Michelle Waterson-Gomez and Gillian Robertson at the UFC 303 official weigh-in. Photo by Eddie Law/Cageside Press
Canada’s Gillian Robertson is just over 30 and is 2-1 in the UFC strawweight division, but she faces veteran Michelle Waterson-Gomez on Saturday’s early preliminaries card at UFC 303.
Robertson is fresh off a win over Polyana Viana at UFC 297 in Toronto in January, while “Karate Fanatic” Gomez-Waterson has lost four straight, including two defeats to Marina Rodriguez.
Michelle was quick with instant stance switches and moves around while Jillian Robertson applied pressure, catching kicks and nearly scoring a takedown. Robertson kept her guard up high, landing kicks from the top and trying to land right hands. After about 90 seconds, Robertson clinched and, although she held her own in the stand, went down under her signature move. The takedown was easy and Robertson quickly gained side control and went for an armbar. When the armbar didn’t go through, Robertson transitioned to mount, caught the arm, secured a crucifix, and dropped an elbow! Waterson-Gomez survived, but Robertson was on top with a North-South. She turned around and sat in mount, landing elbows and punches, forcing Waterson-Gomez to defend.
Then came the armbar. Waterson-Gomez defended and Robertson converted with a submission, but it eventually made it to the second round.
Robertson closed the distance quickly in the second round, scoring a powerful takedown. Waterson-Gomez briefly held half guard, but Robertson quickly moved into side control and attempted another cross-fix. From there, she drifted into mount and landed more elbows. Waterson-Gomez regained half guard, but Robertson was still dominant, landing elbows to the thigh and quickly moving back into mount. With two minutes remaining, Gillian Robertson dominated the first half of the bout.
Robertson continued his flow on top, moving into side control, then mount, and again at the end of the round, Robertson went for an armbar but time expired.
The third round began with Waterson-Gomez caught in a guillotine after a takedown attempt. Robertson took advantage, got to her feet and took down the “Karate Hot Lady” herself. From there, Jillian was on the offensive the whole time. Robertson had the most dominant fight of her UFC career, proving her superiority on the ground, but also looking to improve on what little striking she had. In the final two minutes, Robertson worked from half guard, trying to improve her position and finish, giving Michelle Waterson-Gomez no time to breathe. Michelle was showing signs of swelling under one eye and simply couldn’t counter Jillian Robertson’s grappling moves.
After the fight, Waterson-Gomez tearfully hung up her gloves and UFC played some highlights from her career. The former Invicta FC atomweight champion, “The Hot Lady of Karate,” left the sport as a pioneer, fighting at a time when women hadn’t yet made it to the major leagues. “I wouldn’t be where I am today without UFC and all the fans who continue to push me. I have fight running through my veins. It’s what made me who I am,” Waterson-Gomez exclaimed, adding that now she’ll be on the other side cheering on others with her family.
Official result: Gillian Robertson defeats Michelle Waterson-Gomez by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-26)
