“I’m ashamed. I’m embarrassed”: Din Thomas makes emotional apology to Gillian Robertson

It was a long night for Din Thomas at UFC 330. He had to juggle two roles, working as a UFC analyst while also serving as the coach in Gillian Robertson's corner for her strawweight title fight against champion Mackenzie Dern in the co-main event.

Robertson was dominated by Dern and lost the bout via unanimous decision, with the judges scoring it 46-49, 46-49, and 47-48. Following the loss, Thomas worked as a UFC analyst on the Paramount+ post-show, where he immediately announced his retirement as a coach. He explained that he wanted to take Robertson as far as she could go and believed she had reached her full potential.

The announcement came as a shock to the MMA community, especially considering that his fighter had just lost a title fight. Given the timing of the announcement, Thomas quickly faced backlash from the MMA world, with fans and community members firing jabs at him online.

Din Thomas apologizes to Gillian Robertson for announcing retirement immediately after UFC 330 loss

Thomas has addressed the backlash in UFC’s Deep Waters show. He reflected on his relationship with Robertson and explained that he and ‘The Savage’ had worked together throughout virtually all of her professional career. 

“This is a young lady that I’ve worked with for her entire career,” Thomas said. “The last seven years, it’s just been me and her, working endlessly, just together, travelling, working together. They don’t understand that we’ve been working endlessly, time and time again, together. 

Thomas acknowledged that his decision to announce his retirement immediately after the loss shifted the focus away from Robertson. He took full responsibility for his actions, admitted he was embarrassed, and apologized to his fighter.

“And I, selfishly, stole her moment that night,” Thomas asserted. “Instead of congratulating her on her run, I stole her moment. And I want to apologize to her for that, because I stole her moment. I was completely wrong. I’m ashamed. I’m embarrassed. But I’m not too big to say I’m sorry.”

The coach delivered an emotional message directly to Robertson and assured her that he would continue to support her, regardless of what comes next.

“And for her, Gillian, I love you. I got your back. I’ve always had your back. This is not the end,” Thomas added. “I want you to know I’m always here for you. I’m always going to support you, and whatever you need, I’m always here for you. The same way I’ve been for you for the last seven years when it was just us.”

Check out Din Thomas’ comments below: