Tag: laura sanko

UFC Commentator Feels The Delayed Start Time Of UFC 304 Will Not Affect Fighters Or Fans

UFC commentator Laura Sanko recently assured that the postponed start time for UFC 304 would have minimal impact on both the fighters and the fans in the United Kingdom. The eighth numbered UFC pay-per-view event of 2024 is just around the corner, set to unfold this Saturday at the Co-op Live arena in Manchester. The […]

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UFC commentator Laura Sanko recently assured that the postponed start time for UFC 304 would have minimal impact on both the fighters and the fans in the United Kingdom.

The eighth numbered UFC pay-per-view event of 2024 is just around the corner, set to unfold this Saturday at the Co-op Live arena in Manchester. The card will feature two headline title fights, both of which are eagerly anticipated rematches.

In the main event, UFC welterweight champion Leon Edwards will defend his title against Belal Muhammad. Meanwhile, the co-main event will see interim heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall clash with Curtis Blaydes.

Since the announcement of the UFC 304 schedule, a storm of controversy and fan uproar has erupted over the decision to start the fight card at typical United States times, even though the event is taking place in the United Kingdom.

The event broadcast is set to begin at 11 PM BST on Saturday, July 27. Consequently, the headlining fighters are expected to make their Octagon walkouts between 5:00 and 5:15 AM the following morning. Meanwhile, in the U.S., the fight card will kick off at approximately 6 PM ET / 3 PM PT on Saturday afternoon, with the main card slated to start around 8 PM ET / 5 PM PT.

However, UFC’s first female color commentator believes that the late-night and early-morning schedule will neither hinder the fighters nor deter the viewers…

Sanko Believes UFC 304 Excitement Will Keep Fans Hooked

During a recent interview with MMAFightingonSBN, Sanko, who will be fulfilling her role as a desk analyst for UFC 304, offered her insights on the pay-per-view broadcast schedule. She acknowledged that while the schedule is less than ideal for the fans, it ultimately won’t matter much on fight night, given the high anticipation surrounding the card.

“It’s unfortunate for the fans, but I think when that day comes, it’s not gonna matter for the fans or for the athletes,” Sanko said. “I think the energy is going to be so off-the-charts it’s not going to matter if you’re a fan and trust me; you’re going to be able to soldier through because the action from these fights is going to be enough to keep you going, hopefully.”

The UFC broadcaster further noted that the last PPV event in Manchester, UFC 204 in October 2016, also followed a similar schedule. She emphasized that the real challenge for fighters lies in preparing for the late-night bouts rather than the timing of the event itself.

“Here’s my one tip: just don’t start drinking too early. That’s going to be the downfall of at least a certain proportion of this fan base. But I think for the fighters, you know, Leon Edwards actually had this exact same situation when he fought on Michael Bisping’s card, where he had his huge win over Dan Henderson in Manchester. So he’s familiar with it, and he said the same thing.

He said, ‘Listen, it didn’t matter. The moment I walked out to that arena, it could have been 2 o’clock in the afternoon, it could have been 2 o’clock in the morning, I wouldn’t have known the difference. I was headed into a fight.’ So I think it sucks probably more in the lead-up, the preparation, stressing about it, stressing about how it might affect you. But I think when the time comes, these guys are just going to do their job.”

Both Aspinall and Blaydes have voiced their grievances about the absurd fight timings, but the MMA promotion remains steadfast in its decision. Meanwhile, “Rocky” has reportedly gone so far as to hire a sleep specialist to help him adjust to the unconventional schedule.

Continue Reading UFC Commentator Feels The Delayed Start Time Of UFC 304 Will Not Affect Fighters Or Fans at MMA News.

Laura Sanko busts her buttons calling fight ‘I literally broke the button on my pants’

Laura Sanko set for commentary duty at UFC 293 PPV debutUFC commentator Laura Sankos busted the buttons off her pants while calling fights at UFC Vegas 94. Sanko was…

Laura Sanko set for commentary duty at UFC 293 PPV debut

UFC commentator Laura Sankos busted the buttons off her pants while calling fights at UFC Vegas 94.

Sanko was one of the three commentators, and during Hyder Amil’s 65-second knockout win over Jeong Yeong Lee, Sanko got so excited during the thrilling action that the button of her pants broke off. She showed the moment it happened in a funny Instagram video.

“Anyone else break their pants last night? That main card was CRAZY good!! @hurricane_415 is a gangster!,” Laura Sanko wrote on Instagram.

It was a good moment from Sanko who was joking about it throughout the night, as it was a great performance from Amil to remain undefeated and pull off the upset win.

