Gillian Robertson was confident in her ground skills heading into UFC 297 against Polyana Viana. Despite being the betting favorite in a matchup of grapplers, Robertson was pleased to face an opponent willing to engage on the ground, as she knows many are reluctant to do so against her.
“I knew it would play in my favor. I believe I’m the best on the ground in the world of MMA. The fact that she wanted to compete with me on the ground made it easier,” explained Robertson in an interview with BJPENN.com.
The fight unfolded predominantly on the ground, culminating in Robertson securing a second-round TKO victory. Prior to the bout, the Canadian fighter had expressed her desire for another TKO win, a goal she successfully achieved.
“Once I started landing strikes, the referee warned her to move. After she bucked and bridged, I paused briefly and resumed throwing strikes when he issued another warning. Seeing she wasn’t fighting back, I went for the finish,” Robertson recounted.
Not only did Robertson secure a significant win, but she also received a $50,000 bonus, adding to the satisfaction of her overall performance. Reflecting on her victorious week, she expressed gratitude for her well-prepared camp and the flawless execution of her fight strategy.
“It was a picture-perfect week and fight and a picture-perfect camp in general. I was so prepared walking in there; it couldn’t have gone any other way. I had such a good camp, and then I was able to come off with a great performance. All day Sunday, I just kept apologizing to my boyfriend because I kept on crying out of happiness,” Robertson shared.
With the win secured, Robertson plans to take some time off to allow her body to heal. Looking ahead, she envisions a return in the summer, targeting a bout against a ranked opponent as she aims to climb the strawweight rankings.
“I learned my lesson from my last fight, so I’m going to take at least a month to let my body heal and get back on track. I don’t care who I fight as long as it’s someone above me. Two, but maybe three fights, although three might be a stretch. I think at strawweight, it will be two fights a year,” Robertson concluded.
