UFC Star Laura Sanko In Workout Gear Is “Just Getting Started”

UFC commentator Laura Sanko is taking a look back at the hard work and discipline that brought her where she is today. Sanko, 41, shared a highlight reel of her career, including a snap of herself posing in two-piece workout gear, holding a purple belt. “18 year overnight success. I’ve had my fair share of people hoping to see me stumble or fail…sorry to disappoint but I’m just getting started and I thank God for my blessings each and every day ✌🏼,” she captioned the post. “Hardest worker I know. Just ready to see you slow down so we can go on more trips ❤ proud of you,” a friend commented. Sanko is not just a commentator, she’s an athlete and fighter—here’s how she stays strong and focused.

1. She’s a Fighter

Sanko was a fighter before she was a commentator, and says MMA was the perfect workout for her. "The problem with lifting weights or jogging is that you just spend more time inside your head, or at least I did,” she told PEOPLE. "It's intimidating walking up to an MMA gym, and I can't tell you the number of times I've been watching fights with some girlfriends, and they're always like, 'I could never do that,' but they absolutely can."

2. Horseback Riding

Sanko loves horseback riding, and was thrilled to race in Kentucky. “I have wanted to do that my ENTIRE LIFE since I was 4 years old and saw the Black Stallion movie,” she captioned an Instagram post. “I watched it over and over and dreamed of what it would feel like to go full out on a track. Actually got teary watching this footage remembering back to when I was a little kid pretending on my toy horse wanting so desperately to know how powerful that would feel and just watching that scene over and over.”

3. Ignoring the Critics

Sanko didn’t listen to the naysayers who said fighting wasn’t appropriate for a woman. "There's a lot of parts of growing up as a woman where you're told not to be physical for many different reasons, like it's inappropriate, or it's too tomboyish, or girls just don't play like that," she told PEOPLE. "...It’s not professional for a woman to be rolling around with other guys, especially if you take a jiu-jitsu class. It might sound like a weird concept, but I'm telling you that just embracing the sport really opened my eyes to so many things about myself, about my own body, about my ability to feel comfortable in those types of situations."

4. Sparring and Wrestling

Sanko loves nothing better than fighting and sparring. “Felt good to move around a bit. Standard disclaimer: I’m aware he’s letting me work on the ground and ‘not really trying’:.. I’m also well aware of my striking deficiencies on the pads. It’s been forever since I’ve hit pads and I hate feeling rusty and slow…but I guess that’s what I get now that UFC travel dominates my schedule ✌🏼,” she captioned an Instagram post.

5. Breaking the Mold

Sanko is proud of her MMA background and career. "There are a lot of people that don't necessarily fit the mold of what we believe to be a fighter, that are interested in training MMA,” she told PEOPLE. “I think that's really the key, is the way that this particular type of training challenges not just your body, but your mind, your beliefs about yourself, is unlike any other sport, and I hope more people are inspired to do it.”

Professional wrestler Valerie Loureda encouraged fans to watch both UFC and WWE NXT Great American Bash 2023 via a social media update. Loureda, 25, shared a video of herself looking fit and beautiful in an aquamarine bikini with matching coverup, telling fans who her picks are for the fights. “I’ve been working hard to bring a different touch to WWE that they’re never seen before,” she explained in the video. How does she stay so fit? Read on to see 5 ways Loureda stays in shape and the photos that prove they work.

1. Proud of Her Roots

Loureda is proud and confident about her fighting skills. “I’m an amazing wrestler,” she says. “Cuban wrestling is very different, and I was lucky enough to be taught wrestling by Yoel Romero and Alexis Villa and Gustavito (Balart), a lot of Olympic wrestlers, so they really taught me that Cuban wrestling, and I’m gonna take it into the cage. I just haven’t been given a chance to show it because I’m playing my game, but the moment I get the opportunity to show it, people are gonna be shocked by my wrestling skills.”

2. Taekwondo Background

Loureda grew up doing taekwondo, which set the tone for her future career as a fighter. “I never in my life thought for one second this is eventually what I would do,” she says. “I always had the vision of the Olympic dream [in taekwondo] in my mind, but at some point… that changed, and I saw MMA on TV. I saw the way it was blowing up, and people were falling in love with it. I said, ‘Wow, I can do that. I could fight like that. I could beat those girls, and I could change the world one day with that platform and all their viewers.’ So I was very excited about MMA, and that’s when it was born for me.”

3. Wrestling Training

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Loureda says switching from MMA to wrestling was no joke. “It’s extremely tough. For me, it’s actually harder than MMA,” she says. “My first bump, I just knew I could do it. I had this feeling in my gut and my first bump, hitting the ropes, I just fell in love with it and I knew I could do it. It’s tough, it’s a hard transition, it’s different than what I’m used to, but if you can rewire your brain and change your mentality and realize what this is and how to be the best at it, you can be successful. I was with coach (Norman) Smiley the whole time and he was amazing and taught me so much. He stayed in an open ring after for like two hours and we worked and he taught me stuff and taught me different things that would work with my style.”

4. Building Muscle

Loureda is careful to build muscle rather than lose weight as a result of MMA/wrestling training. “I might not be sparring as much, but I’m doing physical training (and) conditioning,” she says. “I lost a lot of weight after ‘Exatlon,’ and in these times, I’ve used time to concentrate on what I want to do with my life. While many are eating and gaining weight at home, I’ve been working to be on weight and be ready for this fight. So I haven’t had many partners for this training camp, but I’m very confident in my level and the years of training in martial arts.”

5. Beautiful and Strong

Loureda has neither time nor patience for those who criticize female athletes for bikini pictures. “If women do it, it’s being seen as doing it for social media and doing it to be an object for men and marketing. And that’s not the case,” she says. “It’s not for any man, it’s for us as women showing we can be badass and beautiful and strong, and we could still be animals in the cage and know how to defend ourselves.”

Tatiana Suarez is training hard in her workout gear. In a new social media post the UFC fighter shows off her super strong body in a two-piece set during a Sin City sweat session. “Two grappling sessions this Monday! Training to be the best every day! Let’s go 👊🏼🤼‍♀️,” she captioned the Instagram video and photo. “Champ,” commented one of her followers, while several others added fire emojis. How does she approach diet, fitness, and self-care? Here is everything you need to know about her lifestyle habits.

1. People Tried to Talk Her Out of Wrestling

Tatiana felt pressured to stay away from wrestling as a kid."I was three years old when I started wrestling, and my whole life, people told me I shouldn't," she told Women's Health. "I would wrestle with their sons, and they'd be like, 'You're so cute. You should probably go do tennis.' And I'm like, 'I think tennis is great, but I'm wrestling, and I just beat your son. So maybe he should go do a different sport, not me.'"

2. Neck Injury and Cancer Treatment

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In 2011 Tatiana suffered a neck injury and while being treated, doctors discovered a cancerous tumor on her thyroid. She took a day-by-day approach to recovery. "I had to keep my diet a certain way, and I had to do certain exercises for my neck every day, and they were so tedious and boring," says Tatiana. "Not only that, but I couldn't do what I love, which is to go live and do my sport." Focusing on what she could control and letting go of what she couldn't helped her get through it all. "It's always easier said than done," she says. "But it's a constant battle."

3. Proper Nutrition

She also focused on adding lean muscle while staying light enough to transition to 115 pounds (the strawweight division) when it was time to compete again. "I ate a lot of high-protein foods and healthy fats like olive oil on salad, chicken, steak, eggs, and avocado," she says. "I also incorporated fish oil, creatine for when I spar, and Thorne's Curcumin Phytosome, which helps a lot with my inflammation." She avoids sugar and processed foods.

4. Jiu Jitsu and Boxing

"I'm a great wrestler, I know I'm great at jujitsu, I'm great at kicking," Tatiana says. "So right now, I've been focusing a lot on boxing because I know that it's probably my weakest thing. It's also given me a newfound respect for boxers."

5. Training 7 Days a Week

Tatiana trains seven days a week. Her workouts include cardio, strength training, jujitsu, and physical therapy. "I can't wrestle yet. I drill it, but I can't bend my knee all the way," says Tatiana. "When I'm in [training] camp, there's not so much emphasis on cardio just because I do cardio throughout my workouts.”

Erin Blanchfield is getting ready for UFC Edmonton – in her two-piece workout gear. In a new social media post the flyweight shows off her amazing body in an exercise set while sharing her excitement for her upcoming fight, one week away. Her followers went wild over the post. “You look like you are ready for your next challenge. Time to rise and shine,” one of them commented. “Cold-Blooded. 💪🏼😏🥋,” added another, while many others commented with fire emojis. How does she approach diet, fitness, and self-care? Here is everything you need to know about her lifestyle habits.

