Athletes
Gillian Robertson Has Found Belief In Herself
UFC Flyweight Gillian Robertson Enters UFC Fight Night: Sandhagen vs Song In Both Her Physical And Mental Prime.
Gillian Robertson has finally found a gym that she can call home. Robertson has spent several years training with former UFC fighter Din Thomas, but in addition to her workouts once or a twice a week with Thomas, she needed a place where she could have consistent training. That’s when she found Goat Shed in Miami.
“While Din and I were working together, we never really had a home gym, so I was traveling all the time. I’ve been to every gym you could possibly think of, and I just feel like the head coach (Asim Zaidi) there is the pick for me,” Robertson said ahead of her bout at UFC Fight Night: Sandhagen vs Song. “He thinks different than a lot of coaches do, he’s not stuck in the past, he’s not teaching it as a different sport, he’s teaching mixed martial arts and making us killers.”
The excitement that Robertson is feeling heading into her bout with flyweight Mariya Agapova is something she hasn’t felt in a long time. “The Savage” holds a 7-5 record inside the Octagon, with a 10-7 record overall.
Watch UFC Fight Night: Sandhagen vs Song on ESPN+!
The good times, and bad times, have led Robertson to this moment where she feels that everything is finally coming together.
“I was kind of looking for that for a while, so I think it is the love for this sport and I think I’ve found that love again,” Robertson said. “I’ve found that passion. I’m super excited to go out there this weekend; even just shadowboxing in the cage, I feel like my adrenaline is going crazy. It just feels so good to be in there.”
This weekend she is looking to rebound after losing by unanimous decision to JJ Aldrich in March. Prior to that, Robertson secured a first-round submission against Priscilla Cachoeira.
Robertson feels that the environment she has been training in down in Miami has contributed to her confidence and enthusiasm that she has been feeling lately. The family environment that happens inside the gym is what has led to a strong mental foundation.
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“It’s about believing in myself more than anything,” Robertson said. “Knowing that I’m capable of this and I love this s***, so this is what I’m made for and I can just go in there and have fun.”
Robertson’s opponent is one that she has crossed paths with before.
Gillian Robertson Fight Week Interview | UFC Fight Night: Sandhagen vs Song
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Gillian Robertson Fight Week Interview | UFC Fight Night: Sandhagen vs Song
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“We’ve trained together a lot, so I’m happy with how our previous rounds have gone,” Robertson said. “I think that this is an ideal matchup for me, and I see this matchup going my way fast.”
The 26-year-old Canadian feels untouchable and unstoppable coming out of this camp, noting that it was one of the best camps that she’s ever been a part of. She believes that she has all the tools to beat Agapova and anything that her opponent brings into the Octagon, she’ll be ready for.
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Robertson hold the most finishes in flyweight division history with six, and she has no plans on stopping there.
“I think it’s evident that my ground game is going to be the place where I capitalize,” Robertson said. “I would love to get a TKO finish, but I feel like everybody just kind of falls into my choke, so it might happen.”
If she doesn’t get another finish under belt, Robertson is hoping for three 10-8 rounds that send her off with a victory.
As for what comes after that, Robertson is open to the possibility of a new weight class.
“I’m just walking around a lot smaller than I ever have before,” Robertson said. “I used to walk around 140-145, and now I’m like 132. I woke up 129 this morning, so I’m four pounds off fight weight and don’t really have anything to cut. We’re debating the 115 division now.”
UFC Fight Night: Sandhagen vs Song took place live from the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada on September 17, 2022. See the Final Results, Official Scorecards and Who Won Bonuses - and relive the action on UFC Fight Pass!
