Gillian Robertson is a Canadian professional mixed martial artist competing in the UFC women’s strawweight division.
Nicknamed “The Savage,” Robertson is one of the most accomplished submission fighters in UFC women’s history and a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt known for her aggressive grappling and ground control.
She holds a professional MMA record of 17-8 and is riding a five-fight winning streak heading into the biggest fight of her career against UFC women’s strawweight champion Mackenzie Dern at UFC 330.
Gillian Robertson Fighter Information
| Stats | Info |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Gillian Elizabeth Robertson |
| Nickname | The Savage |
| Born | May 17, 1995 |
| Birthplace | Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada |
| Nationality | Canadian |
| Height | 5’5″ / 165 cm |
| Reach | 63″ / 160 cm |
| Division | Women’s Strawweight |
| Record | 17-8-0 |
| Stance | Orthodox |
| Foundation Style | Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu |
| Team | The GOAT Shed Academy |
| BJJ Rank | Black Belt |
| BJJ Coach | Din Thomas |
| Head Coach | Asim Zaidi |
| @savage_ufc |
What Is Gillian Robertson Known For?
Gillian Robertson is best known for her Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, submission ability and dominant top control.
She has nine submission victories in professional MMA and has built one of the strongest grappling resumes in UFC women’s history.
Robertson holds the UFC women’s record for most submission wins and is tied for the most finishes in UFC women’s history.
Her UFC submission victories include wins over Molly McCann, Cortney Casey, Priscila Cachoeira, Mariya Agapova and Piera Rodriguez.
What makes Robertson particularly dangerous is that she does not simply look to hold position on the ground.
She constantly looks for submissions, advances position and uses ground-and-pound to force opponents into mistakes.
Why Is Gillian Robertson Called “The Savage”?
Gillian Robertson’s nickname is “The Savage.”
The name fits the relentless style she uses once she gets opponents to the mat.
Robertson is known for attacking continuously from dominant positions instead of settling for control.
That aggression has helped her become one of the most prolific finishers in UFC women’s history.
What Is Gillian Robertson’s Background?
Robertson was born on May 17, 1995, in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada.
She began training in cardio kickboxing at around 16 years old at American Top Team.
After several months, she moved into MMA training and eventually began competing.
Robertson built a strong amateur career before making her professional MMA debut in 2016.
She later appeared on The Ultimate Fighter 26, which featured fighters competing for the inaugural UFC women’s flyweight championship.
Although Robertson lost her exhibition fight on the show, she was still signed by the UFC.
She made her official UFC debut in December 2017 and submitted Emily Whitmire with an armbar in the first round.
That victory immediately showed the type of fighter Robertson would become.
Who Trains Gillian Robertson?
Gillian Robertson currently represents The GOAT Shed Academy.
She trains under head coach Asim Zaidi and has also worked extensively with respected MMA coach and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt Din Thomas.
Robertson previously trained at American Top Team, where much of her early development took place.
She eventually earned her Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt under Din Thomas after years of training.
Her grappling background remains the foundation of her MMA game.
What Is Gillian Robertson’s Fighting Style?
Robertson is primarily a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu-based grappler.
Her goal is often to close distance, secure takedowns and establish top control.
She averages approximately 2.76 takedowns per 15 minutes with around 40% takedown accuracy.
Once the fight reaches the ground, Robertson becomes particularly dangerous.
She averages around 0.9 submission attempts per 15 minutes, and her career includes multiple rear-naked choke and armbar victories.
Robertson has also improved significantly as a striker.
She lands approximately 2.71 significant strikes per minute with around 48% striking accuracy.
Her recent performances have shown that she is no longer simply a submission specialist.
She has become increasingly effective with ground-and-pound and positional control, giving her more ways to win.
What Are Gillian Robertson’s Biggest UFC Wins?
Robertson has built a long UFC career with several important victories.
One of her earliest notable wins came against Molly McCann in 2018, when Robertson secured a second-round rear-naked choke.
She later submitted Cortney Casey and Priscila Cachoeira before defeating Piera Rodriguez by armbar in 2023.
That victory earned Robertson a Performance of the Night bonus.
In January 2024, Robertson dominated Polyana Viana on the ground before finishing the fight by second-round TKO.
That performance earned her another Performance of the Night bonus.
Robertson then defeated Michelle Waterson-Gomez and Luana Pinheiro by unanimous decision.
