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Din Thomas apologizes following retirement backlash after UFC 330: "It was completely irresponsible"

| BJPenn.com · Fernando Quiles Jr · 2026-08-17T17:36:19+00:00 · nguồn gốc

Din Thomas has apologized amid strong backlash within the MMA community following UFC 330. Thomas has long been highly regarded as a head coach, but he came under fire after his fighter, Gillian Robertson, fell short in her bid to capture the UFC Women’s Strawweight Championship. Robertson was defeated by Mackenzie Dern, and after the event, Thomas announced he is done cornering fighters. Many fans, fighters, and even UFC play-by-play ace Jon Anik criticized Thomas for the timing of his announcement. The longtime coach and analyst also drew the ire of some when he seemingly put down Robertson as having peaked inside the Octagon. Thomas cleared the air to open “Deep Waters” on Paramount+. During the show, Thomas said he made a mistake this past Saturday. “I took on Gillian, and I have to say, Saturday night was the most inappropriate time to bring up the fact that I did not want to corner again,” Thomas said. “It was completely irresponsible. It was despicable. I shouldn’t have done it. I should’ve waited until maybe even today. I should’ve waited until a different time than take away her moment. This is a young lady that I’ve worked with her entire career.” The former American Top Team stalwart also mentioned that he nearly stopped cornering fighters after Jake Paul knocked out Tyron Woodley in their boxing rematch back in late 2021. MMA veteran Jorge Masvidal, who also appeared on the “Deep Waters” show, backed Thomas’ claim. Where Robertson goes from here remains to be seen. “The Savage” has been on a career resurgence, going on a five-fight winning streak prior to the Dern fight. Robertson has been praised for turning things around, but she will need a new lead cornerman going forward. What do you make of Din Thomas’ apology? Do you think the backlash towards Thomas was warranted, or did this get overblown? Share your opinion in the comments below. This article appeared first on BJPENN.COM