Gillian Robertson has finally addressed the controversy surrounding longtime coach Din Thomas following her UFC 330 title loss to strawweight champion Mackenzie Dern.
The fallout began shortly after Robertson’s defeat when Thomas announced his retirement from cornering fighters. The timing of the announcement drew heavy criticism across the MMA community, with several fighters and fans questioning the decision. Former UFC title challenger Sean Strickland was among those who publicly blasted Thomas, calling him “a sh*t coach” for how he handled the situation.
Thomas later issued a public apology on his Deep Waters podcast, describing his actions as “despicable.” However, based on Gillian Robertson’s latest comments, it appears the apology has done little to repair the damage.
In a statement shared with The Ariel Helwani Show, Robertson revealed that Thomas never informed her about his plans before making the announcement on air.
“Prior to the broadcast, I didn’t see any sign of what was to be said,” Robertson stated.“After the broadcast, he had said, ‘I will address this in the morning,’ followed by, ‘Going live on air in 15 minutes.’”
According to Gillian Robertson, there was little meaningful communication between them as the controversy unfolded. Instead of addressing the matter privately, Thomas appeared focused on responding publicly.
While Thomas eventually reached out to apologize, Robertson admitted she remains unconvinced by his remorse.
“He did reach out to me privately at 5 p.m. and then sent a voice message apologizing around 7:30 p.m., to which I have not responded due to comments he has made since the broadcast privately to my team that lead me to believe there is not much weight in the apology,” Robertson said.“Me doing that publicly was more so for TV purposes and ratings.”
That statement appears to have significantly damaged any goodwill the public apology may have created.
The situation is especially notable given the history between Gillian Robertson and Din Thomas. Thomas has coached Robertson since she was just 15 years old and played a key role in her development into one of the UFC’s most accomplished submission specialists.
Robertson joined the UFC in 2017 and built a reputation as one of the most dangerous grapplers in women’s MMA. After moving down to strawweight, she put together a five-fight winning streak that earned her a championship opportunity against Dern at UFC 330.
Now, that long-standing coach-fighter relationship appears to be hanging by a thread. According to Robertson, Thomas also told her:
“I don’t think there’s a conversation to be had. I’m good with everything. The people who sign my checks are cool.”
The remark only added to concerns that their relationship may be beyond repair.
Despite the disappointment both inside and outside the Octagon, Gillian Robertson remains focused on moving forward.
“As for now, I regroup, take some time to heal, and I will be back in the gym as soon as possible on the same mission.”
