Gillian Robertson said she was the better grappler; Dern had her answer

Mackenzie Dern successfully defended her UFC strawweight title at UFC 330, dominating Gillian Robertson across all five rounds in the co-main event at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia. Dern secured a lopsided decision victory, showcasing improved wrestling and striking alongside her renowned jiu-jitsu credentials to control the Canadian challenger throughout the bout. Robertson had entered the fight claiming to be the superior grappler, but Dern's wrestling and submission threat proved too much, though the champ was unable to secure a finish despite multiple opportunities. Dern credited her training improvements in wrestling, noting that her team had focused heavily on closing that gap ahead of the title fight. In her post-fight interview, she reflected on the grind of the championship rounds: "I'm super happy. My first title win. I got taken down a lot of times, so I've been working on my wrestling. I'm still the champion." When asked about failing to secure a submission, Dern acknowledged fatigue's toll in the later rounds. "I try to get submissions in all my fights," she said. "I wish I could do some more damage to set up the submissions better, but she's good. Like in the fourth and fifth rounds, my legs started to feel a little bit tired." Dern's wrestling improvements and submission ability make her a formidable champion, with the title now firmly in her possession heading forward.