Athletes
Gillian Robertson Has Found Her New Home
Strawweight Gillian Robertson Looks To Build On Her Success At 115 Pounds By Finishing Marina Rodriguez At UFC Fight Night: Sandhagen vs Figueiredo
At the start of 2023, Gillian Robertson tested the waters at strawweight - and she hasn’t looked back since.
The 29-year-old began her UFC career in 2017 and fought 13 times at flyweight, securing eight wins in that span. But since dropping down to 115 pounds, Robertson’s been on a tear, winning four of her first five fights in what she calls her new “home” division.
At first glance, it might seem like the move to fighting smaller, lighter opponents is behind Robertson’s resurgence. But it’s not just about shedding an extra 10 pounds at the tail end of training camp - Robertson’s made year-round lifestyle changes that have transformed how she feels heading into each fight.
WATCH: Gillian Robertson's Fight Week Interview
“I think it is just me coming together as a whole as a fighter,” Robertsons said. “I really figured out what I needed with my camp, with The Goat Shed, with Din Thomas and really with my schedule to get the weight off with the great dieticians here. It’s been a huge adjustment. I’m going to be 30 soon, so I feel like a large part of that is I’m just coming into my own.
“I think I would’ve been much more comfortable at 125 if I was eating right and properly the whole time. I could make 125 easily without taking care of myself, as well. I just let myself do that. But I think at 115, that might be a huge difference that I have to force myself to eat right.”
The nutritional shift has helped Robertson come into fights in the best physical condition of her career, but staying active at strawweight has also kept her sharp. She’s fought five times in the division in less than two years, earning performance bonuses for finishing Piera Rodriguez and Polyana Viana, and picking up dominant decision wins over fan-favorite Michelle Waterson-Gomez and Luana Pinheiro.
“It’s more than just competing,” Robertson said of her love of fighting. “It’s the training, it’s the fact that this is my job, that I have this opportunity. I love every single day of camp whether it’s good, bad, I really do love it more than anything. I just feel so blessed to have my feet on the mats every single day.”
RELATED: Matchup To Watch | Marina Rodriguez vs Gillian Robertson
“I think staying active has been a huge part of my career,” Robertson said. “Even before I was in the UFC, I was always trying to stay as active as possible. I love being in there so much. I think that the downfall of being at 115 is that I can’t be in there as often. But like you said, this is my 19th fight in the UFC. It’s a lot of experience and I think that weighs a lot when I come into these matchups.”
That success and consistency has earned Robertson the No. 14 spot in the strawweight rankings heading into her UFC Fight Night: Sandhagen vs Figueiredo clash against No. 9 Marina Rodriguez, who’s faced the Who’s Who of the division, including former champions Jéssica Andrade and Carla Esparza.
“She’s definitely a vet in the division,” Robertson said. “Since the beginning of the 115-pound division, she’s been around and competing with the best. I have a lot of respect for her but I’m hoping to hand her her first submission loss.”
If these two paired up three years ago, it’d be safe to view it as a striker versus grappler matchup. At strawweight, however, Robertson’s emphasized inflicting as much damage as she can while she’s on the ground, opposed to strictly hunting for submissions. She’s also more confident in her striking and willing to stand and trade with anyone in the division.
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One thing remains the same, and that’s Robertson’s finisher mentality. For all the joy she gets from training and competing, Robertson’s goal is to dominate her opponents as efficiently as possible.
“I don’t get paid by the minute, you know” Robertson said. “I’m trying to get in and out as quick as possible, take as little damage as possible and get back in there as soon as I can.
“I do see myself having a dominant victory. I’m calling it second round. I want to say I get a sub, but, for some reason, I’m leaning TKO.”
A win over a Top 10 opponent would be huge for Robertson in a division where champion Zhang Weili has already taken out most of the top contenders. A victory on Saturday in Des Moines wouldn’t quite put Robertson into the title picture, but it would move her one big step closer.
“It sets me up perfectly,” Robertson said. “I think having a win over the No. 9 girl right now, hopefully get another big shot by the end of the year, and then maybe next year we’ll be looking at a title shot.”
UFC Fight Night: Sandhagen vs Figueiredo took place live from Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines, Iowa on May 3, 2025. See the final Prelim & Main Card Results, Official Scorecards and Who Won Bonuses - and relive the action on UFC FIGHT PASS!
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