UFC 330 was a night to forget for Gillian Robertson. The Canadian suffered a unanimous decision loss to Mackenzie Dern in the co-main event, missing out on the strawweight title after five tough rounds. “The Savage” struggled to find her rhythm throughout the fight and was unable to execute her game plan of getting top position and controlling the champion.
But the title loss wasn’t the only blow Robertson had to deal with that night. The 17-9 fighter was also publicly buried by her longtime coach, Din Thomas, who announced his retirement from cornering fighters immediately after the bout.
Thomas was working the UFC broadcast on Paramount+ before stepping away to corner Robertson. Once the fights were over, he returned to the analyst desk and revealed that UFC 330 would be his final night as a cornerman. However, his explanation quickly drew criticism because of the timing and the way he spoke about Robertson.
He said, “I do have an announcement for you guys. I told myself I would continue to do this until I took Gillian as far as she could go. I think that might be as far as she can go, and I am officially retiring from cornering fighters tonight.”
Thomas added, “It’s just I told myself that I would do this with her. I would see her journey out and take her as far as I think she can go, and this might be as far as she can go.”
Din Thomas announced that he is retiring from cornering fighters
📺 @paramountplus pic.twitter.com/zdkW27eVxk
— UFC on Paramount+ (@UFConParamount) August 16, 2026
While Thomas pointed to the stress and workload of cornering as the main reasons behind his decision, many fans were disappointed by the timing. Rather than simply backing Robertson after a difficult title loss, Thomas appeared to suggest that she had reached her ceiling.
That didn’t sit well with everyone, including UFC commentator Jon Anik and Sean Strickland. The reigning 185lbs champion didn’t hold back when reacting to Thomas on social media. The outspoken champion took aim at Thomas and questioned his decision to walk away after a tough title fight loss.
He said, “Din Thomas is a fucking cunt. I’ve had my ass kicked in multiple weight classes through my career and won two titles. You’re a dickhead. It’s probably better you retire. You’re a shit coach. You only lose when you quit. Din sounds like you’re a fucking loser.”
Din Thomas is a fucking cunt.. Ive had my ass kicked in multiple weight classes through my career and won two titles…
Youre a dick head. Its probably better you retire. Youre a shit coach.
You only lose when you quit… Din sounds like youre a fucking loser.
— Sean Strickland (@SStricklandMMA) August 17, 2026
Strickland’s reaction carries some weight given his own career. He started out as a welterweight but endured plenty of setbacks before moving up to 185 pounds. When many might have written him off, he pulled off a massive upset by dethroning Israel Adesanya at UFC 293 to become middleweight champion.
He later pulled off another major upset against previously unbeaten Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 328, winning gold for the second time. That’s why Thomas’ comments rubbed so many people the wrong way.
Robertson had gone 5-0 after dropping down to 115 pounds and earned her shot at the strawweight title at UFC 330. One difficult night against Dern hardly erased everything she had accomplished to get there. To Thomas’ credit, it didn’t take long for him to realize that he had handled the situation badly.
Less than 48 hours later, the veteran coach issued an emotional apology and admitted that UFC 330 was the wrong time to announce his retirement. Thomas explained that he had worked with Robertson throughout her entire career, spending the last seven years traveling and working tirelessly alongside her.
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He recalled Robertson once coming to him in tears and saying she only wanted to win two or three fights in a row. Instead, she went on an incredible run and broke records along the way.
Thomas admitted that he selfishly stole her moment that night instead of celebrating everything she had accomplished and apologized for taking the spotlight away from her achievement. However, it seems that the damage has already been done.
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Kshitiz Kumar Singh is a UFC Writer at NY Fights with over three years of experience in sports journalism and content creation. Known for his sharp storytelling and passion for combat sports, he has written in-depth features on stars like Brock Lesnar, Randy Couture, and Ilia Topuria. Before joining NY Fights, Kshitiz worked as a UFC Editor at EssentiallySports while currently serving as a WWE Editor at FirstSportz. His admiration for legends like Georges St-Pierre continues to inspire his detailed and engaging MMA coverage. Whether he’s covering the Octagon or the squared circle, Kshitiz is committed to delivering accurate, high-quality content. Outside the world of sports, he’s a dedicated cinephile, often found practicing monologues from his favorite Al Pacino films, combining his love for cinema with storytelling.
