Robertson Plans To 'Make It Dirty' Against Dern At UFC 330

Gillian Robertson wants to make history Saturday as the first female Canadian UFC champion, and she plans to do it by getting nasty on the mat.

Robertson challenges strawweight titlist Mackenzie Dern in the UFC 330 co-main event. Speaking on Just Scrap Radio, per BJPenn.com, the Canadian said her ground pressure will separate her from Dern's pure grappling pedigree. "If Mackenzie and I competed in straight jiu-jitsu, she might be a better grappler than me," Robertson said. "But when it comes to MMA, I'm the best on the ground. There is no pressure or aggression like mine."

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Robertson Sees TKO Finish Over Dern

Robertson earned the shot after beating Amanda Lemos earlier this year. Hunter Campbell and Dana White both confirmed the title booking immediately after that fight, she said, despite her own disappointment with the performance. Saturday marks her 21st UFC appearance, the longest road to a title fight for any woman in company history.

Rather than hunt a submission against the Brazilian jiu-jitsu specialist, Robertson expects to win via strikes on the ground. "The way for me to win is to make it dirty, use ground and pound, elbows," she told the podcast. "She will be tough to submit. I think a TKO is more likely for me."

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If Robertson captures the belt, she wants Zhang Weili first. "Everybody doesn't call her the champ; everyone says Weili is the champ," Robertson said. "You need to beat her to solidify yourself. It has to be the first fight after the belt."

Reported via:

• BJPenn — Gillian Robertson plans to ‘make it dirty’ against Mackenzie Dern at UFC 330: ‘There is no pressure or aggression like mine’