Laura Sanko, the female commentator in the UFC, is an upcoming name on the broadcasting team of the American promotion. Apart from her presenting skills, Sanko occasionally grabs headlines whenever she is linked up with a UFC fighter. The latest incident came when she was linked with the Kazakh fighter, Shavkat Rakhmonov.
Sanko and Rakhmonov were linked together during the build-up of the Kazakh fighter clash against Geoff Neal at UFC 285. MMA fans got the ball rolling when Sanko was caught gushing over Rakhmonov at UFC 285’s weigh-in show.
During the show, Sanko stated, “Shavkat Rakhmonov, that man, he gives me chills. I’ve never interviewed him, I’ve never spoken to him, but I feel like I would get nervous.” The comments were enough for the hardcore fan following of Rakhmonov to pair up the duo over this small statement.
Shavkat Rakhmonov reacts to a viral video of Laura Sanko praising him 😅
Full #UFC285 scrum ▶️ https://t.co/CDw4u9A5Y7 pic.twitter.com/P0eLPHSVVs
— MMA Fighting (@MMAFighting) March 1, 2023
The linkup added another layer to the buildup of Rakhmonov’s clash at UFC 285, which turned out to be a classic. The Kazakh fighter won the fight in the third round with a rear-naked choke to set himself as a solid contender in the welterweight division of the UFC.
The post-fight discussion revolved around Rakhmonov’s potential in the Welterweight division, as well as the linkup with Laura Woods. The connection continued to dominate the stories around the duo, which prompted Sanko to set the record straight.
Laura Sanko clears the rumors around Shavkat Rakhmonov
During the UFC 287 weigh-in show, Laura Sanko took a moment to crush the speculation around her and Rakhmonov. She started by stating, “Can we please address this… I don’t have a crush on the man. I like his fighting style. An entire country thinks that I [have a crush on Shavkat Rakhmonov]. And I need to correct the record. I’m still a fan, I just don’t have a crush [on him]”.
Sanko cleared the air and went on to add how the whole country of Kazakhstan got excited about the potential linkup. She revealed that more than 20,000 people started following her on social media after the UFC 285 weigh-in show, where the rumors began.
#UFCVegas83 commentary, broadcast plans set: Laura Sanko returns to booth (via @MikeBohn) https://t.co/Nn5OHZiptc pic.twitter.com/3LJKCyktQM
— MMA Junkie (@MMAJunkie) December 6, 2023
Sanko currently has more than 430,000 followers, and it’s unclear whether those new followers unfollowed her when she cleared the rumor about her and the Nomad. The American commentator has cemented her name in the MMA community by being the first female commentator to work on a broadcast in the Endeavor era of the UFC.
It is natural for a presence like Sanko to be liked by MMA athletes, but there is no way that the commentator cannot comment on these linkups due to her marital status. Laura Sanko has been married to an entrepreneur and businessman, Nathan Sanko. The couple started dating in 2006 and eventually got married in 2012. They also have a son together, who was born in 2013.
Laura Sanko has been loyal to her husband for 11 years and the same was evident when she was quick to rush to clear her name surrounding Shavkat Rakhmonov. Sanko has kept her married life private, which is why casual fans try to link her up with MMA fighters, as they don’t know much about the commentator apart from her work.