Laura Sanko takes aim at Jamie Varner after controversial comments

Laura Sanko became the first female to call UFC fights in the modern era, and although many fans like her on the mic, former fighter Jamie Varner was not a fan of her.

Varner deleted the tweets, but in a pair of tweets, he criticized Sanko saying she sucks at commentary and is ruining fights as she doesn’t know what she is talking about. Varner also said a female UFC fighter who is knowledgeable should be the commentator and after those comments, Sanko took to social media to blast Varner.

“@jamievarner you and I actually fought on the same card in 2011 for Titan FC. We warmed up next to each other in the basement of the Memorial Hall building in KCK. My best friend braided your hair because you couldn’t find anyone to do it. I remember thinking how cool it was at the time to be on a card with you.

“I had followed your career in the WEC and was a a little star struck to be honest. It’s ok that you don’t like my commentary, but respectfully, I’ve been a part of this game and training since 2006. I’m a brown belt in Jiu Jitsu and while I can’t compare my career to yours I have in fact fought. And if ufc had a 105 division I would have fought a lot longer,” Sanko wrote.

It was a good response from Sanko who continues to commentate Fight Night events and will continue to do so.

MMA News Today: UFC Lightweights Makhachev, Poirier, Chandler, McGregor Involved In Social Media Throwdown, UFC Commentator Feels Michael ‘Venom’ Page Displayed ‘Lack Of Depth’ In Loss To Ian Garry, & More

Welcome to MMA News Today, a daily feature running down the most interesting stories in the world of mixed martial arts. For July 2, 2024, we’re taking a look at: Top UFC Lightweights Makhachev, Poirier, Chandler & McGregor Engage In Social Media Crossfire Some of the top names in the UFC’s lightweight division have been exchanging blows on […]

Continue Reading MMA News Today: UFC Lightweights Makhachev, Poirier, Chandler, McGregor Involved In Social Media Throwdown, UFC Commentator Feels Michael ‘Venom’ Page Displayed ‘Lack Of Depth’ In Loss To Ian Garry, & More at MMA News.

Welcome to MMA News Today, a daily feature running down the most interesting stories in the world of mixed martial arts. For July 2, 2024, we’re taking a look at:

  • Makhachev, Poirier, Chandler & McGregor all trade shots
  • Sanko says “MVP” needs the right dance partner
  • Cejudo still has Pereira grappling concerns

Top UFC Lightweights Makhachev, Poirier, Chandler & McGregor Engage In Social Media Crossfire

Some of the top names in the UFC’s lightweight division have been exchanging blows on social media with Islam Makhachev, Dustin Poirier and Michael Chandler all letting their feelings about one another be known.

The conversation was sparked by a post from Poirier where he said if Arman Tsarukyan is unable to fight for the lightweight title, he would be happy to jump back in with Makhachev following their fight at UFC 302.

“The Diamond” had also been firing back at Conor McGregor in response to the recent social media posts that were made by “The Notorious” in reference to their previous encounters.

Makhachev replied to Poirier’s message, as did fellow top lightweight Chandler who then also went back-and-forth with the lightweight champion due to their history inside the Octagon.

The full series of crossfire posts shows that there is no love lost between any of the four lightweights.

Laura Sanko Says Michael ‘Venom’ Page Needs The Right Match-Up After UFC 303 Defeat

Michael “Venom” Page was defeated by Ian Garry at UFC 303 after the Irishman used his grappling to secure the victory.

Whilst Page had some strong moments on the feet, he was taken down and out-grappled by one of the welterweight contenders who isn’t known for this particular skill set.

UFC commentator Laura Sanko spoke in an interview with Submission Radio about how this fight showed some of the flaws in Page’s game.

She said that whilst there are still plenty of options for “MVP” in the UFC, it needs to be against the right opponent after what we saw this past weekend.

“Yeah, he definitely showed a little bit of lack of depth in terms of the details of the ground game and I think anybody that really appreciates the fine art of jiu-jitsu is going to spot those.

“There are still plenty of really interesting, fun fights for MVP on the UFC roster. The truth of the matter is he needs the right stylistic match-up.”

Henry Cejudo Says The Jury Is Still Out On Alex Pereira And His Grappling

Former UFC champ-champ Henry Cejudo isn’t ready to start calling Alex Pereira the best in the world right now due to one concern.

“Triple C” spoke on his Pound 4 Pound podcast about how “Poatan” is still yet to face an elite grappler that will be able to take him out of his comfort zone.

Despite being able to deal with other strikers in emphatic fashion, as he did in the main event of UFC 303, a huge test awaits him in Magomed Ankalaev.

Cejudo also referred to the fact that Pereira is yet to mention a potential super fight with the heavyweight champion Jon Jones because of the wrestling pedigree that “Bones” brings to the table.

“Either way, Alex Pereira, he’s not mentioning Jon Jones because I think he knows that Jon Jones has that special sauce, and it’s called wrestling. But that being said, I want to see the fight with Ankalaev.”

Read more on the story here.

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Continue Reading MMA News Today: UFC Lightweights Makhachev, Poirier, Chandler, McGregor Involved In Social Media Throwdown, UFC Commentator Feels Michael ‘Venom’ Page Displayed ‘Lack Of Depth’ In Loss To Ian Garry, & More at MMA News.

UFC star Daniel Cormier quits NCAA wrestling commentary gig amid fan backlash: ‘Guys, I’m out’

Daniel Cormier set to quit NCAA commentary gig amid backlash from fans Guys I'm outAfter being ridiculed online for his NCAA wrestling commentary, Daniel Cormier has decided to hang up the gloves and…

Daniel Cormier set to quit NCAA commentary gig amid backlash from fans Guys I'm out

After being ridiculed online for his NCAA wrestling commentary, Daniel Cormier has decided to hang up the gloves and says he will not be returning in the future to commentate.

A decorated wrestler and former UFC double champion, one would expect Cormier to be a perfect fit as an NCAA wrestling commentator. However, many fans blasted ‘DC’ online for his performance on the mic, and this, combined with other factors, would seemingly be the breaking point for the former double champ.

Daniel Cormier hits out at Nate Diaz over UFC 306 return feud we're not in the same stratosphere
Mandatory Credit: Zuffa LLC

“DC is painful,” one wrestling fan wrote on the social media site X, formerly known as Twitter. “He has no professionalism on the mic to the point of it being ridiculous.”

Cormier would eventually respond, with not one, but two posts. “You guys have it.” he began. “I am out sorry to ruin your experience! You know I don’t ask to do this. Very important people ask me to do it. Anyhow carry on, my friend, I am out. Back to the minor leagues for me.”

Daniel Cormier Resigns from his NCAA Wrestling Commentary Gig on X, After Being Bashed by Fans

“Guys, I’m out,” Cormier continued. “This will be my last time doing the NCAA tournament. Continue to do things the same way and stay wrestling that hasn’t changed since the 40’s. I told the general public to watch, (and) a guy told me he’d rather tear his eyes out than watch. So enjoy. I’ll finish tonight, and I’m out!”

Another fan chimed in that Daniel Cormier also receives a lot of hate due to his UFC commentary, and he had a slightly different retort, stating that he gets paid a lot to do what he does for the UFC.

A Brief Look at Another Commentator who recently Came under fire

MMA fans seem to never fail to find a commentator to criticize. After the UFC event last Saturday, on March 23rd, a female commentator named Laura Sanko was criticized by a former MMA fighter named Jamie Varner. Varner claimed that Sanko had no idea what she was talking about, as she was never a fighter and needed to “stay in her lane”. However, he ended up making himself look very foolish, as Sanko had not only actually trained before, but she had also fought on the same fight card as Varner back in 2011 for Titan FC.

Jamie Varner Laura Sanko UFC on ESPN 53 tweet 1

Jamie Varner Laura Sanko UFC on ESPN 53 tweet 2

Unlike the Daniel Cormier situation, fans came to Sanko’s aid and defended her honor, blasting Varner for his lackluster career and ignorant comments. Unfortunately, this type of behavior is nothing new for Varner. He last gained notoriety for launching a tirade on Twitter after the Super Bowl, claiming that the NFL was rigged.

Do you think some of the hate that commentators like Daniel Cormier and Laura Sanko receive is unfair?

UFC’s Laura Sanko snaps back at former MMA champion who says her commentary is ‘Ruining the fights’

UFC's Laura Sanko snaps back at former MMA champion who says her commentary is 'ruining the fights'While the UFC’s return to The APEX delivered some epic finishes, Laura Sanko may have scored the biggest knockout…

UFC's Laura Sanko snaps back at former MMA champion who says her commentary is 'ruining the fights'

While the UFC’s return to The APEX delivered some epic finishes, Laura Sanko may have scored the biggest knockout of the night.

Sanko returned to the commentary table on Saturday night for a loaded UFC Vegas 89 card featuring the return of former two-time strawweight world champion ‘Thug’ Rose Namajunas. As usual, Sanko was a welcome addition to the broadcast, sharing her expertise through the 13-fight card. However, not everyone was appreciative of her efforts.

Crawling out of whatever hole he lives in these days, former WEC lightweight champion Jamie Varner went on the attack, calling out Sanko and her “annoying” commentary in a pair of scathing posts online.

Varner expressed his disdain for Laura Sanko’s commentary on X, writing: “Leave the commentary to the people that have actually fought. A female UFC fighter should have that job, she is just annoying and it’s obvious she is trying so hard and doesn’t know what she is talking about.” Varner added in a follow-up post that Sanko is “a try-hard that speaks about things she knows nothing about. Talking about blast doubles and how tiring it could be in the first round of the fight, like what do you know about any of those things? Stay in your lane.”

Jamie Varner on Laura Sanko
Jamie Varner on Laura Sanko

Laura Sanko Reminds Jamie Varner of the time they fought on the same card

Clearly, Varner forgot that Laura Sanko is in fact a former fighter, having amassed a 5-1 overall record while competing for promotions such as Titan FC and Invicta. Responding to Varner’s criticism, Sanko even recalled details of when the two former fighters appeared on the same card together.

“It’s ok that you don’t like my commentary, but respectfully, I’ve been a part of this game and training since 2006,” Sanko wrote. I’m a brown belt in Jiu Jitsu and while I can’t compare my career to yours I have in fact fought. And if UFC had a 105 division I would have fought a lot longer.

“You and I actually fought on the same card in 2011 for Titan FC. We warmed up next to each other in the basement of the Memorial Hall building in KCK. My best friend braided your hair because you couldn’t find anyone to do it. I remember thinking how cool it was at the time to be on a card with you. I had followed your career in the WEC and was a little star-struck to be honest.”

Laura Sanko replies to Jamie Varner

For those curious, the event in question was Titan FC 20 in September 2011. Sanko won her bout against Kyla Potter in less than a minute via armbar while Varner lost his fight with current BKFC standout Dakota Cochrane.

Sanko put her mixed martial arts career to bed in 2013, but she was far from done in the sport. After earning her spot as a roving reporter for the UFC, she was given a shot at the commentary booth in 2021, joining the broadcast team for Dana White’s Contender Series. Two years later, Sanko made history at UFC 293 in Australia by becoming the first woman in the promotion’s Zuffa era to serve as a color commentator.

Laura Sanko

Sanko’s energetic and insightful commentary has been a welcomed addition to every broadcast she participates in and has quickly become a favorite among fight fans.

Laura Sanko set for commentary duty at UFC 293 in Australia, lands pay-Per-View debut

Laura Sanko set for commentary duty at UFC 293 PPV debutWith UFC 293 taking place this weekend in Sydney, Australia – veteran color-commentator, Joe Rogan has taken a step back from continued international pay-per-view duty, allowing fan-favorite analyst and former professional fighter, Laura Sanko to make her long-awaited debut in a flagship booth. Sanko, a former atomweight fighter, competed once under the Invicta FC banner […]

Laura Sanko set for commentary duty at UFC 293 PPV debut

With UFC 293 taking place this weekend in Sydney, Australia – veteran color-commentator, Joe Rogan has taken a step back from continued international pay-per-view duty, allowing fan-favorite analyst and former professional fighter, Laura Sanko to make her long-awaited debut in a flagship booth.

Sanko, a former atomweight fighter, competed once under the Invicta FC banner back in 2013, landing a submission win over Cassie Rob under the scrutiny of the Shannon Knapp-led promotion. 

Laura Sanko makes PPV commentary bow this weekend at UFC 293

And since switching her talents to broadcasting and analyst work, Sanko, who has already served in a commentary booth for ‘Fight Night’ billed cards this year, as well as on Dana White’s Contender Series most notably – will handle microphone duty from the booth this weekend at UFC 293 in Sydney, Australia. 

Alongside the Kansas City native we have former two-weight UFC champion and Hall of Fame inductee, Daniel Cormier providing color-commentary, while stalwart caller, Jon Anik returns to the booth, replacing John Gooden as the play-by-play lead.

UFC 293 features the first of two championship fights for the promotion in the month of September, with undisputed middleweight kingpin, Israel Adesanya headlining ‘Down Under’ once again, as he takes on surging divisional contender, Sean Strickland over the course of five scheduled rounds.

In the night’s co-headliner, hometwon favorite, Tai Tuivasa makes his Octagon return as he welcomes towering Russian striker, Alexander Volkov to Sydney this weekend. 

While Laura Sanko provides commentary duty, fellow broadcasting staple, Megan Olivi makes her return to a rovering reporter role as per MMA Junkie, prodiving real-time updates throughout the event at the Qudos Bank Arena, as well as conducting both pre and post-fight interviews with athletes competing on the UFC 293 card.

Travelling internationally last weekend for UFC Fight Night Paris at the Accor Arena, veteran Octagon announcer, Bruce Buffer is also slated to make the trip to Australia to provide fighter introductions before each and every clash. 

Are you happy to see fan-favorite Laura Sanko call the action at UFC 293?