At most fight events, fan attention is firmly locked on the bouts and the athletes inside the cage. This time, however, the spotlight shifted to someone else entirely—and surprisingly, it wasn’t a fighter competing at UFC Vegas 122 inside the UFC Apex. Instead, it was one of the voices calling the action—Laura Sanko.

Laura Sanko arrived for the event dressed in a white button-down shirt, a patterned tie, and brown suspenders. It was an outfit that struck a stylish, almost formal note at Octagon-side. While the look might not sound especially eye-catching on paper, it clearly resonated with fans. 

Laura Sanko has had a long journey to the UFC commentary desk

The 43-year-old joined the UFC in 2016 as a backstage reporter for UFC on Fox broadcasts. She later transitioned to roles like Octagon-side reporter, analyst for UFC on ESPN, and commentator for Dana White’s Contender Series starting in 2017. Her breakthrough came in February 2023. 

With her debut on the commentary desk, she made history as the first female color commentator in the modern UFC era, debuting at UFC Fight Night: Lewis vs. Spivac on February 4, 2023. She went on to make her pay-per-view commentary debut at UFC 293 in September 2023. “It wasn’t because I was rooting for anyone in particular,” Sanko told BBC, reflecting on the moment.  

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“But being able to be part of that moment, and the first woman to call a PPV in 30 years, it was and is a big deal,” Sanko told BBC Sport. Sanko was also a former MMA fighter—it was an age when MMA wasn’t a viable career option for women. Besides her role as a commentator, she also serves as an analyst for ESPN MMA. While she never ended up fighting in the UFC, her role as the color commentator appears to have delighted fans.

Social media quickly lit up with praise, as viewers couldn’t stop talking about her standout appearance.

Fans call to make Sanko a mainstay

Sanko became all the talk very quickly. One user urged the UFC to use her more often in events. The user wrote, “Laura Sanko needs to be a mainstay in the broadcast booth. She might honestly be the best one.” Being a former fighter, she would have a perspective that some of the others may not. 

Another user couldn’t have enough of Sunko. They wrote, “Laura Sanko tonight is somethin 🚨.” Her last appearance cage side was during UFC 321 when Tom Aspinall vs. Ciryl Gane ended in disaster. 

A third user was impressed with Sanko’s outfit. The user commented, “I love @laura_sanko outfit tonight! #ufc.” Perhaps this would encourage her to be even more fashionable in future events. 

Someone else accused her of hogging all the attention. The user commented, “@laura_sanko out here stealing the ppv in that shirt and tie GAWWWWWWD.”

The next user appeared to be taken aback thanks to Sanko. The user wrote, “@laura_sanko looking like an absolute baddie rocking that suit tonight 😍🔥.” She had also recently made headlines, claiming her husband has no interest in MMA. 

Clearly, Laura Sanko emerged as one of the standouts of the night. Her presence and reception could very well encourage the UFC to feature her more prominently at future events.