Following Gillian Robertson’s unsuccessful quest to capture a UFC title this past Saturday, her primary coach has decided to step away from corner duties.
Widely respected MMA trainer and UFC on Paramount+ commentator Din Thomas shared his decision during the UFC 330 post-fight broadcast, which followed Robertson’s loss to women’s strawweight titleholder Mackenzie Dern. Thomas revealed that his days of working in a fighter’s corner have come to an end (as reported by MMAFighting).
“To share my update—and I do have some news for everyone—I resolved to keep coaching from the corner until I could help Gillian reach her absolute ceiling. It feels like we may have hit that point, so tonight marks my official retirement from cornering. I am taking the Matt Serra route: I will no longer be cornering anyone,” Thomas explained.
Thomas would have walked away even earlier, but he felt compelled to guide Robertson through the most significant matchup of her professional career.
“It is simply that I made a promise to myself to join her on this path, to see her journey through to the end, and to guide her to her maximum potential. And we may have reached that limit,” Thomas stated. “Look, I have taken on hosting duties for Deep Waters now [laughs]. …
While Thomas is stepping down from active cornering duties, he intends to remain involved in training and mentoring athletes.
“I will continue to train people; it is specifically the cornering aspect that I am moving away from. The process demands too much. It involves a massive amount of labor and immense pressure. You are required to commit your entire fight week to it.”
The timing of Thomas’s retirement declaration has drawn criticism, with some observers condemning him for implying that Robertson has reached her peak potential. Even prominent UFC commentator Jon Anik voiced his disapproval regarding how Thomas chose to step down.
Do you believe Din Thomas exercised poor judgment by announcing his retirement immediately following Gillian Robertson’s defeat, or do you see nothing wrong with it? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section.
This story was originally published on BJPENN.COM
