Gillian Robertson lights up at idea of becoming UFC women's strawweight champ

LAS VEGAS – Although the swelling and bruising meant her face likely had experienced better days, there was little for Gillian Robertson to be upset about Saturday.

After her dominant decision win over Michelle Waterson-Gomez (18-13 MMA, 6-9 UFC) on the UFC 303 preliminary card at T-Mobile Arena, Robertson (14-8 MMA, 11-6 UFC) said the biggest bummer about what from name value could be her biggest win yet was she had to get the inside of her lip stitched.

“Physically, I’m feeling great,” Robertson said at her post-fight news conference. “I actually got four or five stitches in my lip. Literally the first thing I said after the fight, I was like, ‘I can’t smoke weed tonight.’ So that was my biggest worry.”

Even if she has to deal with edibles for a few days, perhaps it’ll be worth it given her UFC career is flowering of late. Robertson has won four of her past five fights, including three by stoppage – and two of those were for $50,000 bonuses.

She’ll also be forever linked in this stretch as the woman who sent Waterson-Gomez into retirement, something she said she had a hunch might be coming.

“I considered it as a possibility just knowing her age, where she’s at in this sport,” Robertson said. “I assumed that I was probably going to be her retirement fight. It’s such a weird sport: We elbow each other in the face a hundred times. Then I want to go give her a hug because I see her crying. I respect her so much in her career and all she’s done for the sport. She’s a vet and she’s really made a name for herself with all women in the sport.”

Robertson seems to be peaking at just the right time in the women’s strawweight division. She said she wants another fight before the year’s out, likely in December, and then she figures she might have some big things in store in 2025.

“I’m ranked 15, Michelle was 14. So 1-13, I’m saying yes to anybody who calls,” Robertson said. “Every single fight, you’re going to see me improve as a fighter. I’m evolving every single day, and I think you guys see it every single fight that I’m just really becoming a well-rounded mixed martial artist – and becoming a champion.”

Watch Robertson’s full post-fight interview in the video above.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 303.