1. A Background in Martial Arts

When Erin was just 7, she started training in jiujitsu and competing in kickboxing and grappling tournaments. “I got into martial arts when I was 7 years old,” she told The Montclarian. “My brother was training and I went in to watch him and was offered a free class. I fell in love with the training and got into competing soon after.”

2. MMA Fighters Were Her Role Models

“There were always MMA fighters at the gyms I trained at growing up,” Blanchfield continued. “I always looked up to them. Once the UFC [Ultimate Fighting Championship] opened up women’s divisions, I knew fighting MMA was what I wanted to do.” Now she trains six days a week, using her same trainers for many years. “I’ve been training with my striking coach Augie Matias since I was 15 and my jiujitsu coach Frankie Roberts since I was 16,” she said. “They both have cornered me in all my professional fights and I couldn’t thank them enough.” She owes a lot of her success to them. “They both have helped me become the fighter I currently am and are always pushing me to become the best athlete I could be.”

3. Coffee

Erin is a coffee drinker. “Cappuccino pls,” she captioned a recent Instagram photo.

4. Cycling

As part of her training, Erin cycles. Here she is in Las Vegas cycling to improve her cardiovascular fitness.

5. Focus on Improvement

Erin focuses on progress, not perfection. “I feel like, every fight, you can see my improvements, and I feel like I’m always trying to improve after each one too,” she told New York Post. “I think these past few fights, I’ve had to strike more because it’s been hard to get the takedown, so you’ve just been able to see my striking more, even if it was kind of already at that level.”

Alexa Grasso is reminding social media followers and fans about the rules she lives by, both for life and for the ring. Flyweight fighter Grasso, 30, shared a picture of herself wearing black leggings and a gray shirt, stretching against a wall at her gym. “Remember that… hard work is a choice. Attitude is a choice. Discipline is a choice. Doing extra is a choice. Excellence is a choice,” she captioned the post. Grasso is not only a competitor but also a coach—here’s how she stays on top of her game and ready to fight.

1. Beautiful Fight

Grasso works hard to make her fighting style look beautiful and graceful. “Even though we’re fighting, at the end of the day, it’s an art — mixed martial arts — and I like it to look oh so beautiful: nice jabs, nice uppercuts, nice hooks, because I think it’s part of the game,” she told UFC.com. “I like to show that fighting could be nice. My coach is also very meticulous about the technique. He always wants us to show good technique, which is the most important thing, and I like it so much. You can throw truly beautiful combos.”

2. Mental and Physical Training

Grasso now gets help not just for physical training but for mental too. "I have a mental coach who teaches me how to train the mind,” she told the Latin Times. “I imagine every time I'm going to fight, and how it's going to be. I imagine the place, the people, the noise, the corner, everything! Every time, I'm trying to live that moment before fighting and how I want it to be.”

3. Valentina Shevchenko Fight

Grasso says the prospect of fighting Valentina Shevchenko made her train harder than ever. “I know she’s tough. She’s dangerous in all areas and this made me train like tons. I was extreme with my discipline. I was extreme with my training, with my diet, with my conditioning, I was extreme in all areas. Definitely I’m a better athlete right now and I can’t wait to prove that.”

4. Coaching the Next Generation

Grasso is proud to be a long-time coach. “I have been a coach for a long, long time. I started with my Uncle and my Dad, Team Grasso Extreme Training so it just throws me back to those days,” she told Fighters Only. “I used to teach kids, women, teenagers, now in my gym, with the experience I have had in the UFC, I have a lot of teammates that are male. So, I know how to motivate them, I have something to share with each one of them and I know how important these fights are for each one of them so I am committed to do something to help them achieve their goals. “

5. Always Evolving

Grasso is passionate about learning and evolving both physically and on an intellectual level. “We must read and inform ourselves a lot,” she writes for UFC.com. “Because nothing is more valuable today than being well-informed. I challenge you to change every 10 minutes you use on social networks every day to read about each organ of your body and thus of varied topics every day. You will be surprised at everything that happens in your body and in the world with every breath. Eating healthy is essential, exercise clears the mind and all these decisions are recorded in our genetic code. Let's take the best of our lives and leave quality seeds planted in the new generations.”