Bisping is back in the commentary booth for UFC on ESPN 43 after receiving criticism for his call at UFC 286 in London.

The UFC schedule continues this week with UFC on ESPN 43 on Saturday at AT&T Center in San Antonio.

As always, some marquee on-air talent will be there to help guide viewers through the experience.

Details of who will work as commentators and analysts for each event have been acquired by MMA Junkie through a person with knowledge of the situation, and you can see the scheduled broadcast team below.

UFC 284 broadcast set: New commentary team debuts with Joe Rogan, Daniel Cormier not on call

A new pay-per-view commentary team will debut at UFC 284 in the absence of Daniel Cormier and Joe Rogan.

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The second numbered UFC event of the year is rapidly approaching with UFC 284 on Saturday at RAC Arena in Perth, Australia.

As always, some marquee on-air talent will be there to help guide viewers through the experience.

Details of who will be working as commentators and analysts for the have been acquired by MMA Junkie through a person with knowledge of the plans – and you can see the scheduled broadcast team below.