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Din Thomas tried to clean up the mess from his UFC 330 corner-retirement bombshell, and this time he put Gillian Robertson first. After two days of backlash over the timing of his post-fight comments, the longtime analyst and coach used Monday’s UFC on Paramount+ show, Deep Waters, to apologize to Robertson for turning her title-fight loss into his own exit speech. The whole thing started after Thomas, who has spent years breaking down UFC fighters, said he was done cornering fighters right after Robertson had gone five rounds with Mackenzie Dern in Philadelphia. Robertson has been around rough MMA rooms before, including the awkward social grind she once described during her Ultimate Fighter run, but this was a different kind of chaos. The fighter lost a title bout, then watched the post-fight conversation swing straight toward her coach. Watch Thomas address the fallout below. Din Thomas starts out Deep Waters by apologizing to his fighter, Gillian Robertson, after #UFC330 👇 [ Deep Waters LIVE on @ParamountPlus & YouTube ] pic.twitter.com/yhjfO4l9tU — UFC on Paramount+ (@UFConParamount) August 17, 2026 Din Thomas Apologizes For Taking Attention From Robertson Thomas began by explaining that cornering has long been an emotional strain for him and that he had considered walking away before Robertson’s title opportunity. I’ve been very vocal about this, that it’s not my favorite thing to do. I’ve tried to quit time and time before. I thought when Tyron Woodley got knocked out by Jake Paul, I was like, ‘Yo, it’s my last time doing this.’ Yeah, my last time doing this. I’m not doing this no more. But I took on Gillian. He then said the timing of his UFC 330 announcement was wrong. Saturday night was the most inappropriate time for me to bring up the fact that I did not want to corner again. It was completely irresponsible. It was despicable. I shouldn’t have done it. I should have waited till maybe even today. I should have waited till a different time, then take away her moment. Thomas described the seven years he and Robertson have spent building her career together. Now, this is a young lady that I’ve worked with for her entire career. The last seven years, it’s just been me and her working endlessly, just together, traveling, working together. That’s why everybody back home doesn’t see me. They don’t understand it. We’ve been working endlessly, time and time again together. And I remember her coming to me crying, ‘I just would like to win two in a row, three in a row.’ And she went on this amazing run. She’s broken records. He accepted responsibility for shifting the attention away from Robertson after her five-round title fight. I selfishly stole her moment that night. And 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. And I was completely wrong. I’m ashamed. I’m embarrassed. But I’m not too big to say I’m sorry. Thomas finished by addressing Robertson directly and promising that his support would continue. Gillian, I love you. I got your back. I’ve always had your back. This is not the end. I’ve always had your back. And I want you to know that 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. The outside reaction helped turn this from awkward post-fight television into a full-blown UFC 330 sidebar. Jon Anik was one of the sharper voices after the original moment, calling it “awful” and saying it was not about Thomas. Wow. Awful. Not about you, bro! Wow. — Jon Anik (@Jon_Anik) August 16, 2026 Robertson has not publicly answered Thomas as of Monday evening. Her immediate story remains the fight itself, where Dern kept her title and Robertson’s five-fight surge finally hit the wall. Dern has had her own wild climb through UFC pressure before, from the Amanda Ribas rematch to the championship level, and her submission win over Ribas was part of the road that made this title reign possible. Thomas’ apology at least moves the conversation back toward the fighter who actually stepped into the cage. Robertson leaves Philadelphia with a loss, a bruising news cycle, and one very public apology from the coach who knows he picked the worst possible time to make it about himself. In a division with a long, weird championship history, including past strawweight title turns involving Carla Esparza and Zhang Weili, the UFC 330 fallout was still one of the stranger post-fight pivots you will see.