DIN THOMAS RETIRES FROM CORNERING AFTER ROBERTSON LOSES UFC TITLE BID

Din Thomas announced his retirement from cornering fighters immediately after Gillian Robertson lost her strawweight title bout against Mackenzie Dern at UFC 330 in Philadelphia. Speaking as a UFC analyst during live coverage, Thomas stated he had told himself he would continue coaching until he took Robertson "as far as she could go", and suggested her performance represented that limit. He cited the demands of the role, including the need to be present throughout fight week and to assist with weight-cutting, as factors in his decision.

Robertson lost the fight by unanimous decision, with judges scoring the bout 49-46, 49-46, and 48-47 in Dern's favour. Dern retained her 115-pound title in her first successful defence, controlling four of the five rounds whilst Robertson struggled to establish her grappling advantage on the mat. Thomas has coached Robertson since she was 16 years old and previously worked with notable fighters including Tyron Woodley and Amanda Nunes.

Dana White, UFC president, stated he was unaware of Thomas's plan to retire from cornering and said he had not been informed beforehand. Thomas later acknowledged he had handled the announcement poorly, apologising to Robertson for what he described as selfishly stealing her moment. The timing of the announcement during the immediate aftermath of Robertson's loss generated discussion within the sport regarding how the retirement should have been communicated.