Becoming the first female color commentator in a sport historically dominated by men is no small feat, but for Laura Sanko, it was child’s play. Transitioning from a professional MMA career, including her victory against Cassie Robb, Sanko embraced her new role as a core member of the UFC broadcast team after Dana White brought her under the UFC umbrella. “Before I was an analyst or competitor, I was just a fan, just like most of you reading this. Almost 20 years later, I’m here and thrilled to be a small part of connecting our incredible fanbase to the artistry of these amazing athletes,” she shared.

With years of MMA experience, Sanko brings a unique depth of understanding to the commentary booth, but is it enough? Aljamain Sterling might have a different opinion about her duty at UFC Kansas City.

“I feel like that’s an investment for me,” said Giga Chikadze ahead of his UFC Kansas City battle against David Onama, but the reality of the fight was much different from what the Georgian thought it to be. The judges scored the fight in favor of Onama. During the broadcast, Laura Sanko chimed in, stating that Onama might be halting Chikadze, which caught the ire of former bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling.

‘Funk Master’ took to his X handle to take a specific jibe at Sanko, “Not liking Sankos use of the word “stalling” tonight. What are these guys supposed to do when in a bad position?? Make it worse?? The guy in dominant position needs to advance unless it’s a 5050 situation. #UFCKansasCity.” So, did Onama really halt Chikadze’s progress? Well, the underdog’s relentless pressure and ground control were the perfect antidote to the Georgian’s striking.

By consistently landing takedowns and staying on top, Onama made sure that he neutralized Chikadze’s offensive game, denying him the space to set up his powerful kicks and counters. His clinch game and top control halted Chikadze’s progress in the match, but was it stalled? Well, it is subjective.

Onama’s mix of wrestling and striking kept Chikadze guessing, while his superior positioning dominated the fight. Sanko’s observation does hold some weight considering her MMA career, but at the end of the day, certain aspects of the fight game are largely subjective. Given that, you might be wondering why Sanko left her MMA career despite her amazing debut victory. Let’s find out.

Laura Sanko reveals the reason for cutting her fighting career short

Laura Sanko had an amateur record of 6-1 before turning professional with Invicta FC in 2013. She was pitched against Cassie Robb for her debut professional fight, and she finished her opponent with style as she locked up a rear-naked choke submission to defeat her within two rounds. After that fight, Sanko never touched the ring ever again. A decade after her last pro-fight, Sanko has come forward to reveal what made her leave fighting forever.

While having a conversation with Eric Nicksick, Sanko revealed, “It’s always a problem to a degree. But by that point for, you know, once I was fighting for Invicta, like, they were gonna do all the work, and they had a handful of good atomweights.Really that was the top of the mountain. If you’re an atomweight, this is it. You were there, so that was the vibe, I’m here. I’m gonna make the most of this. It’s not like I thought I was gonna be some superstar. I knew what it was, but I loved it. It was never about making money or being known because that wasn’t even a possibility back then when I was fighting.”

Laura Sanko has previously predicted that she would have excelled in the atomweight division if the UFC had the weight class at the time. However, given that her fighting career is now behind her after several decades, what are your thoughts on Laura Sanko? Share your opinion in the comments below.