In May 2025, she stopped Marina Rodriguez with punches in the second round.
Her momentum continued in March 2026 when she defeated former UFC title challenger Amanda Lemos by unanimous decision.
That victory extended Robertson’s winning streak to five fights and helped earn her a UFC championship opportunity.
What Is Gillian Robertson’s MMA Record?
Gillian Robertson currently holds a professional MMA record of 17 wins and eight losses.
Her 17 victories include:
- 3 wins by knockout or TKO
- 9 wins by submission
- 5 wins by decision
Her submission total is one of the biggest reasons she has become such a dangerous matchup in the UFC women’s divisions.
Does Gillian Robertson Hold Any UFC Records?
Yes.
Robertson has built several notable UFC records during her career.
She holds the most submission wins in UFC women’s history with seven.
She is also tied for the most finishes in UFC women’s history with 10.
Robertson has additionally recorded some of the highest control-time and top-position percentages in UFC women’s divisional history.
Those numbers help explain why her grappling has become such a difficult problem for opponents.
Is Gillian Robertson a BJJ Black Belt?
Yes.
Gillian Robertson is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt under Din Thomas.
Her BJJ background has been central to her MMA career.
She has also competed in professional grappling events outside the UFC.
One of her most notable grappling victories came in December 2022 when she submitted former UFC women’s strawweight champion Rose Namajunas with a rear-naked choke in just 65 seconds.
Is Gillian Robertson Fighting Mackenzie Dern?
Yes.
Gillian Robertson is scheduled to challenge Mackenzie Dern for the UFC Women’s Strawweight Championship at UFC 330 on August 15, 2026.
The fight takes place at the Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia.
It creates one of the most interesting grappling matchups in the women’s division.
Dern is regarded as one of the UFC’s most accomplished Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioners, while Robertson has built her own reputation through years of submissions and dominant grappling performances inside the Octagon.
For Robertson, UFC 330 represents the first UFC championship opportunity of her career.
Why Does Gillian Robertson Stand Out?
Gillian Robertson stands out because few fighters in UFC women’s history have been as consistently dangerous once a fight reaches the ground.
Her nine career submission victories and UFC submission records speak for themselves.
But Robertson’s recent development may be even more important.
She has improved her wrestling, control and ground-and-pound while becoming more comfortable winning fights without relying entirely on submissions.
That evolution has produced the best run of her UFC career.
With five consecutive victories and a UFC title shot ahead of her, Robertson has gone from dangerous submission specialist to legitimate championship contender.
Gillian Robertson FAQs
Who is Gillian Robertson?
Gillian Robertson is a Canadian professional MMA fighter competing in the UFC women’s strawweight division. She is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt and one of the most successful submission fighters in UFC women’s history.
What is Gillian Robertson’s record?
Gillian Robertson has a professional MMA record of 17-8-0.
How old is Gillian Robertson?
Gillian Robertson was born on May 17, 1995, making her 31 years old as of August 2026.
How tall is Gillian Robertson?
Gillian Robertson is 5 feet 5 inches tall, or approximately 165 cm.
What is Gillian Robertson’s reach?
Gillian Robertson has a 63-inch reach, or approximately 160 cm.
What is Gillian Robertson’s nickname?
Gillian Robertson is nicknamed “The Savage.”
Is Gillian Robertson a BJJ black belt?
Yes. Robertson is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt under Din Thomas.
How many submissions does Gillian Robertson have?
Robertson has nine submission victories in her professional MMA career.
What UFC record does Gillian Robertson hold?
Robertson holds the UFC women’s record for most submission victories, with seven UFC submission wins.
Who trains Gillian Robertson?
Gillian Robertson trains at The GOAT Shed Academy under head coach Asim Zaidi and has worked extensively with Din Thomas.
Who is Gillian Robertson fighting next?
Gillian Robertson is scheduled to challenge Mackenzie Dern for the UFC Women’s Strawweight Championship at UFC 330 on August 15, 2026.
Has Gillian Robertson ever fought at flyweight?
Yes. Robertson spent much of her earlier UFC career competing at women’s flyweight before moving back to strawweight.
Did Gillian Robertson submit Rose Namajunas?
Yes. Robertson submitted former UFC champion Rose Namajunas with a rear-naked choke in a professional grappling match at Fury Pro Grappling 6 in December 2022.
