Laura Sanko

{{Infobox person

| name = Laura Sanko

| image =

| imagesize =

| caption =

| other_names = Fancy

| birth_name = Laura Marcusse

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1982|12|7}}

| birth_place = Chicago, Illinois, U.S.

| nationality =

| education = William Jewell College

| occupation = Color commentator
Mixed martial artist

}}

Laura Marcusse-Sanko{{Cite web |title=Laura Sanko ("Fancy") {{!}} MMA Fighter Page |url=https://www.tapology.com/fightcenter/fighters/laura-marcusse |access-date=2024-10-04 |website=Tapology |language=en}} (born December 7, 1982) is an American color commentator and sports analyst for the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).{{Cite web|url=https://www.si.com/mma/2023/02/03/laura-sanko-set-to-make-ufc-broadcast-debut|title=Laura Sanko Set to Make UFC Broadcast Debut|first=Justin|last=Barrasso|date=February 3, 2023|website=Sports Illustrated}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.tsn.ca/laura-sanko-to-be-first-female-colour-commentator-in-ufc-s-modern-era-1.1913171|title=Sanko to be first female colour commentator in UFC's modern era - TSN.ca|author=TSN ca Staff|date=January 30, 2023|website=TSN}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.mmafighting.com/2023/2/16/23603165/laura-sanko-returns-to-the-broadcast-booth-to-call-ufc-vegas-69|title=Laura Sanko returns to the broadcast booth to call UFC Vegas 69|first=Damon|last=Martin|date=February 16, 2023|website=MMA Fighting}} Sanko is also a former mixed martial artist who competed in Invicta Fighting Championships,{{Cite web|url=https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2013/01/fight-path-invicta-fcs-laura-sanko-an-entrepreneur-and-closet-badass|title=Fight Path: Invicta FC's Laura Sanko, an entrepreneur and closet badass|date=January 25, 2013}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.bloodyelbow.com/2013/5/13/4327000/invicta-fc-6-coenen-cyborg-sanko-pregnancy-robb|title=Pregnancy forces Laura Sanko off Invicta FC 6 card|first=David St|last=Martin|date=May 13, 2013|website=Bloody Elbow}} and a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu.{{cite web |last1=Phillips |first1=Sabrina |title=UFC Commentator Laura Sanko Promoted To BJJ Black Belt |url=https://jitsmagazine.com/ufc-commentator-laura-sanko-promoted-to-bjj-black-belt/ |website=Jits Magazine |access-date=23 April 2025}}

Background

Sanko adopted the nickname "Fancy" during her brief fighting career after an acquaintance told her she was too fancy to actually fight, rather than just train in mixed martial arts.{{Cite web|url=https://cagesidepress.com/2021/12/14/laura-sanko-fancy-world-mma/|title=Laura Sanko Explains Origins of “Fancy” Nickname, Discusses “Very Special Year” in Her Career|date=December 14, 2021}}

In 2021, Sanko became the first female commentator to work on a broadcast in the Zuffa or Endeavor era of the UFC when she provided color commentary for the Dana White's Contender Series season 5.{{Cite web|url=https://cagesidepress.com/2021/08/31/laura-sanko-makes-history-first-female-ufc-commentator/|title=Laura Sanko Makes History in Commentating Debut at Contender Series|first=Gabriel|last=Gonzalez|date=August 31, 2021|website=Cageside Press}}

In January 2023, Sanko became the first female color commentator to appear on a UFC broadcast since Kathy Long at UFC 1 in 1993 when she joined the broadcast booth at UFC Fight Night: Lewis vs. Spivac.{{Cite web|url=https://cagesidepress.com/2023/01/30/laura-sanko-make-ufc-color-commentary-debut-ufc-vegas-68/|title=Laura Sanko to Make UFC Color Commentary Debut at UFC Vegas 68|first=Jay|last=Anderson|date=January 20, 2023|website=Cageside Press}} This made her the first female color commentator in the modern UFC era to call an event from the booth.{{Cite web|url=https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2023/01/ufc-news-laura-sanko-to-become-first-female-color-commentator-modern-era-fight-night-218|title=Laura Sanko to make UFC color commentary debut at UFC Fight Night 218|publisher=mmajunkie.usatoday.com|author=Staff|date=2023-01-30|access-date=2023-01-30}} On September 10, 2023, Sanko made her UFC pay-per-view commentary debut at UFC 293.{{Cite web |date=2023-09-04 |title=UFC 293 commentary team, broadcast plans set: Laura Sanko makes pay-per-view commentating debut |url=https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/lists/ufc-293-commentary-team-laura-sanko-makes-pay-per-view-debut |access-date=2023-09-10 |website=mmajunkie.usatoday.com |language=}}