Gillian Robertson Opens Up on UFC Title Shot After Zhang Weili Was Passed Over

For most of the past year, the expectation around the UFC's strawweight division was straightforward. 

Once former champion Zhang Weili realized her pursuit of a second title at flyweight, she would likely return to reclaim her place at the front of the 115-lb queue. Instead, when the UFC finalized the co-main event for UFC 330, it was Gillian Robertson who received the long-awaited championship opportunity against reigning strawweight queen Mackenzie Dern. 

The announcement caught many fans by surprise, but not because Robertson lacked momentum. Now, ahead of her highly anticipated title bout, Robertson admitted that she never assumed she would leapfrog a former champion of Weili's stature. 

Gillian Robertson Admits Zhang Weili Ahead of Her in Title Picture

Riding a five-fight winning streak, "The Savage" had quietly built one of the division's strongest resumes. In fact, her credentials solidify her stature as a tough competitor for Dern, who is slated for her first title defense next month

Speaking to veteran MMA pundit Ariel Helwani, Robertson revealed she had always believed Weili would be the UFC's first choice if the former champion returned to strawweight - 

"I knew that (Zhang) Weili was definitely in the talks if she was coming back. I do think she deserved the spot before me."

For the unversed, after relinquishing her strawweight title in pursuit of two-division champion status, Weili came up short against UFC women's flyweight queen Valentina Shevchenko last November. The setback, however, prompted the Chinese sensation to shift her focus back to the 115-pound division, where many expected her to receive the next title shot. 

Gillian Robertson Not Sure of Reason for Delay

Rather than speculating about why the matchup never materialized, the Canadian said she has no idea whether the holdup came from the UFC or Weili's side. After picking up a unanimous decision win over Amanda Lemos, she felt confident she had positioned herself as the next option if the former champion wasn't available.

"But after my last performance, I expected the call...," she said. In hindsight, the title opportunity arrived in memorable fashion. Robertson laughed while recalling that she almost missed the biggest news of her career because she had already gone to bed before her manager reached out.

"My manager actually texted me... 'Wake up girl, you got a title fight.'" The emotions, she admitted, were overwhelming after years of grinding through the UFC roster.

"I knew that as long as Weili wasn't in the picture it was my shot... When it happened I was obviously hit with a lot of emotions. But it was time."

For the 31-year-old, the booking wasn't about taking advantage of someone else's absence; instead, it was validation that years of consistent performances had finally earned her a championship opportunity.

Gillian Robertson Believes Mackenzie Dern Overlooking Challenge

While Robertson has remained humble about how she reached her first UFC title fight, she doesn't believe Dern is giving her enough respect heading into UFC 330.

In recent interviews, Dern suggested Robertson's grappling credentials don't quite compare to her own, a claim the challenger found surprising. However, according to Robertson, it almost feels as though the champion hasn't spent much time studying her game despite the fight being only weeks away.

"I think she might be underestimating me a little bit," she said to MMA Junkie, adding that the Brazil-born American’s confidence could ultimately play into her hands.

That said, Robertson acknowledged that Dern remains one of the most dangerous submission artists in women's MMA and praised her willingness to constantly hunt for finishes. At the same time, she believes the champion's aggressive style leaves openings she plans to exploit.

In addition, she pointed to Dern's striking and wrestling transitions as areas where mistakes can creep in before insisting her trademark top pressure will present problems the champion hasn't previously encountered.

While a submission victory between two of the UFC's most accomplished female grapplers would certainly make history, Robertson made it clear she's equally happy to secure a stoppage with ground-and-pound if the opportunity presents itself.